
Chronicling a rag-tag group of soldiers who abandon their post and undertake a reckless mission to steal $16 million in Nazi gold, Kelly's Heroes reunites director Brian G. Hutton and star Clint Eastwood, who teamed up for the thrilling and comparatively straight-faced Where Eagles Dare ('68).
With a well-stocked stable of comedians, including Telly Savalas and Don Rickles, plus a tank-riding hippie named "Oddball" played by Donald Sutherland, the film works wonders with the way it plays off of Eastwood's quiet, casual serenity.

There's also a jocular Dirty Dozen-like anti-establishment jab at military officers in the way Carroll O'Connor goofily plays General Colt as a Mel Brooks wannabe who confuses disobedience with courage and remains ignorant throughout of Private Kelly's master heist.
At one point during the final action set-piece, which to the audience's delight runs almost a full hour, a self-satirizing Clint Eastwood willingly reenacts the standoff from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, replacing Lee Van Cleef with a German Tiger tank.
By this time, Kelly's Heroes has ceased in its ability to surprise - the World War II farce that it is has taken a hold of us so much so that we've come to expect anything, and luckily, we get it in spades. [A-]
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