Kelly's Heroes

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Kelly's Heroes

PG

Released Jun 23, 1970

2h 25m

War

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

79%

Tomatometer

24 Reviews

88%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

In the midst of World War II, an array of colorful American soldiers gets inside information from a drunk German officer about millions of dollars worth of gold hidden on enemy soil. Kelly (Clint Eastwood), a private with the platoon, devises a plan to sneak past the German officers to steal the loot for his crew. They recruit more men and set their plan into action. Despite several casualties, the men are determined to press forward, even if it means striking a deal with the opposing army.

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Critics Consensus

Kelly's Heroes subverts its World War II setting with pointed satirical commentary on modern military efforts, offering an entertaining hybrid of heist caper and battlefield action.

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Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

An attempt to blend the war epic and the caper film that doesn't quite come off.

Nov 19, 2013

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David Parkinson

Empire Magazine

The action is flashy and intermittent, deliberately wallowing in a mire of revisionist grot, churned up vistas of European mud. Time has made it more intuitive and caustic a film, than its daft reputation might suggest.

Rated: 3/5

Nov 19, 2013

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Variety

Nearly satirical in its overall effect, plot caroms between cliche dogface antics, detailed and gratuitous violence, caper melodramatics, and outrageous anachronism.

Oct 18, 2008

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

…slapdash, funny and deeply irreverent war-comedy…Donald Sutherland’s pot-smoking tank commander Oddball steals the show as the kind of spaced-out, psychedelic counter-culture character that absolutely didn’t exist in WWII...

Rated: 3/5

Jun 20, 2024

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Leigh Paatsch

Herald Sun (Australia)

The usually unemotive Eastwood is more engaged than usual, clearly having a whale of a time with a fruity support cast.

Rated: 3/5

May 12, 2020

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Richard R. Harmetz

Los Angeles Free Press

Even with Eastwood in the title role, this poorly scripted film would surely have fallen apart under the weight of its own heavy handedness were it not for the presence of Donald Sutherland.

Jan 14, 2020

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Ken B

This has been one of my all time favorites. The critics and historians are possessed by historical accuracy. If I wanted that I would watch a documentary. I watch movies for the entertainment I derive from them. I find this highly entertaining. I am old, went into the military in 1970. After a lifetime the pathos of Burning Bridges by The Mike Curb Congregation is moving.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/31/25

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Juan A

First heist movie that they actually got away with it? The scene with Clint, oddball, and Big Joe walk down the street to the tank was the main reason Clint Eastwood was casted in that role, Clint Eastwood wasn’t bad it’s because I only really know him as a cowboy. Him in the military didn’t work for me

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/15/24

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Chris K

One of my all time favorite movies, crazy how many people have never seen this movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/29/24

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alan g

Very good movie. Outrageous plot but excellent cast makes it work.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/08/24

Full Review

All star cast, witty script, great direction from Brian G Hutton. One of Eastwood's best projects.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/24

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Gee K

A totally offbeat WWII movie. Not much truth about it, but that's the point. It's a story of the perfect robbery. And the thieves are not villains. The Nazis have a stash of stolen gold in a bank behind enemy lines. Is it illegal, then, for the U.S. troops to try to rip it off? The casting of the central characters is absolutely perfect. Rickles is Rickles; Savalas is Savalas; Eastwood is, of course, Eastwood. And Donald Sutherland is... a 1960's peace and love hippy who is time warped into commanding a squadron of tanks. You have to see it to understand. Not meant to be taken seriously. Just meant to be thoroughly enjoyed for what it is.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/28/23

Full Review

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Brian G. Hutton

Director

Clint Eastwood

Pvt. Kelly

Telly Savalas

MSgt. Big Joe

Don Rickles

SSgt. Crapgame

Donald Sutherland

Sgt. Oddball

Carroll O'Connor

Maj. Gen. Colt

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Synopsis

In the midst of World War II, an array of colorful American soldiers gets inside information from a drunk German officer about millions of dollars worth of gold hidden on enemy soil. Kelly (Clint Eastwood), a private with the platoon, devises a plan to sneak past the German officers to steal the loot for his crew. They recruit more men and set their plan into action. Despite several casualties, the men are determined to press forward, even if it means striking a deal with the opposing army.

Director: Brian G. Hutton
Producer: Sidney Beckerman, Gabriel Katzka, Harold Loeb
Screenwriter: Troy Kennedy Martin
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Warner Bros., Avala Film
Rating: PG
Genre: War
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 23, 1970, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 19, 2016
Runtime: 2h 25m

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