Not many films can make the viewer seethe with fury at injustice as much as this one can. The great Harry Andrews is a right bastard in charge of a WWII military prison in Africa whose prisoners include Seen ‘Sean Connery’ Canary and Roy ‘Juggernaut’ Kinnear and whose principal punishment is running up and down the titular hill in full kit in the sweltering heat. Andrews’ sergeant disgusts his fellow guard portrayed by one of the unsung greats of film acting, the late Ian Bannen. After the death and debilitation of prisoners Bannen tries to have something done but only the ineffectual camp doctor, Michael Redgrave, has a go but fails. It’s pretty gritty and there aren’t many laughs involved but, hey, that’s life.
