NEVER HAVE SO FEW TAKEN SO MANY FOR SO MUCH. 

During World War II, former lieutenant Kelly (Clint Eastwood) learns that there’s gold bars worth $16 million hidden in a bank behind enemy lines, just waiting for him and his newfound partners to pick them up.

This action-comedy, inspired by actual events, opened the same year as MASH and is equally irreverent and anti-authoritarian, even casting “Hawkeye” (Donald Sutherland) himself as a hippie commander named “Oddball”.

Eastwood gets to spoof his Italian westerns, Don Rickles says a few funny lines and all the explosions look very expensive… but it’s a long, uneven movie and kind of hard to care much for the mission. 

1970-U.S.-Yugoslavia. 145 min. Color. Widescreen. Directed by Brian G. Hutton. Music: Lalo Schifrin. Song: “Burning Bridges” (Mike Curb, Lalo Schifrin). Cast: Clint Eastwood (Kelly), Telly Savalas (Big Joe), Don Rickles (Crapgame), Donald Sutherland, Carroll O’Connor, Gavin MacLeod, Harry Dean Stanton. 

Trivia: George Kennedy was considered for a role; Ingrid Pitt was cast in another role, but her character was removed before filming began.