The Dirty Dozen

This is the first among many films of its kind. A hard-nosed major played by Lee Marvin is assigned the task of taking a dozen hardened criminals from a military prison, whip them into shape, and lead them on a mission to destroy a French chateau that houses many high ranking Nazi officers, all in exchange for a reprieve. Is it just me or does the cast, which includes, Ernest Borgnine, George Kennedy, Charles Bronson, Telly Savales, John Cassavetes (in a standout performance), Donald Sutherland, and Robert Ryan among others, always seem to appear in this kind of movie? All we're missing is James Coburn. The cast is fine and Robert Aldrich's direction is solid. If you're a fan of this sub-genre, then you probably won't be disappointed.