Burning Bridges

Rating: 6/10 (4 June 2016)

Credits roll as The Mike Curb Congregation perform their catchy "Burning Bridges" during a thunderstorm punctuated by fiery explosions. Believe it or not, it's 1944 and the Germans are bombing Americans stationed in France. While future "Kojak" TV detective Telly Savalas (as Big Joe) barks orders, rugged box-office star Clint Eastwood (as Kelly) saunters on screen. After inquiries about liquor and loose women, Mr. Eastwood discovers gold in a German prisoner's possession. Even better, a $16 million fortune in gold is stored in a bank vault, just behind enemy lines. "Beach Party" series adult and insult comedian Don Rickles shows interest. Future lovable bigot "Archie Bunker" Carroll O'Connor joins the fun. Eastwood organizes "Kelly's Heroes" and a cast of dirty dozens in an attempt to infiltrate German territory and steal the gold...
Writer Troy Kennedy Martin and director Brian G. Hutton may have been trying for satirical comedy with this one, but "Kelly's Heroes" fails to thrive in its World War II setting. They should have set the story in (then) present-day Vietnam; the situation, that of a heist, hints at imperialism and flirts with anti-war sentiments. The most obviously inappropriate character is pseudo-hippie Donald Sutherland (as Oddball), but Don Rickles and others area also misplaced. The action consists of character actors shouting their lines amid explosions, to which Eastwood plays straight man. A sequence involving land mines, including a gun battle, is very skillfully done; momentarily, the film is lifted. It does get back to basics, those being loud character actors and fiery explosions. In a film like this, loud character actors and fiery explosions are gold.
****** Kelly's Heroes (6/23/70) Brian G. Hutton ~ Clint Eastwood, Telly Savalas, Donald Sutherland, Don Rickles