YAML 6--Kelly's Heroes

[Dwight Gruber]

Kelly's Heroes 1970



I'm sure that the image in most people's mind when it comes to the Luger in "Kelly's Heroes" is the spaghetti western gunfight scene, facing off against the German tank.

However, there is another scene, earlier on, in which Donald Sutherland leaves his tank, unholsters his Luger, works the action to chamber a round, and peers around a builidng corner.



Continuity in this movie is pretty good. In a frame-by-frame examination it can be seen that, every time Donald Sutherland's holster is visible, it clearly contains the Luger (I've only included a small selection here). Also, the holster flap is always open. Now I'm not a U.S. militaria guy, so I don't know what holster this is, but I wonder: is it not possible to close the flap on this model holster if it holds a Luger?



"Kelly's Heroes" is generally described as being particularly accurate in its technical military details. In this light, it is interesting that, as the German tank commander steps down from his Tiger tank, it is very clear that his P-38 is hooked to a lanyard around his neck, the pistol stuffed into his pants pocket.



--Dwight