I can't believe it but I had never seen this movie before this morning. (My kids still think I'm lying about that. They're convinced I've not only seen every war movie there is, but many, many times. ) I'd heard of the movie, but for some reason I thought it was about Korea. It's World War II and very interesting.

I don't want to give away too much but it's basically about a company of soldiers led by Eddie Albert, who is a coward.

The movie has a bunch of well know actors. Jack Palance is the main character, along with Eddie Albert. It was fun watching Albert, TV's star of Green Acres, playing alongside of Buddy Epsen, TV's star of Beverly Hillbillies. Lee Marvin has a major part, along with Richard Jaeckel. Of course what movie about WWII doesn't have Richard Jaeckel in it?

The American uniforms are quite good. The Germans ones a bit stylized. One big thing is the tanks. I understand the Department of Defense wouldn't have anything to do with this movie, so it got NO support from the military. The director had to go out and make do with two tanks, either M3A3 or M5s, I couldn’t tell for sure which. They had a big gun put on them, that looked something like a Panthers gun. Every time they fired the tank would rock back, even roll back a bit. Then in one scene a character says that they were using one of the "big" panzers. That tank looked like a M3A3 with a 20 foot long gun added to it, with supports for the gun. You got the impression it was huge until a character walked along side it and you saw the thing was only a little taller than the actor. It must have been some prop put onto another vehicle. Finally the tanks kept changing sides. They'd be painted a dark color with German crosses on them one minute, and lighter color with stars on the next.

All in all I really liked this movie. It has something to say, and says it pretty well. I highly recommend it.

Showing your youth, Rodger. To some of us, Buddy Ebsen is also remembered as Davy Crockett's required crusty sidekick, George Russell, from the Disney Crockett movies.

I remember him as the one singing the song. At least I didn't call him Barnaby Jones.

I think that was one of the better movies made I wonder why the DOD wouldn't give it any support For those who have never seen it,what are you waiting for?