Kelly's Heroes - movie review

When I was young, and less wise, I developed some strange ideas about what constituted a great film. After seeing "Kelly's Heroes", for instance, I was convinced that I had just experienced the greatest war movie ever made. Little did I know that it was really intended as a "comedy", blending subtle satire, frivolity and action. Whatever my youthful misconceptions, it remains an entertaining, and occasionally thought-provoking picture.

The film centres on the exploits of a group of American soldiers in France in 1944, and their successful efforts to "steal" a haul of gold from a bank located behind enemy lines. The driving force behind the operation is Kelly, played by Clint Eastwood, who summons up his best "mean, moody and magnificent" persona for the role..

"Kelly Heroes" has much in common in many respects with the Vietnam-era war films which appeared later in the 1970s and 1980s. The fact that this picture was made in 1969/70 doubtless helped to shape its aesthetic and some of the undercurrents in the script. The music is vaguely "Age of Aquarius" in nature, and bits of the dialogue are not what one would normally associate with a World War Two film.

This juxtaposition between the Second World War and later counter-cultural values is of course epitomised by the character "Oddball", played by Donald Sutherland.  Oddball's tank unit resembles a proto-hippie commune, and the "modifications" to his armoured vehicles are perhaps an insinuation that evil can be tackled without recourse to excessive violence...

I have read it suggested that "Kelly's Heroes" contains an anti-war message. I would concur with this assertion, but at the same time this is an undercurrent, not rammed down the viewer's throat, and it may not be immediately clear to those only watching casually. There is mixture of satire and "black comedy" which helps to soften any abrasiveness or preachiness which might have crept in.

I am not entirely sure whether the producers of this movie were seeking to pose deeper and more complex moral questions.  The relative "merits" or stealing gold and waging war spring to mind, although of course in reaching the bank the troops had to engage the German forces anyway.  Men died in the process. Which was the more noble "cause"?

Some of the action sequences leave a little to be desired in terms of authenticity, but then again I doubt that "Kelly's Heroes" was aimed at the "purist" audience, militarily or historically speaking. One needs to accept some of the occasional absurdity, and disregard technical minutiae, to appreciate the basic thrust of the movie.

There are, however, one or two memorable scenes. The sequence where the unit becomes trapped in a minefield is especially gripping. More levity is provided by the comical misinterpretations by the American general, who thinks that news of the appearance of Kelly's men behind enemy lines is evidence of some heroic and selfless act of initiative and aggression. Telly Savalas' performance is also worthy of praise, as the irascible sergeant "Big Joe".

It might not be a good idea to watch "Kelly's Heroes" back-to-back with a "serious" war movie, but it is still an intriguing watch.

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Steve Prefontaine

Every so often, in every walk of life, a person comes along who stands apart from the rest, not necessarily by virtue of their ability, but because of their approach, their attitude and their affect on those around them. Such a person was Steve Prefontaine, the American distance runner of the 1970s.

When I first began following track and field closely, in the 1980s, I remember hearing the name Steve Prefontaine, and seeing him mentioned in books, but at the time did not fully grasp his importance and influence, particularly to people in the US. I was aware that he had narrowly missed out on a medal in the 1972 Olympics, but little beyond that.

My interest in Prefontaine was truly awakened a couple of years ago, when I saw the excellent movie, Without Limits, which is a biopic about the man himself.  Whether the film is a fully accurate portrayal I will leave to those with more detailed knowledge to judge.

The most memorable feature of Without Limits is arguably the performance of Donald Sutherland as Bill Bowerman, Prefontaine's coach. However, aspects of the runner's personality and spirit are also examined, including how these traits impacted on others.

One of the striking things about Prefontaine seems to have been his idealism, and this was particularly evident in his front-running style.  The manner of victory appeared to matter as much as victory itself, and "Pre", as he was known, may have seen running as much as an exploration of his own boundaries as a competition against other athletes.

This philosophy, and his scepticism towards authority and officialdom, are the things which fascinated me about Prefontaine. Sometimes we need to look beyond arbitrary goals, and embark on our journey of discovery, finding things out for ourselves. This often brings us into conflict with those who cling to convention. This all strikes a chord with me, following recent events in my own life.

Coaches and others may have attempted to persuade the man from Oregon to follow a more pragmatic course, but they were only partially successful. This non-comformist and rebellious streak, and his early death, appear to be the principal reasons for the Prefontaine legend.

Prefontaine's ethos was perfectly illustrated in the 1972 Olympic 5,000 metres final, when he transformed an initially pedestrian race into a no holds barred run for home, extending and testing a field of the utmost quality. Even though he lost the race, he made the race a genuine contest, and did not simply "run with the crowd".

We can only speculate on what he could have achieved in Montreal '76, had he lived. As it happens, the 5000 metres final in those Olympics was an epic affair, but we can reasonably assume that it would have been a different kind of race had the American been present.

Steve Prefontaine may not have won any Olympic medals, but what he stood for, and left behind, are arguably much more precious....