This entertaining war-themed comedy-action movie features Clint Eastwood. He plays a character who persuades Sgt. Big Joe, portrayed by Telly Savalas, his unit, and a Sherman tank commander with an unconventional personality (Donald Sutherland) to undertake a gold robbery in a French village located thirty miles behind enemy lines during their three-day leave. The story unfolds twelve weeks after the Normandy landings. "Kelly's Heroes," released in 1970, clearly draws inspiration from "What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?" which came out four years before. Carroll O’Connor even embodies a similar character – a general who misinterprets the actions of Allied soldiers as heroic and selfless acts, subsequently appearing to praise them. The film remarkably blends humorous moments with intense war sequences, enhanced by the lively and unusual theme song "Burning Bridges," performed by The Mike Curb Congregation. Naturally, the impressive cast delivers strong performances; Sutherland is particularly memorable in his role as Oddball. Some viewers express reservations about Oddball’s characterization, suggesting he represents a late-1960s hippie archetype, but his crew evokes images of Gypsies and, ultimately, every generation has its share of relaxed, free-spirited individuals. Although "Kelly's Heroes" is generally better than "What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?", it falls short because it doesn’t include a female cast member like the remarkable Giovanna Ralli. Originally, there was supposed to be a female role in the film, but it was removed from the script before filming began. Ingrid Pitt, who had previously worked with Eastwood two years earlier in "Where Eagles Dare," was even chosen for the part; she was practically on her way to Yugoslavia when they canceled her involvement. It was a mistake. The movie runs a bit long at 2 hours and 24 minutes, and trimming approximately fifteen to twenty minutes might have improved it, but the engaging final hour compensates for any pacing issues. Filming took place in Vizinada, Croatia (for street scenes), Obrenovac, Serbia (the Bridge over the Kolubara River), Beocin, Serbia (scenes involving the general), and along the coast of Slovenia (south of Trieste, Italy). GRADE: B+

Source on TMDB