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Gritty story about five inmates in a British disciplinary camp during WWII. The camp is located in North Africa and it seems to always be pushing 150 degrees there. Literally. Pretty hellish, eh? Anyway... Connery leads the group into insurrection against his sadistic officers, who's idea of rehabilition and humor, is running the soldiers up a large hill in the middle of the desert, repeatedly. And when I say repeatedly, I mean it. This culminates in the death of an inmate and the subsequent effort to cover it up.

Connery's performace is excellent. His character was thrown into the prison camp because of his contumacious spirit. He refused to take part in a suicide mission, and he brings the concept of "challenging the system" and "not taking things at face value" to the camp. He's also pretty tough and masculine. Go figure. Other than Connery, though, I was rather annoyed with the acting performances. The black guy is a mixed bag. He's all self-righteous near the end, but at the commencement of the film he takes an extremely passive stance on racism. Care or don't care, but don't do both! The officers were very, very sadistic too. Kind of amusing at times, but we get the picture after they make the knaves run up the hill for the twentieth time. Or maybe we get that the first time?

Direction isn't bad, actually it's quite sublime. Lumet's decision to use black and white is interesting and it has its pros and cons. I kind of dig how it enhances the atmosphere. It makes the camp seem more like hell, so brutal and rugged. Unfortunately, it's rather difficult to see at times. There is really a problem with shadows, especially in the cell. Rarely was there I time that I could see the full face of someone, but maybe Lumet did that for effect.

Rating: ***

Comments pending.

Set in a WWII British prison camp for their own disgraced fellows, The Hill is an examination of cultural attitudes towards those who failed their country during their years of need, which heighten those that existed in the first place.

Centering around a 20-30 foot hill made by prisoners constantly dogged to physical exhaustion under the searing Libyan sun, it stands as a symbol of the labour all must face if they fail to obey their military commands.

Our story begins with two "reformed" prisoners being released, and congratulated for turning around their miserable attitudes to create men the country would be proud of.

They celebrate their release as five new men cited for various offenses are brought in, and they are read the riot act as they are introduced to their new home. It should be noted that one crime is the same as another.

Checked over by the camp doctor and deemed "fit for punishment", the torment begins immediately as they have to run with full gear and kit up and down this hill, soon to be exhausted.

The idea of human rights are abandoned for these men, as they are viewed as fortunate when compared to British soldiers captured by Japan or Germany.

Further detail would spoil your viewing.

People familiar with the whole "evil warden and guards trying to break the spirit" scenarios may not understand the value of this film, but instead of the formula from bad movies that followed, you will find social commentary that still can be applied today towards rehabilitation and the aforementioned human rights of prisoners. Race relations and views towards homosexuality also resonate strongly today, 40 years after the film was released.

Sean Connery is very good as Joe Roberts, in for punching out a commanding officer, and an immediate target for the dubious attentions of his captors. Ossie Davis and Norman Bird also stand out in a strongly performed film.

We saw this on the History Channel, to answer Mr. Fish in the comments section, and it may be the copy they had, but there were times when bad audio made it difficult to follow dialogue, and there were some problems with contrast that hid the men in shadows.

We do not tell you to go out of your way to find this film, but if you do happen to get the chance, it is well worth a look.

I believe this was the first movie in which I saw Harry Andrews act. He struck me at that time as the ultimate military man. The voice was gravelly and his deportment was perfect for the role as the Sergeant Major of the military prison. Coincidentally, it was either the first or second movie in which Sean Connery appeared.
Andrews appeared in numerous roles as the "any rank" soldier from the lowly enlisted man to that of a Field Marshall all the while being totally convincing. I believed and completely accepted the military bearing of the man.
In the movie, The Hill, Andrews portrays a mean spirited senior NCO in charge of the military prison who allows his favourite subordinates to wreak havoc on certain prisoners, especially Connery .

Sean Connery was suitable in this role as a bad apple being punished by the military for his sins as a soldier. The rest of the cast was OK too. Pretty much focuses on an angry guard who, in his own way, tortures the prisoners until a personal disaster strikes. Nothing great here, but a film worth viewing once.

This war film just didn't do it for me. I didn't find the story or the script engaging at all.

:fresh: The Hill is a hidden treasure that seems to have been ignored and forgotten by movie viewers and critics alike, though I can't understand why. The mood of the film is brilliant (shot in black & white), it is superbly acted and the themes are more than just thought provoking.

It is the only movie I like Sean Connery in, which coincides with it being the only pre-1970 movie that I actually enjoy (you have to admit the acting in old "classics" is more often than not, a good definition of forced melodrama)

For true movie buffs that have not had the chance to see it, I truly recommend it.