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The Hill (1965)

The Hill (1965)
Member Rating:  
The Hill was unfairly subjected to ridicule by the more obtuse "critics" of 1965 who harped on the fact that it starred Sean Connery and, unlike Connery's Bond pictures, had no women in it. Bypassing these cretinous comments, it must be noted that The Hill is an above-the-norm entry in the "military prison" genre. The film takes place during World War II, in a Libyan stockade for incorrigible British soldiers. The camp's brutal Sergeant Major (Harry Andrews) puts his charges to work on grueling, monotonous and pointless projects to break their spirits. When one rebellious inmate dies due to this treatment, the Sergeant Major is reprimanded by Joe Roberts (Connery), who has been appointed as the prisoners' spokesman. The result is that Roberts is likewise subjected to the most demeaning and humiliating of prison chores -- but his spirit, and that of his comrades, is not so easily crushed. Based on a TV play by Ray Rigby, The Hill should never be seen in any form other than its dusty, parched original black-and-white; the currently available colorized version is a crime against humanity. One problem: The British dialects in the first 20 minutes are so thick that an American viewer practically needs subtitles (British critics chalked this problem up not to elocution but to poor sound recording). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Starring:
Sean ConneryHarry Andrews, (more)
Director(s):
Sidney Lumet
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
NR
Format(s):
DVD
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Synopsis of The Hill

The Hill was unfairly subjected to ridicule by the more obtuse "critics" of 1965 who harped on the fact that it starred Sean Connery and, unlike Connery's Bond pictures, had no women in it. Bypassing these cretinous comments, it must be noted that The Hill is an above-the-norm entry in the "military prison" genre. The film takes place during World War II, in a Libyan stockade for incorrigible British soldiers. The camp's brutal Sergeant Major (Harry Andrews) puts his charges to work on grueling, monotonous and pointless projects to break their spirits. When one rebellious inmate dies due to this treatment, the Sergeant Major is reprimanded by Joe Roberts (Connery), who has been appointed as the prisoners' spokesman. The result is that Roberts is likewise subjected to the most demeaning and humiliating of prison chores -- but his spirit, and that of his comrades, is not so easily crushed. Based on a TV play by Ray Rigby, The Hill should never be seen in any form other than its dusty, parched original black-and-white; the currently available colorized version is a crime against humanity. One problem: The British dialects in the first 20 minutes are so thick that an American viewer practically needs subtitles (British critics chalked this problem up not to elocution but to poor sound recording). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Theatrical Feature Running Time:
123 mins

Complete Cast of The Hill


Director(s):
Sidney Lumet
Writer(s):
Ray RigbyR.S. Allen
Producer(s):
Kenneth Hyman
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
NR(Not For Children)
Categories:
War
The Hill Awards:
  • 1965 - British Academy of Film and Television Arts - Best Black and White Cinematography in a British Film
  • 1965 - Cannes Film Festival - Best Screenplay
  • 1965 - National Board of Review - Best Supporting Actor
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Member Reviews
 
Carol G.

At first, the dialogue is hard to understand. Very strong british accents. But oh, the acting is absolutely top-notch. As the film moves along and tempers flare, the dialogue is louder, and you won't have as much trouble understanding it. The psychological interplay between the characters, which are all under stress in a British prison camp, is intriguing and mesmerizing. Sean Connery is at the top of his game here, a spectacular treat for Connery fans. In fact, I was surprised he could really act so well. The Bond role really didn't do him justice.

Yes   |   No

 
John S.

"The Hill", is a must see movie for the ages. I concur that it must be seen in black and white as it was filmed, as color distracts from the true grit of the picture, and distorts from the time period it represents. The purpose of this review, is to correct an oversight by whoever wrote this original review, as it is unthinkable that they left out the command performance given by a then up and coming actor by the name of Ossie Davis. Ossie Davis's performance carries the tenor of the film, as it attempts to reveal the wicked treatment of military prisons, which closely pattern the character of those in command. He singlehandedly steals the show with a portrayal of prisoner gone mad, while actually belittling the commander (Harry Andrews) Sean Connery and Ossie Davis give performances of their careers, at such a young age. Rent this film, pop the popcorn, and sit back for a very entertaining movie!!

Yes   |   No

 
Mercedita D.

This is an excellent "war" movie set in a British Army penal camp. It is one of my presonal favourites - glad to see it out on DVD at long last

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