Rating: 
Summary: Strictly Average DVD
Review: This DVD is of strictly average -- maybe even below average -- quality. Video quality is superb, better than the lastest VHS edition for sure and an improvement on the TCM widescreen prints. The audio is 2.0 Mono but probably the best 2.0 mono I've heard. They haven't gone back and restored the audio track to make the gunfire sound clearer or anything like that but the sound does sound better than it did on video and TV. The Spanish sound track is a bit muffled (as always on these older movies) but sounds all right. Special features aren't too "special". There's a cleaned up theatrical trailer (which has Richard Jaeckel screaming in pain when he falls from the cliff, that's not in the movie) 16 chapter selections, subtitles in English, French and Spanish and as I said the Spanish audio track. There is no deleted footage, no production notes, no typical MGM booklet, and no feature about the real Devil's Brigade. All of that would have been interesting and improved the quality of this DVD. But, as it is, the transfer of the actual movie is very good and the DVD is worth say ten dollars just for the movie. As for the movie, you can read all about on the IMDb. I give it 3/stars out of five; the characters were cardboard the could all have been better. That sequence with the brigade capturing 200 Germans in the village was also corny as ever.
Rating: 
Summary: There's a lot of truth between the fiction
Review: This fact based WW2 film is one of the great whip 'em into shape movies. When the call went out for U.S. and Canadian volunteers for a commando unit many commanders used this as a oppurtunity to unload their trouble makers. Choir boys don't make good commandos so the right men were available for the job. This film shows the tough training that these men endured including skiing, mountain warfare and advanced hand to hand combat. I've read a few books on these men and the film accurately potrays the bonding developed between the US and Canadians as they teamed up in the local bars to fight lumberjacks and miners. After their harsh training the force is sent to Italy. The film makes no mention that the force's first mission was against the Japanese in the Aluetion Islands. The climax of the film is an assault on a mountain top in Italy. These scences are so well done that when I attended the USMC mountain warfare school at Bridgeport CA. they used this clip as a training tool. The film has a great soundtrack and lots of hero type actors. Just one problem-where did those red berets come from? Read the 2001 published book, "The Black Devil Brigade" told by the men themselves.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Elite units of WWII
Review: This film is about one of the elite units of WWII, a unit that is part of the lineage of modern day Special Operations. The film does a very good job of depicting the main points of the birth of this unit and some of the trials and tribulations that it had to go through. The film is historically accurate in the depiction of the undesireable soldiers that the United States contributed to the unit and the better trained Canadians. This film does an excellent job of showing how Special Operations units are unappreciated by the main stream military brass. Having served in the United States Army Special Forces for 5 years, I know how hard it can be to depict special operations capabilities in such a short movie. Again, this film hits the high points and is entertaining. It is a must see for any war movie buff and especially any student of special operations history.
Rating: 
Summary: A True-to-Type Historical Drama
Review: This movie pays tribute to an elite American/Canadian fighting force which made several key actions against the Germans. The plot is a chronicle of the formation and training of 'The Devil's Brigade'(a.k.a. the First Special Operations Division)and covers 2 of their first missions, but it is less a documentary than a dramatization of the characters and their commanding officer. It has a little blood & gore (a given in a war drama) but very little by today's standards. On the whole it is a very emotional, suspence-filled piece and is rightly considered one of the best war films of the time.
Rating:
Summary: Real History
Review: What may amaze anyone who picks up this DVD is that this is based on a true story, and that the real events are actually downplayed in the film. I had a chance to speak with Joeseph Springer, who wrote a book called "The Black Devil Brigade". During the conversation, he told me of the comparisons of real life, & the movie. He stated that Devil Brigade is a adaptation that is paralell to that of Audy Murphy's life story in "To Hell & Back", again where real life events were downplayed. Overall, I find this to be a great old war movie that John Wayne would be proud of.
Rating:
Summary: Real History
Review: What may amaze anyone who picks up this DVD is that this is based on a true story, and that the real events are actually downplayed in the film. I had a chance to speak with Joeseph Springer, who wrote a book called "The Black Devil Brigade". During the conversation, he told me of the comparisons of real life, & the movie. He stated that Devil Brigade is a adaptation that is paralell to that of Audy Murphy's life story in "To Hell & Back", again where real life events were downplayed. Overall, I find this to be a great old war movie that John Wayne would be proud of.
Rating:
Summary: Great war picture!!!!......Great DVD
Review: William Holden, Cliff Robertson, and Vince Edwards turn in their customary fine performances in this excellent story about one of the early Special Operations units. The storyline is simple enough. A Special Ops unit is formed for a specific mission in Norway (the mission is eventually changed. Nice bit part by Michael Rennie as General Mark Clark). For reasons I was never quite clear on, the unit is comprised of equal parts of American misfits and Canadian elite troops. (This is said to be historically accurate). My favorite part of the movie is the interaction between the American rogues and the more cultured, but equally tough, Canadian troops. There are some hilarious scenes that take place during pre-combat training which show how the unit gelled together into an elite force. The action scenes are very well done, and the attitude of the regular army units towards the unconventional Special Ops unit is true-to-life. Special Ops units have traditionally, at least until recently, been the orphans of the army, and that is brought out very well in this fine movie. If you like a straightforward, well-acted war movie, this is one of the better ones.
Rating:
Summary: A darned good war flick about special ops.
Review: William Holden, Cliff Robertson, and Vince Edwards turn in their customary fine performances in this excellent story about one of the early Special Operations units. The storyline is simple enough. A Special Ops unit is formed for a specific mission in Norway (the mission is eventually changed. Nice bit part by Michael Rennie as General Mark Clark). For reasons I was never quite clear on, the unit is comprised of equal parts of American misfits and Canadian elite troops. (This is said to be historically accurate). My favorite part of the movie is the interaction between the American rogues and the more cultured, but equally tough, Canadian troops. There are some hilarious scenes that take place during pre-combat training which show how the unit gelled together into an elite force. The action scenes are very well done, and the attitude of the regular army units towards the unconventional Special Ops unit is true-to-life. Special Ops units have traditionally, at least until recently, been the orphans of the army, and that is brought out very well in this fine movie. If you like a straightforward, well-acted war movie, this is one of the better ones.
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