It's a British Army prison in WWII North Africa. Insubordinate British soldiers are sent there to be drilled ruthlessly. One of the tasks is to run up and down a man made hill. Joe Roberts (Sean Connery) is one of five new prisoners. He had punched his commanding officer for ordering a suicidal attack.There are some great performances. The most powerful coming from Harry Andrews. Everybody is delivering top level stuff. It's a contained movie in that it's contained by the base. In that way, it's more like a play. Sidney Lumet allows his actors to chew up the screen. It's great.

Hot and sweaty, bold and brutal, Sidney Lumet's The Hill is a tour de force of incarceration based cinema. Story has five new inmates sent to a North African based British Army Prison, the centre piece of which is a manufactured hill that is used as a punishment tool. The new recruits, headed by Joe Roberts (Sean Connery), quickly fall foul of the superiors, especially the venomous Staff Sergeant Williams (Ian Hendry), but these boys wont take it lying down...With no music and Oswald Morris' monochrome photography ensuring atmosphere is perpetually claustrophobic, the harsh edges of the story strike hard. Be it overt bullying by those in charge - pushing men evidently too far - or racism, Lumet melds everything together superbly for harsh viewing experience, tightening the screws every quarter of film. Come the shattering conclusion it's a merciful release for the viewers, a chance to start breathing properly again, even if your mind is ablaze with a number of thoughts.This is very much an actors picture, which seems a given since it's adapted by Ray Rigby from his own play, but a mightily strong cast do sterling work with the tinderbox screenplay. Ossie Davis, Harry Andrews, Ian Bannen, Roy Kinnear, Alfred Lynch and Michael Redgrave fill out the other key roles, each giving their characters vivid depth without resorting to histrionics and scenery chewing. Which of course is a testament to Lumet's skills as a director of actors.Slow burning intensity bristles with the corrosive nature of machismo fuelled authority, an unforgettable film and highly recommended to those who have not sampled it yet. 9/10

Absolutely outstanding. Set during WW2 based in army prison camp in Libya it's the scene of a pure and almost perfect movie. From the acting the dialogue the filming editing characters and how the film glides along effortlessly it's a masterclass. Sean Connery is superb in this tale of ultimate male macho-ism and power struggling army stooges. There is a wonderful supporting cast who all hit the acting nail hard on the head. An ovation for Harry Andrews, Ian Bannen, Ian Hendry, Ossie Davis and many more who turn out performances not to be missed or forgotten. The movie deals with so much and does it in a way where you realise that such topics are still of interest today. I can't say too much with ruining it but the hill is truly a movie that has passed by without any accolade which it so rightly deserves. The brutal punishments dished out combined with the soaring heat and psychological pressures forced upon the soldiers and deserters adds to the tension of the whole movie. If you've missed this movie now is your chance for redemption. It's not often you'll get a chance to watch a classic the first time round without the hype ruining the movie. But here you won't be disappointed. Watch this movie now and be submersed in the heat and drama.

This is one evergreen film. This depicts perfectly the quintessential characters which make up every British Army regiment, even today. This shows the injustices that the colonial forces enacted on the working class or so called less "educated" serving soldier, and the incompetence of "educated" officers leading men into and during wars. The characters are depicted perfectly, Monty Bartlett played by Roy Kinnear, is not a coward, but has an inherent fear of the authorities he knows has class can never beat. Barltett who should command nothing but apathy for being a petty thief still gains sympathy for his weak, obese figure. I could go on with each character. Watch the film it is one of the best I have seen depicting the British Army. I know I served over 22 years in the Forces.