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During World War II, R.S.M. Wilson runs
a British military stockade in North Africa with an iron hand.
To break down the spirit of five new prisoners, Wilson directs
Sergeant Williams, a sadistic new guard, to walk the men up and down
a large man-made hill of rocks and sand with full packs on their
backs until they drop from exhaustion.
Jacko King, a Jamaican Negro arrested
for stealing three quarts of Scotch from the officers' mess,
receives especially harsh treatment because of the prejudice of the
guards. He supports prisoner Joe Roberts, a warrant officer
broken of his rank for striking a superior officer and refusing to
lead his forces into battle when their ammunition was low, in his
revolt against the cruel actions of the guards.
When the weakest prisoner, George
Stevens, guilty of going AWOL to return to his wife, dies, the
prisoners threaten to revolt. At first, Stevens' death is
officially recorded as an accident, but Roberts persuades the
medical officer to testify to the inhumane conditions in the
stockade in hopes that conditions for future military prisoners will
improve. The rest of the group only want revenge against
Williams; and in killing the guard they lose their opportunity to
put an end to the brutal system.
Notes
The film is based on the play The Hill by Ray Rigby, R.S.
Allen (production undetermined). Location scenes were filmed
in Spain. The Hill opened in London in June 1965 with a
running time of 123 minutes. Music includes "Kiss Me
Goodnight Sergeant Major," words and music by Art Noel and Don
Pelosi. |
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