The Devil’s Brigade 1968 123movies

Watch: The Devil’s Brigade 1968 123movies, Full Movie Online – During World War II, a special fighting unit is formed that combines a crack Canadian Army unit and a conglomeration of U.S. Army misfits who had previously served time in military jails. After an initial period of conflict between the two groups, their enmity turns to respect and friendship, and the unit is sent Italy to attempt a dangerous mission that has heretofore been considered impossible to carry out..
Plot: At the onset of World War II, American Lt. Col. Robert Frederick is put in charge of a unit called the 1st Special Service Force, composed of elite Canadian commandos and undisciplined American soldiers. With Maj. Alan Crown leading the Canadians and Maj. Cliff Bricker the acting head of the American contingent, there is initial tension — but the team comes together when given a daunting mission that few would dare to attempt.
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Ratings:

	6.7/10 Votes: 5,763
	60% | RottenTomatoes
	N/A | MetaCritic
	N/A Votes: 57 Popularity: 7.955 | TMDB

Reviews:

Teufels Brigade.

The Devil’s Brigade is directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and adapted to screenplay by William Roberts from the book of the same name written by Robert H. Adleman and George Walton. It stars William Holden, Cliff Robertson, Vince Edwards, Harry Carey, Claude Akins, Andrew Prine, Richard Jaeckel, Jack Watson and Jeremy Slate. A Panavision/De Luxe Color production, music is by Alex North and cinematography by William H. Clothier.

Based on real people and incidents, film follows the formation of the 1st Special Service Force (AKA: The Devil’s Brigade), their training and subsequent mission to seize control of Monte la Difensa, a Nazi stronghold during the Italian Campaign in World War II.

Somewhere along the path of war movie history there was a wind of change that saw the all heroic soldier of sincerity replaced by the anti-hero thug! Where misfits, criminals and army bums were thrust into missions that gave them the chance of redemption or a semblance of honour via death. This format reached a pinnacle, arguably, with Robert Aldrich’s Magnificent Macho Movie, The Dirty Dozen (1967). A year later came The Devil’s Brigade, a film strikingly similar to The Dirty Dozen, yet unlike Aldrich’s movie is based on facts, it should also be noted that the novel The Devil’s Brigade was written in 1966.

McLaglen’s movie follows the tried and tested formula, men from all walks of life thrust together and expected to gel as one fighting force. Cue hostilities and suspicions, here in the guise of a crack Canadian army unit joining forces with a platoon of American wasters. The training is as tough as it gets, the men continuing to try and out macho each other, and then that magical moment occurs when they come together as one and realise they actually can get on after all. This comes about in TDB courtesy of a gloriously over the top part of the film where the Yanks and Canadians brawl with local lumberjacks and the military police. Something which greatly makes their leader, Lt. Col Robert Frederick (Holden), very proud. He of course is straight from the “unconventional” line of military leaders.

So it goes, fists fly as much as the jokes, the insults are barbed and the macho posturing never wavers. Frederick butts heads with the suits, his charges forced to prove themselves as an elite fighting force, and then it’s to the big bang mission, where it’s a time for heroes and we know that not everyone will survive the pyrotechnics. Cast performances are just fine, inevitably with such an ensemble piece many of the characters are not fully fleshed, but the main players impact well on the drama. North’s music is delightfully boisterous, the blend of national themes most catchy, Clothier’s photography around the Utah and Lazio locales lurches nicely from the screen, while McLaglen, so often derided for some of his directing assignments, does a bang up good job for the two action sequences that finalise the movie.

It doesn’t break new ground, but for this line of formula war movies it comfortably keeps the fires burning. 7.5/10

Being from Windsor, Ontario, Canada, this film has special significance, as there are still survivors from the actual ‘Devil’s Brigade’. This film was a hoot to watch and greatly enjoyable. Heartily recommended for those enthusiasts of war movies, and had just enough humour to be endearing rather than off-putting. Would make a fine double bill with the similarly-toned ‘Three Kings’ or ‘Kelly’s Heroes’.

The Fighting Devils
When The Devil’s Brigade first came out it got panned by a lot of critics in that it was too similar to The Dirty Dozen. Never mind that it was based on some real figures, the consensus was that The Devil’s Brigade was a poor imitation of The Dirty Dozen. Personally I think it was a better film.

I’m sure that the characters and incidents were given a lot of poetic license, but that was to make it entertaining. And entertaining it is. But it’s also inspiring, especially in the last battle sequence, taking that hill by going up the hard way.

When Bill Holden was cast as real life Lieutenant Colonel Robert Frederick, Mrs. Frederick was interviewed and said while she admired Mr. Holden’s talent, she thought her husband was more the Gregory Peck type. Nevertheless Holden does a fine job as a man who shoots down Lord Louis Mountbatten’s idea of a combined American/Canadian special force and then gets command of it. He’s also a staff officer who had not seen combat and he was trying to prove something to himself.

As good as Holden is, the best performance in this film has to be that of Cliff Robertson as Canadian Major Alan Crown. Robertson’s an Ulster Irishman in the film and his acting and accent are impeccable. He’s got something to prove as well, he and many of his Canadians left Europe at Dunkirk. Robertson himself was off his Oscar winning performance in Charly and The Devil’s Brigade was a good follow up for him.

The Canadians selected for this unit are the pick of the lot, while the Americans emptied their stockades of all the refuse. Holden encourages competition among them and a really terrific sequence involving a bar brawl with some obnoxious lumberjacks welds a camaraderie among former feudees.

Standing out in the cast are Claude Akins as a particularly rambunctious American recruit and Jack Watson as the Canadian sergeant. They bond particularly close, some might even infer some homosexuality here, but Watson’s death scene and Akins’s reactions are particularly poignant.

The Devil’s Brigade also came out during the Viet-nam War and war films were not well received at that time, at least until Patton came out. Seen now though, The Devil’s Brigade is a fine tribute to the Canadians and Americans who made up the First Special Service Force.

I thought it was an emotional tribute to the First Special Service Force
I’ve read and researched quite a bit on the actual First Special Service Force, which this movie is based on, and found that, although it (as with most movies) does differ on occasion from the actual history, on the whole it is a moving tribute which captures the spirit of the Force. The acting was first-rate, and although the cinematography left a little to be desired I can see why it recieved high ratings among IMDB members.

Other Information:

Original Language en
Runtime 2 hr 10 min (130 min)
Budget 0
Revenue 0
Status Released
Rated Approved
Genre Action, Drama, War
Director Andrew V. McLaglen
Writer William Roberts, Robert H. Adleman, George Walton
Actors William Holden, Cliff Robertson, Vince Edwards
Country United States
Awards N/A
Production Company N/A
Website N/A

Technical Information:

Sound Mix Mono (Westrex Recording System)
Aspect Ratio 2.35 : 1
Camera Panavision Cameras and Lenses
Laboratory DeLuxe, Hollywood (CA), USA (color)
Film Length N/A
Negative Format 35 mm
Cinematographic Process Panavision (anamorphic)
Printed Film Format 35 mm