Ace director Robert Aldrich already had The Dirty Dozen to his name when he made this gritty, abrasive war film. Ostensibly a jungle adventure, it is also an examination of the fighting man's mind, as we witness various military characters react with varying degrees of honour (and dishonour) during a very dangerous sabotage mission. The film is very lengthy - indeed, quite exhausting - but only occasionally does it sag. And these periodic lulls are definitely worth persevering through, as the film builds to a truly outstanding climactic sequence in which the final survivors of the mission attempt to sprint across a stretch of open ground to the safety of their compound, relentlessly shot at with rifles and machine-guns by their Japanese adversaries. This heart-pounding final sequence is worth waiting for, and is arguably the best scene in the film (sometimes it is shown under its alternative name "Suicide Run", a title derived directly from this climactic scene).
Lieutenant Lawson (Cliff Robertson) is an American interpreter working for the army on a Pacific island in WWII. Lawson spends most of his time sunbathing and drinking beer, and is shocked when assigned by his superior, Captain Nolan (Henry Fonda), to carry out a combat mission in the New Hebrides, alongside a British task force. The British hold the southern end of the island in question, while the Japanese have complete control of the central and northern areas. Since an American naval fleet plan to pass within a few miles of the island's Japanese-run northern peninsular, the British have been called upon to raid the Jap radio base and put it out of action so that the American ships can go by unreported. Lawson is sent on the mission to represent the American interest in it. He finds himself teamed up with a pretty rough 'n' ready group of Brits, among them disliked Captain Hornsby (Denholm Elliott), loony Pvt Thornton (Ian Bannen), treacherous Pvt Campbell (Ronald Fraser) and cynical medic Pvt Hearne (Michael Caine). Getting to the the Japanese radio base proves fraught with danger, but not nearly as hazardous as the journey back, during which the survivors are pursued by the Japanese and psychologically tormented by an enemy Major (Ken Takakura), who uses loudspeakers to taunt his quarry.
Rumour has it that the film was sheer hell to make, with conditions in the Phillipines (where much of it was filmed) proving so hot and tiring that the actors were frequently unwell and miserable. To their credit they utilise their real-life suffering in a positive way, using it to fuel believably abrasive exchanges between their characters. Gerald Fried's score is rousing and memorable, providing good depth to the drama. Joseph F. Biroc photographs the jungle locations effectively and makes us believe that terrible danger or sudden death might await our heroes around the next tree. Caine gives a commanding performance and is excellently aided by Robertson. The supporting roles of Fraser, Bannen, Elliott, Harry Andrews (as the British Colonel) and Fonda (in a one-scene cameo) are well played too. Too Late The Hero is a good, dramatic, old-fashioned war flick with a little philosophy about heroism and some interesting insights into the motivations of the soldiers who risked (and died) for their country.
Lieutenant Lawson (Cliff Robertson) is an American interpreter working for the army on a Pacific island in WWII. Lawson spends most of his time sunbathing and drinking beer, and is shocked when assigned by his superior, Captain Nolan (Henry Fonda), to carry out a combat mission in the New Hebrides, alongside a British task force. The British hold the southern end of the island in question, while the Japanese have complete control of the central and northern areas. Since an American naval fleet plan to pass within a few miles of the island's Japanese-run northern peninsular, the British have been called upon to raid the Jap radio base and put it out of action so that the American ships can go by unreported. Lawson is sent on the mission to represent the American interest in it. He finds himself teamed up with a pretty rough 'n' ready group of Brits, among them disliked Captain Hornsby (Denholm Elliott), loony Pvt Thornton (Ian Bannen), treacherous Pvt Campbell (Ronald Fraser) and cynical medic Pvt Hearne (Michael Caine). Getting to the the Japanese radio base proves fraught with danger, but not nearly as hazardous as the journey back, during which the survivors are pursued by the Japanese and psychologically tormented by an enemy Major (Ken Takakura), who uses loudspeakers to taunt his quarry.
Rumour has it that the film was sheer hell to make, with conditions in the Phillipines (where much of it was filmed) proving so hot and tiring that the actors were frequently unwell and miserable. To their credit they utilise their real-life suffering in a positive way, using it to fuel believably abrasive exchanges between their characters. Gerald Fried's score is rousing and memorable, providing good depth to the drama. Joseph F. Biroc photographs the jungle locations effectively and makes us believe that terrible danger or sudden death might await our heroes around the next tree. Caine gives a commanding performance and is excellently aided by Robertson. The supporting roles of Fraser, Bannen, Elliott, Harry Andrews (as the British Colonel) and Fonda (in a one-scene cameo) are well played too. Too Late The Hero is a good, dramatic, old-fashioned war flick with a little philosophy about heroism and some interesting insights into the motivations of the soldiers who risked (and died) for their country.