Not many Hollywood war films focus on the last months of the war - because the stakes of the battles aren't as high I guess. This is about a battle to secure the last bridgehead into Germany - everyone expects it to be blown up, even the soldiers, which gives the story freshness. When the explosives don't work then the troops go in.
George Segal is really good as an American officer - I don't know why I'm surprised, maybe it's because I haven't seen him play this kind of character before, but he felt very authentic. Ben Gazzara is fine as a sergeant - he has the best bit in the film, being forced to kill a boy soldier shooting at him. Like many war movies, Segal and Gazzara are in love with each other but they throw in a scene where a girl takes her clothes off to Segal to establish that everyone is straight (mind you, Segal doesn't go through with it).
It's tough and fast and looks great. It was shot in Czechoslovakia then had to relocate to Germany when the Soviets marched in but you can't tell.
John Guillermin does a typically strong job of directing. Structure wise it is hurt that the last 15 minutes or so are at night - I had trouble telling what was going on a lot of the time. The photography is great. I loved the opening scene with tanks hurtling down the road (you rarely see them going fast in a film - because it's not historically true admittedly but it looks great).
Robert Vaughan is solid as a good German. His execution is memorable - walking to the spot, seeing the bullet marks on a piece of wood. Bradford Dillman and EG Marshall are fine as officers.
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