"Kelly's Heroes" was an MGM film that received poor reviews and did only moderately well in the theaters. But over the years it has become a cult film. Donald Sutherland plays a hippie soldier in World War II, Telly Savalas walks away with a gritty performance, and Clint Eastwood is understated as a former officer scapegoated for something that wasn't his fault. Carroll O'Connor, before his Archie Bunker days, plays a general who totally misreads the situation.
The song was by Lalo Schifrin, the Chilean composer who had made a fortune with his theme from "Mission Impossible," which became a Sixties jazz classic with its 5/4 time signature.
Mike Curb had made a name for himself at Mercury and was now at MGM Records. He was known for writing movie soundtracks for minor exploitation films and had made a name as a record producer, although he created waves when he decided to rid MGM of any acts that he deemed to be pro-drug. He would later be elected Lieutenant Governor of California as a Republican during the first Jerry Brown years and would manage Reagan's California campaign in 1980.
Thanks, Publius, for the February 13, 1971, Rockumentary. ((HUGS))