Death Race

This film is set in WWII and the Germans in North Africa are on retreat now that the Americans have gone on the offensive. When two P-40 pilots are sent to destroy a mine field (just HOW they would do that, I have no idea), they see a small column of German vehicles. One dives to engage them and is miraculously shot down by the tank*! The second plane lands nearby to rescue the downed pilot and in doing this, the tank damages the second plane so badly it cannot fly. So, it's forced to drive about the desert avoiding the German tank...sort of like a game of cat and mouse. What's next?

The one thing that startled me about the film was the casting of Lloyd Bridges as the German tank commander. His accent made him sound just like an American actor TRYING (and not succeeding in the least) in doing a German accent. Why they didn't have him play one of the pilots is beyond me. And, why they didn't have Eric Braeden (who was part of the crew) play the tank commander I do not know...especially since Braeden IS German and played a German commander in the TV series "Combat!" as well as "Rat Patrol".

So apart from the difficult to believe premise and odd casting of Bridges, is the film any good? Well, it is rather entertaining watching Lloyd Bridges play a bit of a maniac! Not the least bit realistic...but fun in a kitschy way. Otherwise, no...it's not a very good film.

*The German tank in the film is actually an American Sherman tank. This is because after the war, there were very few German tanks left....and there were thousands of Shermans. In fact, in most films the German tanks are American tanks and often Shermans or Walker Bulldogs sub for German tanks.

Lloyd Bridges plays maniacal General Ernst Beimer, an over the top optimist who thinks the Germans can turn the disaster of El Alamein into a great victory for the Nazis.

Bridges is not a very convincing Nazi. His wild-eyes portrayal borders on the comical. He plays the role as a cartoonish character. He was much better in his older roles in Hollywood and even on TV for Sea Hunt. This one is embarrassing.

The rest of the cast does a pretty good job with what they have, and the script is rather innovative. A German tank crew chases an Allied plane across the desert because the plane is partially disabled. However, the German soldiers in the tank, other than Bridges, know that it is a lost cause. Interesting film.

Death race, a.k.a. State of Division, was a made for TV movie, that for the time especially, was very well done. The German tank actually had correct markings for one used in North Africa, the P-40 was about the right series, the clothing and weapons were all pretty much correct-except for two glaring goofs. Bridge's character sported a Luger pistol, and while this is an authentic German WWl sidearm, almost no command rank officer carried one, most favored the more modern and reliable Walther P-38. The only other readily apparent wrong is the P-40 supposedly had 20mm cannons as wing guns. No Curtiss P-40 of any series (B through N) was equipped thusly from the New York factory, and the only change the British made to theirs was changing the wing and cowl mount guns to .303 Brownings instead of the standard .30 caliber U.S. I actually enjoyed this movie for the most part, as it really was very authentic, and for someone like me (a confirmed military history buff!), the closer they get it to right, the easier it is to just watch and get lost in the story. I do wish it had been made longer, so more character development could have taken place. McClure's Culpepper starts off as a 'get by' kind of guy, not really caring much about the war or any greater ideal than his next meal or shower. They really rushed his change to a 'now I see why I should care' after a day and a half spent with the Thinne's McMillan, an Eagle squadron pilot, whom he starts taking a liking too through their shared dilemma. McMillan starts to explain why he enlisted with the British, why he put himself into harms way, but never gives the reason. The final 'battle' sequence at the end is pretty exciting, but again feels rushed. The movie runs approx. 90 minutes, so overall, except for the above listed comments, I feel this is an enjoyable movie for both the WWll buff or the action/drama movie watcher.

I remember this as an intriguing chase film, with a grounded fighter plane being chased across the North African desert by a lone Panzer. Given how movies sometimes get made, I can't help but wonder if this nifty little film came about for one reason, that the producers had access to a vintage tank and a (non-flying) fighter plane for a week or two....

Doug McClure is good as the stalwart American pilot but Bridges is oddly cast as a Rommel wannabe, intruding on the kind of roles Eric Braeden/ Hans Guddergast usually played before breaking into soap operas.

In the North African desert , there World War II was just ending , appearing a German tank commanded by Gen. Ernst Beimler (Lloyd Bridges gives a mesmerizing acting) and along the way gun down most of British soldiers around . Then , there are two survivors of a down plane and the revenge-minded General carries on his own war , no matter what the cost to himself . Two airmen survive and return to a relentless manhunt . Beimler's war is about to begin from a settlement on the hot desert Sahara . An Encounter Against Death...In the Realities of a damaged American fighter plane that is unable to take off and being mercelessly pursued by a Nazi Tank . An unique look at the African campaigns' experience sympathetically told for both sides . You can escape from everything but justice. The Cause: freedom. The enemy: The world's deadliest fighting revenger. There is no room in a tank for a conscience. War brings out the beast in every man.

Thrilling and exciting screenplay concerning an obsessive General with an eagerly determination to seek vendetta on two fliers , even after he learns the war in North Africa has just ended , while the desperate and wounded allied pilots of a crippled airplane attempt to evade and destroy a pursuing Nazi tank . The tyrannical and increasingly unstable tank commander General Beimler pushes the moral boundaries of the tank drivers to the limits , with almost dire consequences . Interesting and moving script , saddling some nice action scenes at the ending , when it takes place a relentless final confrontation between the plane and tank , specially in the last reel . Sensational acting by Lloyd Bridges as the stubborn General who gunned down all around and seeks revenge when his garrison is defeated by the British under command of General Montgomery . However , his extreme obsession with desire for vengeance upon the Americans isn't believable , but the moments that click make the movie more than worthwhile . This character about an avenger who seeks revenge on those who previously vanquished him bears remarkable resemblance to ¨Captain Ahab's Moby Dick'¨ by Herman Melville and following a similar premise to ¨Murphy's War¨(1971) by Peter Yates and subsequent ¨The Beast of War¨(1988) by Kevin Reynolds . Filmmaker Rich delivers a professional direction , as he really had a talent for directing actors and getting the most out of them and with special mention for Lloyd Bridges .Other important players appearing and providing nice interpretations are the following ones : Roy Thinnes, Eric Braeden , the future comedian actor/director Dennis Dugan , and Doug McClure as a good-tempered flyer,

It contains magnificent color cinematography on location in desert and barren outdoors. Adequate as well as stirring musical score by Mooney and Milton Rosen. The motion picture was compelling and splendidly directed by under-rated producer and filmmaker of the 1960s and 1970s movies called David Lowell Rich . He was a prolific television director, an expert at made-for-TV movies in the 1970's and worked briefly at Columbia during the late 50's. Rich directed a lot of TV films and movies, such as : Northeast of Seoul , Bolt , A lovely way to die, Chu Chu and the Philly Flash , School for Girls , The Sex symbol, The Chadwick Family , Runaway , Convicted and many others . In the 1960s he directed episodes of several cult TV shows including Mission Impossible , and one episode of The Twilight Zone . In the 1970s he got caught up in the disaster movie craze by putting out atleast five disaster films, four for TV , such as : The Concorde...Airport '79 and Horror At 37,000 Feet (1973) combined a flight disaster with supernatural events and wonderful over-acting from William Shatner, most of them failed at boxoffice . However, all the above films, including The Concorde...Airport '79, are fun to watch and , unlike some other films of the disaster genre, were never tiring . Rating : 7.5/10 . Better than average warlike film . Worthwhile watching .