Better than the Dirty Dozen
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — The Devil's Brigade
jstang411 — 16 years ago(April 10, 2009 06:13 AM)
Devil's Brigade has a similar element in the story line (outcasts bonding and shaping up) but is far more compelling, with better acting and rousing general battle scenes absent from the Dirty Dozen. Filmed in 1968, the film might be the last of the classic WWII gendre.
Devil's Brigade is one fantastic and completely underated gem. -
roscoe-11 — 16 years ago(May 28, 2009 05:03 PM)
Well, one thing that the movie has over the Dirty Dozen is it's based on real events and people (though in truth, the characters I know that have the same names as real counterparts are colonel frederick and pat o'neil). it really is an important part of the classic ww2 genre though
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jstang411 — 16 years ago(January 20, 2010 06:13 AM)
it really is an important part of the classic ww2 genre though
I think one could argue that it is the last (or at least the last well-done) of the classic hit'em in the teeth for God & Country of the WWII film class. Can anyone think of another that came after? -
billy-168 — 15 years ago(May 31, 2010 11:14 AM)
I don't agree that it is a movie anywhere near as good as The Dirty Dozen. It lacked some bit hitting acting power.
Also the agegroup of most of them was too old, with everyone seemingly in their forties. Hardly young men. Whilst the storyline of two sets of different people being forced to get along was well done, there were few moments of genuine tension.
We all will accept how a small group of lightly amoured troups can breakthough a German stonghold that the Allies couldn't break in weeks, but Holden's reaction to this feat of losing some of his men - well, the writers could have given him a bit more to chew on.
The accents from most of the Canadian troup weren't exactly authentic IMO.
A bit of yarn, done quite lightly, it was a fun piece. -
jstang411 — 15 years ago(August 09, 2010 11:11 AM)
I don't agree that it is a movie anywhere near as good as The Dirty Dozen. It lacked some bit hitting acting power.
You make good points, including on the acting. I'm not to biased on this cause I liked each enough to buy it, but Devil's Brigade was more a rah rah good guys film. Dirty Dozen seemed more steeped in the less clear and conflicted attitude of the time. Guess I like things simple. -
dustinblythe-1 — 14 years ago(June 10, 2011 11:28 AM)
I am a William Holden fan, so I am predisposed to like this movie as much, if not more, than "The Dirty Dozen". I do not have the info in front of me, so I wonder as I am writing this which movie came out first: "Devil's Brigade" or "Dirty Dozen". Unfortunately, whichever came first, "Devil's Brigade" suffers in comparison to "The Dirty Dozen" in many people's minds. Nowadays it is written off as inferior.
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King_Of_Fuh — 12 years ago(January 15, 2014 10:03 PM)
This is almost over on THIS TV. Three hours with all the damn ads. Not as entertaining as DD, but still pretty good. The storytelling was just not as good and the characters not as compelling. Holden is one of my favorites, but he's made better films, like Stalag 17 and the Wild Bunch.
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