Andrew V. McLaglen directed *The Devil’s Brigade*, which William Roberts adapted from a book by Robert H. Adleman and George Walton. The film stars William Holden, Cliff Robertson, Vince Edwards, Harry Carey, Claude Akins, Andrew Prine, Richard Jaeckel, Jack Watson, and Jeremy Slate. It's a Panavision/De Luxe Color production with music by Alex North and cinematography by William H. Clothier. The movie draws from actual events and portrays the creation of the 1st Special Service Force—also known as The Devil’s Brigade—their training regimen, and their subsequent mission to take Monte la Difensa, a Nazi stronghold during the Italian Campaign in World War II. There was a shift in war movies where the traditionally sincere, heroic soldier gave way to an anti-hero type. This involved putting together groups of misfits, criminals, and army rejects on missions offering them a chance at redemption or some semblance of honor through death. The format arguably peaked with Robert Aldrich’s *The Dirty Dozen* (1967). A year later came *The Devil’s Brigade*, which shares similarities with *The Dirty Dozen*, but unlike Aldrich's film, it is rooted in factual events; the novel *The Devil’s Brigade* was published in 1966. McLaglen’s movie follows a familiar pattern: individuals from diverse backgrounds are brought together and expected to function as a unified fighting force. This leads to conflict and mistrust, exemplified by the combination of a Canadian army unit with a group of American soldiers considered less than ideal. The training is intense, with constant attempts to prove dominance, culminating in a moment where they finally bond and realize they can get along—a scene portrayed through an exaggerated sequence featuring brawls between the Americans, Canadians, local lumberjacks, and military police, which greatly pleases their leader, Lt. Col Robert Frederick (Holden), a man known for his unconventional approach to leadership. Throughout, jokes are exchanged alongside punches, insults are sharp, and the macho posturing never lets up. Frederick clashes with superiors while his men must demonstrate their worth as an elite fighting force, leading into the main mission where heroism is required and casualties are inevitable. The acting is acceptable; however, given the large cast, many characters lack depth. Alex North’s music is energetic and memorable, blending national themes effectively. William H. Clothier's cinematography, set in Utah and Lazio, is visually appealing, and McLaglen delivers a strong performance during the film’s concluding action sequences. It doesn’t offer anything entirely new, but it maintains the established formula for this type of war movie. 7.5/10

Source on TMDB