Review of The Dirty Dozen (1967) by Matt P — 31 Aug 2015

The film is fascinating to me, politically-speaking at least.

It is deeply cynical and nihilistic, but it's also jaunty and fun. It is ferociously anti-military - well, anti-military AUTHORITY at least, but it's not a left-wing flick. It is highly conservative in its macho 60s-70s stylings and dated attitudes but it is also subversive in its (Vietnam era) metaphor of dumb-schmuck cannon-fodder. It is broadly comic at times and horrifying at others. It is very clever but also very animalistic.

I love it.

It's got some issues. I DO really appreciate the sedate pacing of the training and war games segments, but perhaps they are a little overweighted compared to the climatic siege. And the action and violence (while derided/celebrated as extremely OTT at the time) is nothing particularly special in this Tarantino age.

But the film is well-directed and lavishly produced. And what works gangbusters are these: characters, casting, and charisma. The cast is absolutely fantastic, and (while some of the "dozen" are just wallpaper) many of these "actors" are gifted with great stuff - scenery-chewing (Marvin, Cassavetes, Savallas, Sutherland)- or simply leanin' back and being cool (Marvin, Bronson, Brown) THIS is what has turned the film into a minor classic of the men-on-a-mission sub-genre. Not the kooky (non) politics. Not the exquisite balancing act of hatred for everyone with giggling at everything. Not the disgust of war combined with the lust for violence. Not those. Instead - the cast. Those perfs. Just watching the film made my voice drop an octave and my balls drop a bit lower. I know, right! Who would've thought such a thing was ever possible???

PS: Keep an eye out for the band leader at the parachute school. He's only on screen a few seconds. But he's golden.

PPS: If I was running a quiz, and my clue was: "Subversive, bloody anti-military film from the late 60s or early 70s, riotously funny at times, and a colossal box office smash hit", most folk would guess "M*A*S*H" I reckon. But "Dirty Dozen" fits the bill pretty well too.