Tonnerre sur Malte

Having just read "Tobruk" by Chester Wilmot, a journalist who spent time in the Tobruk siege and reported diligently about it, this piece informed me of another similar siege that I was unaware of. The use of archive footage is fascinating, mixed in with a simple story of love that feels lighter and without the moralising heaviness and embarrassing "post modern" pretensions of many modern day films ... especially war films. Very much a product of it's time ... they really don't make them like this anymore. Some of it feels like a War time moral raising film. I even thought it was made in the war until I found out the 1953 date. But memories were still strong in those days of course, so there is a flavour of a story burning to be told to the world before times move on.

It is a gripping story that is told about the efforts made to make use of that stationary aircraft carrier in the middle of the Mediterranean. It is also poignant that Alec Guinness should play the part of a reconnaissance pilot because it is just this ruse that the British used to pretend that they hadn't broken the Italian and German ciphers thus enabling them to sink all the Gerry troop ships and always be just in time everywhere. A lame performance by the cast is diverted by the backdrop of a desperate situation on a tiny island that has been invaded by every great power since anyone can remember. If Ultra hadn't done it stuff these people would have been run over even though the Axis forces would have lost the war in the long run.

I have not seen this film for many years and was interested to see it again on Talking Pictures last night.I was in Malta just over 2 months ago.I recognised so many features from this film.I visited the war tunnels and the ops room depicted in this film as well as the citadel.The film was a fairly faithful depiction of events.It is a pity they decided to include a silly love story.Alec Guineas is woefully miscast as an RAF pilot.

Very much a weekend afternoon film now, almost 50 years after it was made, this film gives an accurate portrayal of the wartime events which led to Malta's being awarded the George Cross. The footage of the air and sea battles is fascinating, but the acting is sadly wooden.

Jack Hawkins turns in his usual competent performance, but Alec Guiness is very bland. Flora Robson is an unlikely Maltese mother, symbolising the suffering of the island people. The other credited actresses, Muriel Pavlow and Renee Asherson, appear almost catatonic, and the two love affairs are utterly unconvincing.

A lot of the entertainment lies in spotting well-known faces in their younger days! No surprise to see Victor Maddern and Sam Kydd (whinging, but getting the job done!), Gordon Jackson (uncredited), a very young Rosalie Crutchley and an (almost) unrecognisable Nigel Stock!

Watch this to learn about Malta's wartime history, but choose another film if you want to see these famous names acting with some passion!

Someone else unfortunately used the title, location, location, location, in his film review. It's not only the plot of the movie, it's the history of Malta.

Malta located south of Sicily and right in the middle of that Mediterranean bottleneck between Sicily and Tunisia has had the misfortune by geography to be smack in the middle of supply and trade routes since ancient times. That made it desirable real estate. Malta's been occupied by every conqueror operating in that area, most recently the British during World War II.

And at that time that island with its air and naval base was doing a lot of damage to Erwin Rommel's supply route in North Africa. With unbelievable courage the British garrison held on for over two years and was never really out of harm's way until the Allies took Sicily.

Lots of black and white combat footage used and together with the performances of the male leads, Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins, and Anthony Steel the film has a nice documentary feel. Guinness who plays so many quirky type characters on the screen is for once a very straightforward lead as Peter Ross aerial reconnaissance photographer. He has a romance going with one of the locals and her mother is played by Flora Robson.

There is an interesting subplot there in which Flora Robson's son is taken prisoner as a spy for the Italians and sentenced to be executed as a spy. He tells his British captors that he is in fact a Maltese patriot and that they are the occupiers and it's their occupation that is bringing death and destruction to his people. Not that he wasn't right. The Maltese finally do have their independence now.

A film that is a great tribute to the heroism of the British forces on the island of Malta.