Hell Is for Heroes

Hell Is for Heroes follows an American infantry unit in the autumn of 1944, ordered back to the front near the Siegfried Line just as the men were expecting a rest. Facing a German pillbox across a minefield with only a handful of soldiers, they use tricks and deception to make the enemy believe a much larger force holds the position. At the centre of the story is Private John Reese, a bitter, insubordinate soldier whose courage in combat sets him apart from the rest of the squad. When he leads an unauthorised attack on the German strongpoint, the consequences put him on a collision course with his superiors.

Don Siegel directed this 1962 Paramount production, the seventh of the nineteen films he made, between Flaming Star and The Killers. Steve McQueen plays Reese, heading a cast that includes Bobby Darin, Fess Parker, Harry Guardino, James Coburn and Mike Kellin. Richard Carr and Robert Pirosh wrote the screenplay, and Henry Blanke produced.

Made for about three million dollars, the film runs ninety minutes. On IMDb it holds a rating of 6.9 from around eight thousand votes, while on TMDB it sits at 6.5 from roughly one hundred and forty votes. A critics' score of 6.7 from seven reviews places it close to the audience response, suggesting a solidly regarded example of the wartime drama.