Is the movie Kelly's Heroes based on a true story?

Answer 1

Kelly's Heroes (1970) is pure fiction. There was plenty of looting and legal confiscation of "war booty" during World War II. However, what happens in this movie would have been illegal, and if something like what happens in the movie really happened, you would have read about it in history classes and seen documentaries about it.

Actually, the film was based on a true story, how much of the accuracy was kept is another matter as USA film makers do seem to like to change history in many of their films.

I have the original draft copy of the book written by one of the men - who by the way was British & in the Royal Marine Commando's, who were set up for special missions during the war. The original draft book was given to my father (also selected to form the RM Commando's) from a friend who wrote it.

It's title was "Kelly's Heroes" but whether it went to final print or just handed over to America to make a film of it, I cannot answer now as father has died. But it is an amazing read, that is for sure and the risks they took was undeniably heroic - the true story I speak of now, naturally !!!