Hornet's Nest

Director: Charles Saunders, Phil Karlson

Overview

Captain Turner (Rock Hudson) is the American paratrooper who employs Italian children to blow up a strategic dam controlled by the Nazis. He is the only survivor of his unit gunned down during the jump. Rescued by the moppets, he slaps and rapes German medico Bianca (Sylva Koscina), which implausibly leads her to trust Turner and help in the clandestine mission. Aldo (Mark Colleano) is the youthful leader who helps Turner carry out the bombing in exchange for an attack on his village. When the Nazis control the small town, their allegiance quickly changes as they fight the Germans they once considered allies.

Product Details

Release Date:	02/28/2012
UPC:	0883904252252
Original Release:	1970
Source:	MGM
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[monaural]
Language:	English
Time:	1:50:00
Sales rank:	29,647

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Rock Hudson	Turner
Sylva Koscina	Bianca
Mark Colleano	Aldo
Sergio Fantoni	Von Hecht
Jacques Sernas	Taussig
Giacomo Rossi Stuart	Schwalberg
Mauro Gravina	Carlo
John Fordyce	Dino
Daniel Keller	Tekko
Tom Felleghy	Col. Jannings
Andrea Bosic	Gen. Von Kleger
Bondi Esterhazy	Gen. Dohrmann
Gerard Herter	Capt. Kruger
Hardy Stuart	Gunther
Max Turilli	Col. Weede
Raphael Santos	Lieutenant with Taussig
Viti Caronia	Lieutenant at Village
Jacques Stany	Ehrlich
Bruno Marco Gobbi	Hermann
Alain Shammas	1st Sentry
Amos Davoli	2nd Sentry
Jean Valmont	Scarpi
Alessandro Jogan	Non-Com
Giancarlo Prete	Giulio
Mino Doro	Italian Doctor
Werner Hasselmann	Gen. Lewis
Rod Dana	US Colonel
John Lemma	Jumpmaster
Rick Peterson	Pilot
Daniel Dempsey	Giorgio
Joseph Cassuto	Franco
Vincenzo Danaro	Silvio,Gang Member
Amedeo Castracane	Gang Member
Ronald Colomaioni	Gang Member
Giancarlo Colobaioni	Gang Member,Gang Member
Louis Criscuolo	Gang Member,Actor
Giuseppe Coppola	Gang Member
Gaetano Colisano	Gang Member
Ennio Morricone	Composer

Technical Credits

S.S.(Paddy) Schweitzer

Stanley S. Canter	Producer
Paul Pollard	Special Effects
S.S.(Paddy) Schweitzer	Screenwriter
David Hildyard	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

This unusual war film is well worth a look for the genre's fans. The script uses its novel hook of children fighting a war well, generally avoiding sentimentality and going for a gritty style that suits the war-movie genre. Rock Hudson centers the movie with his gruff, effectively underplayed performance as the soldier hero and his subtle work is nicely balanced by a flashier, more emotional turn from Mark Colleano as the defacto leader of the kid gang. There is also a solid turn by Sylva Koscina, who adds a bit of heart to the film as a kidnapped Nazi doctor who becomes motherly towards the group's younger children. Best of all, Hornet's Nest boasts tough direction from action and noir vet, Phil Karlson. He's not afraid to get grim with the audience - like in the opening scene, where the kids watch their village get gunned down in unflinching detail - and handles the action well, managing many suspenseful setpieces along the way. The film's one real misstep is a left-field stab at a tearjerker moment during the last moments that doesn't quite jibe with what preceded it. However, the rest of Hornet's Nest stays true to the film's uncompromising mandate and its offbeat premise makes it a unique entry into the war genre.