6.8/10
2,705
41 user 20 critic

Too Late the Hero (1970)

A reluctant hero, American Lieutenant Sam Lawson, is secunded to a motley British unit tasked with destroying a Japanese radio on a Philippine island.

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
...
Lt. Sam Lawson
...
Pvt. Jock Thornton
...
...
Pvt. Campbell
...
Lance Percival ...
Cpl. McLean
...
Sgt. Johnstone
Patrick Jordan ...
Sergeant Major
Sam Kydd ...
Colour-Sergeant
...
Pvt. Currie
Martin Horsey ...
Pvt. Griffiths
Harvey Jason ...
Signalman Scott
...
Pvt. Connolly
Roger Newman ...
Pvt. Riddle

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Storyline

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 'heros' are very reluctant, but they come good when they are pursued by the Japanese who are determined to prevent them returning to base. Written by Rob Hartill

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

War. It's A Dying Business.

Genres:

Action | War | Drama

Certificate:

See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

10 September 1970 (Italy)  »

Also Known As:

Himmelfahrtskommando Okinawa  »

Box Office

Budget:

$6,250,000 (estimated)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

(video compilation) | (TCM Print)

Sound Mix:

(Westrex Recording System) (70 mm prints)| (Westrex Recording System) (35 mm prints)

Color:

(Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Tokyo firms created 400 new Japanese army uniforms for the production. See more »

Goofs

When Lt. Lawson confers with Col. Thompson in the HQ, the Union Flag on the wall behind Col. Thompson is upside down. In another shot, it is up the right way. During the shoot at Cubi Point in he Philippines, someone stole the flag sometime during the night. They had to send to Hong Kong for another one and the new one was replaced the right way up. See more »

Quotes

Pvt. Tosh Hearne: [to Lawson] Getting ourselves killed is not going to make any difference to anyone except us.
See more »

Connections

Referenced in The Postgraduate Course in Sexual Love (1970) See more »

Soundtracks

Teddy Bear's Picnic
Written by John W. Bratton
Lyrics by Jimmy Kennedy
Sung by the patrol as it leaves the base
See more »

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User Reviews

 
Realistic and Original War Movie
8 August 2009 | by (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) – See all my reviews

In the spring of 1942, in Southwest Pacific, Captain John G. Nolan (Henry Fonda) postpones the leave of the volunteer Lieutenant Sam Lawson (Cliff Robertson) and gives an assignment in New Hebrides Island with the British troops based on the required profile – fluency in Japanese and good shape. When Lt. Lawson arrives in the base, the commander explains that the island is divided in the British and Japanese sectors and he should go with a group of soldiers behind the Japanese lines to destroy their radio and transmit a false message to the Japanese forces. Captain Hornsby (Denholm Elliott) is assigned to lead the group, but during the tense mission, he has friction with Private Tosh Hearne (Michael Caine). When things go wrong, the soldiers have to fight to survive while exposing their weakness in character.

"Too Late the Hero" is a realistic and original war movie with human and cynical characters in the jungle of an island in Pacific. Michael Caine plays a rude and insubordinate cockney soldier that is only interested in surviving. Most of the soldiers are cowards that fight only to save their lives and not for patriotism or idealism. The hero of the title is actually an anti-hero that redeems himself in the end. The dialogs are cynical and Tosh has the best lines, like for example, when he proposes to Lawson to go North; or when he talks about the hole where he lives in his hometown in a total lack of perspective. My only remark is the long running time that could be a little shorter. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Assim Nascem os Heróis" ("This Way the Heroes Are Born")


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