Too Late the Hero (1970)

Regista:

Robert Aldrich

Writers:

Robert Aldrich (screenplay)
Robert Aldrich (story)

Data di uscita:

2 novembre 1970 (Denmark)

Genere:

Action | War | Drama

Slogan:

War. It's A Dying Business.

Plot:

A WWII film set on a Pacific island. Japanese and allied forces occupy different parts of the island...

Plot Keywords:

Japanese Air Force | Air Strip | Grave Robbing | Colour Sergeant | Colonel

Recensioni degli utenti:

Hate saved their skins, friendship made them heroes...

US TV Schedule:

Sat. May 24

5:30 PM

TCM

Cast

Michael Caine	...	Pvt. Tosh Hearne
Cliff Robertson	...	Lt. (j.g.) Sam Lawson
Ian Bannen	...	Pvt. Jock Thornton
Harry Andrews	...	Col. Thompson
Ronald Fraser	...	Pvt. Campbell
Denholm Elliott	...	Capt. Hornsby
Lance Percival	...	Cpl. McLean
Percy Herbert	...	Sgt. Johnstone
Patrick Jordan	...	Sergeant Major
Sam Kydd	...	Colour-Sergeant
William Beckley	...	Pvt. Currie
Martin Horsey	...	Pvt. Griffiths
Harvey Jason	...	Signalman Scott
Don Knight	...	Pvt. Connolly
Roger Newman	...	Pvt. Riddle

Alias:

Suicide Run (USA) (TV title)
Non è più tempo di eroi (Italy) [it]

Durata:

USA:133 min (TCM Print) | USA:133 min (video compilation) | Argentina:145 min

Nazionalità:

USA

Lingua:

Inglese

Colore:

Colore (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.00 : 1

Sonoro:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Mono (35 mm prints)

Divieti:

Iceland:16 | West Germany:16 (f) | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Spain:18 | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:PG | Singapore:PG | Australia:M

Luoghi delle riprese:

Philippines

Company:

ABC Pictures

Curiosità:

Director Robert Aldrich refused Cliff Robertson's request to attend the 1969 Academy Awards ceremony, as a flight from the Philippines to Los Angeles and back would be too time-consuming. Robertson won the Oscar--for Charly (1968)--and the crew presented him with a mock statuette made out of wood. According to Turner Classic Movies host Robert Osborne, after the Philippine location shooting was over, Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences President Gregory Peck greeted the cast as it disembarked at Los Angeles International Airport. Robertson was holding his fake Oscar when he got off the plane. As he was approached by Peck with the real statuette, Robertson threw the wood "Oscar" over his shoulder. The fake Oscar hit Michael Caine in the forehead, and caused him to bleed profusely.

Errori:

Continuity: Throughout the entire film, Lt. Lawson's wristwatch randomly moves and changes position from his left hand to his right hand and vice versa.

Citazioni:

Captain Hornsby: What an extraordinary fellow!
Colonel Thompson: Well, he is an American.

Movie Connections:

Citato in Rainbow Bridge (1972)

Hate saved their skins, friendship made them heroes...

What do you know about psychological warfare? Not much I guess.

Well, this is a war movie with a major twist. It's much less about shelling the enemy or just drill some holes in him, but more about "really" to outsmart him.

An American officer, an Interpreter in Japanese, who's a real artist when it comes to avoid the battlefield, is about to get a long awaited leave when he suddenly is tasked to help a bunch of British raiders in their endeavor to capture and destroy a forward listening Japanese outpost.

Through thick and through thin (literally), men who hate each other as well as hating the American officer (played by Cliff Robertson) have to face a common enemy who masterfully hides in the Jungle.

One by one they get hunted down by the Japanese. Nevertheless, the mission succeeds, but now the remaining force has to return to base. Not an easy task, considering that the Japanese made prisoners and are using them as bait while they communicate with the only two remaining raiders (Robertson and Michael Caine). Through a microphone and various loudspeakers scattered throughout the Jungle and by performing a highly skillful and mind-shattering blackmail, they try to lure the two to surrender.

A well timed war drama, masterfully played by all the actors involved figuring Ian Bannen ("The Hill", "The Outrage" etc.), Harry Andrews ("The Hill", "The Charge of the Light Brigade", "Battle of Britain"), Denholm Elliot ("Raiders of the Lost Ark", "A Room with a View"), Ronald Fraser ("The Hill", "The Wild Geese") and Ken Takakura ("The Yakuza", "Antarctica", "Black Rain").

If you like two movies into one: a War Movie and a Suspense Thriller, then the price is really low.

The DVD edition is as one may expect from Anchor Bay. No extras included, except for the trailer, but the movie alone is, in my view, a tiny masterpiece and well worth the effort.

By the way, if you're looking for a similar movie, forget it. It's the only one in its genre. Think about it.