Ten Seconds to Hell (1959) on Netflix
Major Haven recruits survivors of a German bomb disposal unit to clear unexploded Allied bombs from postwar Berlin. Eric Koertner and Karl Wirtz, rivals in the squad, are among the men.
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- Netflix3.3/5
- IMDb6.5/101,445 votes
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Trailer
Plot summary
Postwar Berlin is full of unexploded Allied bombs, and British Major Haven brings together six veterans of a German bomb disposal unit to clear them. Karl Wirtz wagers with Eric Koertner over which of the two will live longer, and the squad agrees that half of each man's pay goes into a pool for whoever is still alive after three months. Frau Bauer becomes their liaison. Karl offers to take charge, but the squad chooses Eric, who accepts the post unwillingly. Karl and Eric take rooms at a boarding house run by Margot Hofer, a young French widow whose German husband died in the war. The men are sent out to defuse bombs across the ruined city.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Ten Seconds to Hell (1959)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Robert Aldrich rewrote the adaptation of Lawrence P. Bachmann's novel The Phoenix himself and admitted he did it "much to its detriment," then went to Germany to make the film.
- Gregory Peck and Stanley Baker were originally slated to star in the film, but it was recast with Jack Palance and Peter Van Eyck, who was himself later replaced by Jeff Chandler.
- United Artists edited Ten Seconds to Hell down from its original 131-minute running time to 93 minutes before the film's release.
