Scene of the Week: The Dirty Dozen – Lee Marvin Rules

Lee Marvin would be celebrating his 99th birthday today if he hadn’t died from that no-good heart attack. If there was ever an actor who could convincingly play a character who could kick your ass at 99, it would have been Marvin. His acting credentials go well beyond his biggest financial hit, The Dirty Dozen, but when I think of Marvin in his natural element as a hard-nosed badass, I see Major John Reisman.

The Dirty Dozen is among one of the manliest movies to ever be made and if you don’t believe me then just watch this scene of Marvin picking a fight with legendary Superman look-alike Clint Walker. I can remember watching old Westerns starring Clint Walker as a kid and wondering why the hell he wasn’t the biggest star in the world. Then, as my father put on old episodes of Cheyenne, I was reminded of the time when one of the biggest badass action stars in the world totally put him in his place.

Celebrating Lee Marvin on his birthday wouldn’t be complete without mentioning that he served in the U.S. Marine Corps and earned a Purple Heart at the Battle of Saipan. Asked later, Marvin said his acting career began when he was in the Marines during World War II and trying not to be scared to death while in combat.