Although he has a supporting role Richard Attenborough is top billed in Desert Patrol, a story of a group of men who operated behind Rommel's lines disrupting his supplies and communications. Watching this I learned where the American television series Rat Patrol originated from though this film is a lot better than that series.
The big push is on. Field Marshal Montgomery armed with the plan that his predecessor Field Marshal Auchinleck drew up is finally on the offensive against Rommel at El Alamein. This group has drawn a mission to destroy as many known German ammunition and fuel dumps as possible and make it back to report. That part is essential too, they have to know in Cairo just how much damage has been inflicted.
Heading one such patrol are Captains John Gregson and Michael Craig with Attenborough along. He's hardly a king and country volunteer, but he shows he has the right stuff.
They blow up their assigned fuel dump, but at a price. They've got a 100 miles to get back to their camp. El Alamein because of the wide Sahara desert terrains may have been the largest battle ever fought with rivalries being on the Russian front in the same war. In the end some don't make it.
Percy Herbert as one of the men is most outstanding as a wounded man who stands to make his own fight so his mates may live.
Very good World War II flick from the United Kingdom with minimal flag waving and lots of real heroics.
The big push is on. Field Marshal Montgomery armed with the plan that his predecessor Field Marshal Auchinleck drew up is finally on the offensive against Rommel at El Alamein. This group has drawn a mission to destroy as many known German ammunition and fuel dumps as possible and make it back to report. That part is essential too, they have to know in Cairo just how much damage has been inflicted.
Heading one such patrol are Captains John Gregson and Michael Craig with Attenborough along. He's hardly a king and country volunteer, but he shows he has the right stuff.
They blow up their assigned fuel dump, but at a price. They've got a 100 miles to get back to their camp. El Alamein because of the wide Sahara desert terrains may have been the largest battle ever fought with rivalries being on the Russian front in the same war. In the end some don't make it.
Percy Herbert as one of the men is most outstanding as a wounded man who stands to make his own fight so his mates may live.
Very good World War II flick from the United Kingdom with minimal flag waving and lots of real heroics.