40 UNFORGETTABLE SECRETS FROM THE DIRTY DOZEN:

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Bolder, bloodier and brasher than ever seen before, The Dirty Dozen was a World War II film from 1967 that completely changed the game.

You may have watched it over and over again since then, but these little-known facts will make you see all the dirtiness in a whole different light. Any questions?

40. LEE MARTINE PRETTY MUCH HATED THE MOVIE:

One of the harshest criticisms of the film didn’t come from the press, but from the leading man himself! Lee Marvin called the movie “Just a dummy money-maker.”

Yes, even though Marvin found The Dirty Dozen entertaining, he believed its story had little to do with the realities of war. The legendary actor, who played Major John Reisman, found his later warm film The Big Red One a much more satisfactory representation of the war.

39. CLINT WALKER TURNED DOWN ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS SCENES:

Remember when Donald Sutherlan’s Vernon L. Pinkely impersonates the troop-inspecting general? Of course! It’s one of the most memorable movie moments. But did you know the impersonator was supposed to be Clint Walker’s Samson Posey?

Sutherland was only chosen at the last minute by director Robert Aldrich as Walker turned down the scene.

38. IT WAS THE REASON JIM BROWN RETIRED:

Footballer-turned-actor Jim Brown was still contracted to the Cleveland Browns when he took the role of Robet T. Jefferson. This made Brown potentially face hefty financial punishment and suspension from the NFL after he had to delay his training when filming The Dirty Dozen.

Not appreciating the ultimatum, Brown informed the media that he’d be stepping away from the sport for good.

38. CHARLES BRONSON’S FATHER ACTUALLY WAS A COAL MINER:

In at least one of The Dirty Dozen’s backstories, art really did imitate life. Charles Bronson’s Joseph Wladislaw reveals at one point that his dad used to work in the mines back in Poland.

The actor’s real father actually did the same job in his Lithuanian homeland! Bronson had first-hand experience of coal mining while growing up in Pennsylvania as well.

36. THE FAKE CHATEAU WAS BUILT TOO WELL:

The fake chateau built for The Dirty Dozen was supposed to be destroyed, however, the builders had done such a great job that exploding the structure would’ve taken roughly 70 tons of dynamite!

So, quick-thinking designers had to use much flimsier materials such as plastic and cork to recreate a part of the building for the scene in question. Boom!