Film · TMDB
7.4A misfit group of World War II American soldiers goes AWOL to rob a bank behind German lines.
Released: 1970-06-22144 minDir: Brian G. HuttonAdventure, Comedy, WarBudget: $4.0MBox office: $5.2M
▶ Watch trailerStream on: TCM
Cast
- Clint Eastwood as Sergeant First Class Kelly
- Telly Savalas as Master Sergeant "Big Joe"
- Donald Sutherland as Sgt. Oddball (Tank Commander)
- Don Rickles as Staff Sergeant "Crapgame"
- Carroll O'Connor as Major General Colt
- Gavin MacLeod as Moriarty (Tank Crewman)
Themes
- gold
Article
Kelly's Heroes is a 1970 American war comedy drama film directed by Brian G. Hutton and written by Troy Kennedy Martin. Set in 1944, during World War II, it follows a group of disillusioned American soldiers who discover a cache containing millions of dollars of Nazi gold hidden behind enemy lines and embark on an unsanctioned mission to steal it for themselves. The ensemble cast includes Clint Eastwood, Telly Savalas, Don Rickles, Carroll O'Connor and Donald Sutherland, with supporting performances from Harry Dean Stanton, Gavin MacLeod, Karl-Otto Alberty and Stuart Margolin.
The film emerged during a period of growing experimentation within the war genre, with Kennedy Martin's script blending traditional wartime action with heist-film mechanics and contemporary, anti-authoritarian humor. Originally conceived with a more serious tone, the screenplay evolved into a satirical, character-driven story that emphasized the absurdities of military bureaucracy and the cynicism felt by soldiers near the end of the conflict.