Tobruk

Often when I see a fondly remembered war film from my childhood I am bitterly disappointed by it as an adult . Not so with TOBRUCK which I recently saw again a few months ago . The explosive action scenes hold up very well today as long as you don't compare them to SAVING PRIVATE RYAN or BLACK HAWK DOWN but this is a film from 40 years ago . Imagine how effective they must have been on its original release . And aren't they fairly graphic ? So much so that I noticed some of the violence had been edited for its afternoon showing on Scottish Television

One thing I hadn't noticed as a child is how complex the narrative is or smart the dialogue is . There's a couple of subplots one of which is a traitor in the group and of a couple of Nazi sympathisers with documents who want to contact the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem in order to bring the Muslim world on to the side of Nazi Germany . Interstingly enough the Nazis were pro Muslim and had at least two Waffen SS divisions composed of Bosnian s and Albanians . In narrative terms the screenplay is not in any way crowded with these two subplots As for the dialogue it switches from comic relief as in:

" what you doing with your fingers in your ears ? "

" I can't stand the sight of blood "

"Close your eyes then "

" But I want to see what's going on "

through to the serious and philosophical:

" I've heard it said there's a bit of a Jew in all of us "

" Ja and there's a bit of the Nazi as well "

You could be very pedantic and state that the German tanks are in fact American tanks dating from the 1950s but every war film from this period suffers from this flaw and very few are as intelligent or complex as TOBRUCK

You know, I miss Rock Hudson. I miss the fake guy I guess, the guy who had to hide his sexual orientation because of the way the world is about 'manliness.' Anyway, Tobruk is a gritty little war thriller escapade that causes the viewer to sweat and recall a far away war in the desert, a war that had justification. Political diatribe aside, Tobruk reminds us about treachery, duplicity and the ever toxic fifth column that insinuated itself into WW11. Hudson is magnificent, Peppard is intense and aware and Nigel Green, a particular favourite, has that snooty, over-bearing right at all costs attitude down to a Tee. The Portman father and daughter fifth column team seem especially right.

The screenplay was written by the much under-rated Leo Gordon. And okay, I acknowledge that he must have watched Guns Of Navarone a few times. Still, its a fun war film (if that's possible.) His ferocious, simmering presence has a small but useful role in the film

The world I belong to has vagueness as an ethical base. Tobruk and films like it remind me of a more pure, righteous and simpler time. Sorry, I know that's a bit sentimental but age does that.

That subgenre being the war movie about a small group of specialist soldiers - "commandos" - who pull off a daring raid, with lots of drama and personality conflicts - these days they're called "special operators." And it's the sort of war picture they sure don't make any more. Pity, in a way. In this screenplay it's the Long Range Desert Group, based on a legendary North Africa force, plus a bunch of German Jews out to confound the Nazis and use their contribution as leverage to achieve nationhood in Palestine -no, Israel!, as George Peppard brusquely corrects Rock Hudson. Which is what gives this movie a very interesting historical dimensions, bringing in as it does, along with Rommel and the Desert War, or course, the meddling of the Grand Mufti, Arab affinities for Nazism, and the struggle for Israel as the Holocaust goes on in Europe. Note the movie was made in '67 - Six-Day War anyone? The premise of the commandos masquerading as Afrika Korps I found a bit much, though. Also much mirth garnered by the use of all-American trucks and tanks (a lot of them post- WWII) for German, Italian, British - I noticed the California National Guard got a big credit at the end. The Grumman Goose was a cute touch, too. At least they got most of the guns right - but the P-40 was good, the right type for the time and place. Also a nice touch to have Rock Hudson play as a Canadian, not an American. And get a load of Dean Stockwell. And there was some pretty good camera work and some clever crane and dolly shots, too. For all its flaws and preposterous elements, and for being a bit of a period piece, it is a most entertaining picture, and lots of stuff blows up.

... and always has been. But still, this World War II action-adventure does have plenty of excitement, a cross and doublecross plot, and a great mixture of different nationalities, one of the best things about it I thought when I first saw it on television 20 or 25 years ago.

The actual battle of Tobruk plays no part in this story. It's about a complicated commando mission by the famous Long Range Desert Group. The LRDG, while being distinct from the even better known SAS, sometimes joined in combined operations with them at times during the desert campaign against the Afrika Korps. The LRDG mainly engaged in hit-and-run raids against German supply, dangerous enough even without the Hollywood plot elements which make this movie so entertaining.

The film's comic relief is provided by Norman Rossington who did the same job for the Beatles in "A Hard Day's Night".

This thrilling wartime picture contains high-powered action-packed, shootouts , grand-scale blow-up , intrigue and lots of fun . The film belongs the sub-genre of warfare commandos , being highlighted by a stirring and thrilling climax with overwhelming action scenes . This WWII actioner talks upon a motley group formed by British soldiers (Nigel Green ,Percy Herbert , Jack Watson, Leo Gordon -who also wrote the script-) led by a Major (Rock Hudson replaced Laurence Harvey , though role was formerly offered to Dirk Bogarde who turned down) and rebel Jews (George Peppard) craving the dreamed country against the Nazi and Italian armies in the North African desert -Libya- during WWII with the aim to knock out the guns of Tobruk . They ought to sneak to clear the path for bombing strike at oil supply depots before Erwin Rommel (The Fox of the desert) arrives in Egypt (he'll be stopped in the Alamein by Montgomery who defeated the German army in the 1942-43 years). They must pass through Alix line disguised as German soldiers escorting allied privates . There actually was a raid on Tobruk, 13-14 September 1942, including the German-Jewish SIG and fake British POWs. Unlike the outcome in the movie, "Operation Agreement" was a complete failure.

Decent wartime movie full of battles , explosions , thrills and extraordinary feats . From the beginning until ending the exciting warlike action is continued and the film runtime is adjusted . In the movie there is tension , suspense , emotion and for that reason results to be amusing ; besides , fast movement , and various happenings as well as spectacular scenes makes it entertaining and no boring . The picture has a certain remembrance with ¨Dirty dozen¨ , ¨Kelly's heroes¨ and ¨When the eagles dare¨ and the group of films were made about warlike adventures during the 60s and early 1970s . Portions of the film were edited into the 1971 Richard Burton film ¨Raid on Rommel¨ (1971) by Henry Hathaway and nearly all the action scenes was footage taken from Tobruk . The final confrontation between the protagonists and the enemies on the Nazi desert fortress is stimulating , it's the highlight of the movie . Russell Harlan's cinematography is good , like is well reflected on the splendid desert's photography . Rousing and breathtaking musical score by the great Bronislau Kaper . Well produced by Gene Corman , brother of legendary producer/director Roger Corman , as Gene financed several successful War films such as ¨The secret invasion¨, ¨Von Richthofen and Brown¨ ,¨You can win'em all¨ and the best of all them : ¨The Big Red One¨ . The motion picture was professionally directed by Arthur Hiller . Rating : Acceptable and passable warfare flick . The yarn will appeal to WW2 enthusiasts and Rock Hudson fans.