The Dirty Dozen

The Dirty Dozen sends a motley group of condemned American soldiers into occupied France during World War II on a nearly impossible assignment. Major John Reisman is tasked with turning twelve convicts, each carrying violent pasts and death sentences, into a disciplined assault team. Harsh training, clashing personalities and strict military oversight push the men to their limits as they prepare to infiltrate a heavily guarded chateau where senior enemy officers are vacationing. The mission promises pardons if they succeed, but survival instincts, grudges and the chaos of combat test whether Reisman can hold the unit together long enough to pull off the strike against incredible odds.

Directed by Robert Aldrich and released in 1967, the film was adapted from E.M. Nathanson's novel, with Lukas Heller and Nunnally Johnson on screenplay and production. The ensemble cast notably includes Lee Marvin, Charles Bronson, Jim Brown and John Cassavetes.

The Dirty Dozen was a significant box office success, becoming one of the year's top earners and attracting large and international audiences with its star power and wartime spectacle. Its commercial popularity led to sequels, television adaptations and continued reissues.

Its mix of antihero characters, tough-guy performances and an audacious mission plot left a lasting mark on war and action cinema, influencing later ensemble 'suicide mission' movies and TV. The film's imagery and archetypes entered popular culture, inspiring homages, parodies, recurring references and a steady stream of imitators across decades.

Critics gave mixed to positive reviews, praising Aldrich's energetic direction, pacing and the cast's gritty chemistry, while noting moral ambiguity and moments of brutal violence. Audiences responded strongly, reflected in a 7.6/10 user vote average. The movie wrestles with redemption, authority, loyalty and the ethical cost of wartime tactics.