Kelly's Heroes

Kelly's Heroes

This tongue-in-cheek 1970 variation on The Dirty Dozen looks less fresh than it did in the year of its release, but it still has some enjoyable moments. Clint Eastwood stars along with Donald Sutherland, Harry Dean Stanton, Telly Savalas, Don Rickles, Carroll O'Connor, and Gavin MacLeod in the story of American soldiers who try to steal gold behind enemy lines in World War II. Sutherland's hippie G.I. doesn't have the sardonic and timely appeal he did during the Vietnam War, but the film's irreverence and several of the performances are worth a visit. --Tom Keogh

Production: MGM
  1 nomination.
 
IMDB:
7.7
Rotten Tomatoes:
80%
GP
Year:
1970
144
17,709 Views
Never have so few taken so many for so much.
They set out to rob a bank... and damn near won a war instead!

Big Joe:
[looking around inside a yacht where Captain Maitland is standing] What are you doing in there, sir?

Capt. Maitland:
I'm checking out the motor.

Big Joe:
The motor? What for?

Capt. Maitland:
We're pulling out and I want to see if this yacht is worth taking back to base.

Big Joe:
What about Nancy!?

Capt. Maitland:
Third Army's taking over. We’re going into reserve. Once they take Nancy, we go back into the line.

Big Joe:
Aw, Captain, I don't think you have the welfare of your men at heart here! This is a big, big town, with a lot of with a lot of passionate broads... great restaurants, feather beds in rooms with hot water... Look, Captain, we've been rained on, pushed on, bombed on... mortared on by Mulligan all the way from the Normandy beachhead!

Capt. Maitland:
I'm aware of that problem, Sergeant.

Big Joe:
“I’m aware of that problem...” You've been aware of that problem ever since we got out of the water at Omaha! Look, why is it that every time we get to a town like Nancy, it’s these clowns with the clean uniforms and ties that get to ride the trucks into town and make their pitch?

Capt. Maitland:
The General says we pull out, so we pull out.

Big Joe:
Look, Captain! You can't let them do this! I gotta get my men some broads they start freaking-out with each other!

Capt. Maitland:
I'm aware that that situation might be developing... [looks around] Think I could get this into the hold of a B-17?

Big Joe:
We're point section to the whole damn Army! Nancy's our town, Captain!

[voice from outside] Hey, Big Joe!

Big Joe:
What is it!?

[voice from outside] Babra says there's a company of Germans pushing up the road!

Big Joe:
I'll be with you in a minute! [turns to Capt. Maitland ]

Big Joe:
Look, Captain! We got it all figured out. We even got a guide! All we have to do is get in there!

Capt. Maitland:
There’s a couple of German divisions who say you can't.

Big Joe:
OK! So we need a little help!

Capt. Maitland:
All I need is to figure out how to get this yacht out of here. [pause] You get back to the barn. I'll get the Engineers and do it myself.

Big Joe:
You're supposed to be in charge of this outfit!

Capt. Maitland:
You're doing such a good job, Sergeant- why should I get in your way?

Big Joe:
According to this map, we got a river to cross before we get into this town of yours.

Kelly:
Well, there's a bridge right here, six miles out.

Big Joe:
There was a bridge. The Air Corps knocked every bridge out of that river months ago.

Kelly:
Uh-uh, intelligence reports the Air Corps knocking 'em out by day and the Germans rebuilding 'em at night. Now, all we have to do is be there tomorrow morning at dawn and we got ourselves a bridge.

Big Joe:
Oh! Well, how about the German Army? Do you think they'd mind us crossing their bridge there, eh, Kelly?

Kelly:
Probably.

Big Joe:
You know something, Kelly? I think you're crazy. Better yet, I think I'm crazy! How the hell I ever let you talk the guys into this?! Push 30 miles behind enemy lines, take a bridge held by the Germans and then go into a town we don't know how many German soldiers are guarding!

Kelly:
Well, I figure there's between 30 and 40 troops in that town.

Big Joe:
All right, how'd you figure that?

Kelly:
Well, it's of no military importance, it's not big enough for a garrison-

Big Joe:
You still didn't answer the question! How'd you figure 30 or 40 men?

Kelly:
Because that's the normal amount of support for three Tiger tanks.

Big Joe:
[Aghast] Tigers? Where'd the hell the Tigers come from?!

Kelly:
Well, that's why we have Oddball and his Shermans.

Big Joe:
Does he know about the Tigers?

Kelly:
Not yet, no.

Big Joe:
You bet your sweet ass he doesn't, or he'd be still on that funny-farm of his! He may be nuts, but he's not crazy enough to put Shermans up against Tigers! You know once those things get rolling, they'll blow that whole town to pieces, including us, Kelly!

Kelly:
Oh, you're too smart to let that happen, Joe.

Big Joe:
Oh, wow...

Kelly:
You'll figure us a way in and out of that town, and I know you've got a good head for tactics.

Big Joe:
Yeah? And I intend to keep it right here on my shoulders, Kelly!

General Colt:
This man is the man I have my mind on today and I'll tell you who he is: this is my opposite number, General Bogle, commanding the 2nd German Armor Division. Now I look at that face, I can read that character... this guy's a loser. Here I am sitting in his headquarters, I'm drinking his scotch... hell, I even got one of his broads hanging around here somewheres. The guy's a born loser... but you gentleman have not buried him yet. Now you call yourselves leaders of men?

Major Roach:
They're putting up strong resistance, General.

General Colt:
Aw, c'mon, Roach, I flew over the battlefield this morning; why, I could march a divisional dress parade with band music right through the middle of their lines!

Major Roach:
Well, what about our flanks, sir?

General Colt:
Aw, the hell with your flanks, Roach, how many times have I gotta tell ya forget about your flanks, willya?

Major:
Sir, there's still half a panzer division between here and Nancy...

General Colt:
Without gas. Without gas, gentlemen.

Colonel Booker:
Oh, they're getting gas, sir, it's coming up at night.

General Colt:
How?

Colonel Booker:
By truck.

General Colt:
The Air Force has got my orders to blow every bridge in this sector out of existence.

Colonel Booker:
Yes, sir, and they're doing it. And the Germans, they're rebuilding the bridges every night.

General Colt:
Well, we're supposed to be blowing 'em up again in the daytime. Captain, get me those aerial photographs.

Captain Jablonski:
Right, sir.

Major Roach:
General, last night someone gave orders to redirect our mortar fire against some damn crossroads.

General Colt:
Listen, Roach, I don't want any excuses outta you, ya hear me? All I want is to know why this loser of a general is keeping me the hell out of Nancy.

Major Roach:
Sir, we haven't got the supplies - it's just a matter of logistics.

General Colt:
Logistics?

Major Roach:
Yes, sir.

General Colt:
We got logistics comin' out of our ears! What we need is fighting spirit. The will to win! Where are those aerial photographs?

Captain Jablonski:
[Rummaging around for the photos] I'm sorry, sir, they don't seem to be here.

General Colt:
They don't what?

Captain Jablonski:
[Still looking for the pictures] I can't locate them, Sir.

General Colt:
Hey. [CPT Jablonski looks at Colt] Did you lose my aerial photographs?

First Sergeant Mulligan:
[Upon seeing Kelly, assuming Kelly is there to yell at him for shelling Kelly's unit by accident the previous night] Wait, Kelly, wait. Will you listen to me a second? Will ya listen to me! It's not me, I tell ya, it's not me! I - I can't tell one shell from another, they all look alike! They all look alike. If was me, if I could tell, would I be here? WOULD I BE HERE?! I wouldn't be here, Kelly! I'd be back in the States! I'd be out with all those broads! I'd be working in a factory!

Kelly:
Relax.

First Sergeant Mulligan:
Wait a minute. Will ya just listen to me? We gotta have a little understanding around here. Why the hell can't we ever have any understanding around here?!

Kelly:
Relax. Mulligan, I just want to make a proposition to you.

First Sergeant Mulligan:
A prop-proposition? Well, is it dirty or just illegal?

Kelly:
Well, I want you to set up a barrage for me. I want you to lay down a barrage for me, Mulligan. Grid section 7, right here at these crossroads.

First Sergeant Mulligan:
I got to have a signed operations order from the C.O.

Kelly:
You see, that's just the problem, Mulligan. We don't have an authorization.

First Sergeant Mulligan:
You don't have a... Gee, well, Kelly, without an authorization... I can't help you.

Kelly:
I told you I had a proposition, Mulligan. That's just what I meant. [takes out a gold bar] A proposition.

First Sergeant Mulligan:
Well... why?

Kelly:
Why what?

First Sergeant Mulligan:
Why... Why not?

Kelly:
You won't forget me now, will you?

First Sergeant Mulligan:
[staring at the gold bar] No. No, I won't forget, Kelly.

Kelly:
You're a good man, Mulligan.

Captain Maitland:
Okay, Sergeant, everything's secure up here. I'm coming down now.

Big Joe:
Hey, Captain.

Captain Maitland:
Sergeant, do you think I could get this yacht to Paris by Sunday?

Big Joe:
You didn't bring me to this lousy farmhouse to talk about this lousy boat again, did you, Captain?

Captain Maitland:
Oh, now, Sergeant, I worked on a deal with Headquarters. I just want to make sure they have a good time. I must get this yacht to Paris and pick up one and two things for the General.

Big Joe:
And where do we spend this vacation?

Captain Maitland:
Right here, Sergeant.

Big Joe:
Are you kidding?

Captain Maitland:
No, I'm not kidding. With a little imagination, you can fix this place up. Lay out a baseball diamond. Run the water into the back of the house. Special service is coming by with some magazines and paperbacks.

Big Joe:
We're 10 miles from the nearest town! There's no action!

Captain Maitland:
Well, that's the beautiful thing about this location, Sergeant. It's quiet. Get yourself a little suntan, a little rest. In three days we're back in the line.

Truck Driver:
Hey, Captain! We're all ready to move out!

Captain Maitland:
Yeah, go ahead.

Big Joe:
Captain, there's no broads, there's no booze, there's no action!

Captain Maitland:
That's another thing. Don't fool around with the women; their husbands carry guns. And don't forget, the penalty for looting is death!

Big Joe:
LOOT WHAT?! THERE'S NOTHIN' HERE TO LOOT!

Captain Maitland:
[hurrying after the truck hauling his yacht] I'll be back in three days!

Big Joe:
Get yourself a suntan and get some rest. He's got to be out of his mind!

Private Fisher:
But how does he get away with it? That's what I wanna know.

Big Joe:
Very simple. The General's his uncle, that's how.

Kelly:
Crapgame?

Staff Sergeant "Crapgame":
Whaddya want?

Kelly:
I want to talk to you for a few minutes.

Crapgame:
What about?

Kelly:
I have this deal I've been working on. I thought you might be interested in helping me out.

Crapgame:
What kind of deal?

Kelly:
A private deal.

Crapgame:
Hey, Harry, go get yourself a haircut. [Harry leaves] I hear Maitland's got himself a yacht and taking it to Paris. There's money in yachts. What does he want a yacht for?

Kelly:
Who cares, as long as it keeps him out of our hair for a few days?

Crapgame:
Okay, Kelly. What is it? What is it you want?

Kelly:
Well, I want 15 Thompsons, two .30-caliber machine guns, two bazookas, two field radios and enough supplies and ammunition to last a platoon of men in the field for three days.

Crapgame:
[sarcastic] Oh. Is that all?

Kelly:
Nope! I want this Intelligence report for this whole sector and I need it in the next two hours.

Crapgame:
That's nice. What's in it for me?

Kelly:
A piece of the action.

Crapgame:
What kind of action?

Kelly:
[takes out a gold bar] This kind of action.

Crapgame:
Oh, wow! Hello, Izzy? Yeah, it's me, it's me. Listen, get me a quotation for gold on the Paris market. Yeah, now and hurry it up! How much more where this came from?

Kelly:
Fourteen thousand bars.

Crapgame:
Fourteen thousand bars! Fourteen thousand bars! Fourteen thousand! Oh, wow, wow! Hey, sweetheart, have yourself a bottle of booze, you're beautiful! That's beautiful! Where is it?

Kelly:
In a bank.

Crapgame:
In a bank? You're getting pretty ambitious, aren't you? You think you could blow a bank and get away with it?

Kelly:
It's behind enemy lines.

Crapgame:
Behind enemy lines. [realizes] That could be the perfect crime.


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