Fresh
An okay World War II melodrama, featuring Michael Caine and Cliff Robertson as antagonists who come to respect each other in the course of destroying a Jaanese radio transmitter.
Variety Staff, Variety
Too Late the Hero
War. It's a dying business.
1970 · 2h 25m · GP
Action, Drama, War
Directed by
Robert Aldrich
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Too Late the Hero
Overview
A WWII film set on a Pacific island. Japanese and allied forces occupy different parts of the island. When a group of British soldiers are sent on a mission behind enemy lines, things don't go exactly to plan. This film differs in that some of the 'heroes' are very reluctant, but they come good when they are pursued by the Japanese who are determined to prevent them returning to base.
Director and cast
- Robert Aldrich Director
- Michael Caine as Pvt. Tosh Hearne
- Cliff Robertson as Lt. (j.g.) Sam Lawson
- Ian Bannen as Pvt. Jock Thornton
- Harry Andrews as Col. Thompson
- Denholm Elliott as Captain Hornsby
- Ronald Fraser as Private Campbell
- Lance Percival as Cpl. McLean
- Percy Herbert as Sgt. Johnstone
- Sam Kydd as C/Sgt.
- Patrick Jordan Cast
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
73%
Tomatometer
Fresh
The action has its moments (with the patrol's paranoia fed by taunting messages from Japanese loudspeakers hidden in the jungle), and the bantering dialogue is often very funny.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Rotten
Although committed to the notion that war is an inclusive system of betrayals, the film subverts that notion and settles instead for some fashionable ironies and remarkably conventional jungle warfare displays.
Roger Greenspun, New York Times
Rotten
The most aggravating thing about Too Late the Hero is that Aldrich is a film maker of some accomplishment.
TIME Magazine
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