Hell Is for Heroes (1962): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1962, Hell Is for Heroes is an action and war film directed by Don Siegel, running about 90 minutes. “The brutal realities that faced every G.I. during World War II” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. World War II drama where the action centers around a single maneuver by a squad of GIs in retaliation against the force of the German Siegfried line. Reese joins a group of weary GIs unexpectedly ordered back into the line when on their way to a rest area. While most of the men withdraw from their positions facing a German pillbox at the far side of a mine-field, half a dozen men are left to protect a wide front. By various ruses, they manage to convince the Germans that a large force is still holding the position. Then Reese leads two of the men in an unauthorized and unsuccessful attack on the pillbox, in which the other two are killed; and when the main platoon returns, he is threatened with court-martial. Rather that face the disgrace, and in an attempt to show he was right, he makes a one-man attack on the pillbox.

Who’s in it. Hell Is for Heroes stars Steve McQueen as John Reese, Bobby Darin as Pvt. J.J. Corby, Fess Parker as Sgt. Pike and Harry Guardino as Sgt. Larkin, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.5/10, Hell Is for Heroes has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Hell Is for Heroes page.

If you liked it. Fans of Hell Is for Heroes tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.