Jump to content

Commandos (film): Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
→Plot: Attempt at compressing this extremely long plot section, per tag. Some grammatical things were altered.
m →Cast: Unteroffizier is the rigt word, I have seen in the German article (there were no Offiziersstellvertreter in the German army during the Second World War)
 
(10 intermediate revisions by 7 users not shown)
Line 25: Line 25:
| editing = Daniele Alabiso<ref name="filmportal" />
| editing = Daniele Alabiso<ref name="filmportal" />
| music = [[Mario Nascimbene]]<ref name="filmportal" />
| music = [[Mario Nascimbene]]<ref name="filmportal" />
| production_companies = {{plainlist|* P.E.C.
| studio = {{plainlist|* P.E.C.
* C.C.I.
* C.C.I.
* [[CCC Film]]<ref name="filmportal" />}}
* [[CCC Film]]<ref name="filmportal" />}}
| distributors = {{plainlist|*Columbia Filmgescellschaft mbH<ref name="filmportal" />}}
| distributor = {{plainlist|*Columbia Filmgescellschaft mbH<ref name="filmportal" />}}
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|1968|11|19|Italy|1969|8|8|West Germany}}
| released = {{Film date|df=y|1968|11|19|Italy|1969|8|8|West Germany}}
| runtime = 112 minutes<ref name="filmportal" />
| runtime = 112 minutes<ref name="filmportal" />
| country = {{plainlist|*Italy
| country = {{plainlist|*Italy
Line 37: Line 37:
| gross =
| gross =
}}
}}
{{Lead too short|date=January 2022}}
⚫
'''''Commandos''''' a.k.a. '''Sullivan's Marauders''' is a 1968 Italian-produced [[war film]] filmed on [[Sardinia]] starring [[Lee Van Cleef]] and [[Jack Kelly (actor)|Jack Kelly]] and directed by [[Armando Crispino]].<ref name="filmportal" />


⚫
'''''Commandos''''' a.k.a. '''Sullivan's Marauders''' is a 1968 Italian-produced [[war film]] starring [[Lee Van Cleef]] and [[Jack Kelly (actor)|Jack Kelly]] and directed by [[Armando Crispino]].<ref name="filmportal" /> The film is set in North Africa but was shot in [[Sardinia]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Commandos film review - The Grindhouse Cinema Database |url=https://www.grindhousedatabase.com/index.php/Commandos_film_review |access-date=2023-08-01 |website=www.grindhousedatabase.com}}</ref>
⚫
== Plot ==
{{long plot|date=September 2016}}
⚫
The film is set in the middle of World War II, and in the deserts of Africa, Sgt. Sullivan ([[Lee Van Cleef]]) puts together a group of Italian-Americans into disguise as Italian soldiers in order to infiltrate a North African camp held by the Italians. Sullivan, along with Dino ([[Romano Puppo]]), was one of three that survived from the Pacific War against the Japanese, although Lieutenant Freeman was killed in his last mission. Their Captain in charge of the mission, Captain Valli ([[Jack Kelly (actor)|Jack Kelly]]), has several soldiers with special training.


[[Dario Argento]] is credited as co-screenwriter.
After taking an airplane to North Africa, they jump out of the plane and parachute into North Africa and land in the desert during night hour and also bury the parachutes in the sand so as to leave no evidence. After receiving a distress signal from a fellow soldier they quickly head on task all the commandos join up for the capture of the Italian base. However, after fewer of the men regroup including Dino regroup, after however reaching the Italian base, many of the unit splits into two sections or teams, they take out the guards, and they capture the radio operator as well, but after an elderly watchmen spots that a man was killed he has alerted the guards, resulting in a huge battle.


⚫
== Plot ==
After the soldiers have killed the Italians in their beds, they find a hooker living at the camp. Sullivan's commandos are to hold this camp and its weaponry until an American battalion arrives; however, though an Italian Hooker named Adriana ([[Marilù Tolo]]) however is a stool away in the camp, Valli tells a fellow soldier all men stay clear of the room away from Adriana, among the prisoners Italian Lieutenant Tommassini ([[Marino Masé]]).
⚫
The film is set in the middle of World War II, and in the deserts of Africa, Sgt. Sullivan puts together a group of Italian-Americans into disguise as Italian soldiers in order to infiltrate a North African camp held by the Italians. Sullivan, along with Dino, was one of three that survived from the Pacific War against the Japanese, although Lieutenant Freeman was killed in his last mission. Their Captain in charge of the mission, Captain Valli, has several soldiers with special training.

Later after receiving a call from the German's a guest named Professor Agen is coming to the Italian Camp for a meal, later in the dining room where however they use Tommassini and tell how the dining tables are set up, preparations are in full swing, when the German's arrive for the meeting and the night meals, while getting to know the Germans, the Italian-American's however get to know however all of the men while in the bar. Later Dino returns telling Sullivan that however everything is back in good control, meanwhile one of the German men, Offizier Hans ([[Heinz Reincke]]) goes to see Adriana but finds she is too sleepy and drunken although Hans insists to speak to Adriana, Sullivan listens from the room but as Hans exits the door.

Sullivan speaks to Hans and tells him they were up late last night which Hans agrees to, meanwhile in the dining area Professor Agen asks if he should have the last wine, but Valli agrees to let Agen have it, however meanwhile outside the two Italian-Americans who are guarding do not realize that the Elderly German Soldier is about to sneak up on one of the men, although the other went for a bottle of champagne, however though Sullivan sees they might be trouble going on but hopes to stop it, meanwhile one of the Italian-American commandos is however knocked unconscious, in the dining room, Agen hopes to give Sullivan a drink of wine but he rejects the offer but it is given to him anyway, meanwhile as the men singing in the dining room occurs, Sullivan starts to suffer from past events happened in the Pacific War fighting the Japanese, meanwhile one of men sees Sullivan who wants air but while on duty the elderly German attacks Sullivan. As a result, the elderly German soldier fires his gunshots as Sullivan quickly strangles the German who attacked him to death, but this however alerts the Germans and the men around the base, Valli demands to know who fired the shot, but however one of the men says it was a jackle.

Later on it is time for Professor Agen, Rudi, Braumann and Hans to return to the German lines, they thank the Italian's really Americans for the night event and wish them good luck, however Tommassini goes finds a way to wonder off but Valli and his men stop him, but Tommassini ensures him he wasn't and Valli agrees, Tommassini is escorted to the brig with the remaining prisoners, but meanwhile during the night the prisoners break free from the cell, however one of the men fakes being ill and cuts the power and takes out the guards which Tommassini and his men escape, Tommassini and the men however soon take out a few of Valli's men, but not before one of the guards finds few of the men dead and soon a fight ensures, but however Tommassini and the men soon hijack a truck in the process and get away, as such Sullivan realizes they are out of range so the men must pursue them in a truck, meanwhile in the desert the truck containing Tommassini and his men stalls in the sand while trying to get away from Sullivan's patrol, Valli goes to follow the trail they went as it left tracks in the sand, but while Tommassini and his men try to get the truck out of the sand, they use their jackets to get the wheels to work but while Tommassini and the men get aboard onto the truck, Sullivan, Valli, Dino, Aldo, Corbi and several others has caught up with the stolen truck, but while it drives through the desert, most of Tommassini's men are both killed in the back of the truck, but while Sullivan's men kill many of Tommassini's men in the shootout. Dino is mortally wounded.

Meanwhile, as the men return to the base, it is too late and Dino sadly dies in Sullivan's arms from his wounds, however though Sullivan makes an effort for his dead comrade and friend to bury his body in the sand, Aldo sees in his heart how sorro he feels for Sullivan's mate Dino, but meanwhile on a Tank patrol two of them on watch on a tank spot Lieutenant Tommassini who has been saved by friendly Germans, but back at the Italian base Sullivan however does the honor of burying his dead friend Dino alone, meanwhile a friendly airplane drops a supply into the Italian base, however the new orders as Valli read was to leave out of the base immediately, and Operation Torch is to be abandoned, later Valli orders Rodolfo to make radio contact, but however Sullivan stops him in time, Sullivan soon comes face to face with Valli and torments him over arrogance for the losses of the men like what happened to Dino back their, Valli soon realizes that Sullivan is bluffing and will have him court marshalled for the crime of assaulting Valli, and despite the losses of six men that died due to Valli's arrogance and the plan he did for Operation Torch, however Corbi tells Sullivan what happened but Sullivan doesn't want to hear it out of Corbi's words, realizing Valli might get everyone killed in this mission
Sullivan wounds Agen and the a huge battle however costs many lives, Agen, Rudi, Hans try to escape in the car but they are cut off, Sullivan and Corbi destroy the wells, Hans asks Agen what are the wells about but Agen tells he doesn't know what they are as they maybe machines made to pump water, as Rudi drives away two of the Italian-American's take out Rudi's car with a bazooka, but the battle becomes costly and many Italian-Americans are killed as well as Germans in the battle, however several of the Italian-American's escape to a truck but although too late it is destroyed by Germans, Valli witnesses in horror few burning men, as Sullivan and Corbi take out the German truck with the machine gun, but as Tanks arrive, many are killed and although Aldo comments 'Someone should tell them our mission is scratched that we don't need the dam war?" to Valli, however the firepower from the tanks blows up barracks and also an Italian flag, meanwhile Agen takes his troops with him to take out the remaining Italian-Americans, Aldo also warns Valli of a incoming German Tiger Panzer Tank, however as incoming tanks arrive, Valli tells Aldo they have to go around, bur as they blow up more stuff two more Italian-American's are both killed by tank machine gun firepower and fewer more are, however the truck arrives and it to their surprise is Tommassini whom has returned to get his revenge, Tommassini sees a fuel truck and attempts to destroy it but however Aldo sees him and shoots him mortally wounding him as he reaches for the TNT, as he attempts to use it, Aldo guns Tommassini down saying his final words, "Wells, the world," as he hits the TNT which blows up the wells, only few Italian-American's are left, Valli, Sullivan, Aldo and Corbi, but however Agen kills Corbi and the other Italian-American in the process, Agen soon panics in the attack but at point range, Agen is about to shoot Valli but realizing he is a good kind friend, he screams, "No, Valli I can't, VALLI!" as Valli witnesses him and understands this, Sullivan all too well kills Agen and shoots him in the back, however Sullivan sees the dead body of Corbi on the ground and takes the bazooka to avenge for his death, Valli however tells Sullivan what is going to happen now, but Sullivan tells Valli he will carry out the plan, just as Sullivan attempts to take out the Panzer he successfully takes it out, but as he goes and makes a breakthrough to the second, Valli calls out, "Sullivan look out!" but as a result the tank fires at Sullivan mortally wounding him as Sullivan attempts to use a grenade the last thing he ever does is throw it into the caterpillars and the explosion impacts Sullivan and before Sullivan dies, he gets a last look at his memories back in the Pacific before dying from his wounds.

The only survivors are Valli and Aldo, but as Valli and Aldo finish off the remaining Germans from the Panzer Tank, Sullivan has just destroyed, Valli and Aldo look at the now dead Sullivan and understand what he died for, but suddenly Valli is shot in the back and killed by a German soldier from nowhere, allowing Aldo now the sole-surviving Italian-American commando of the mission to react, Aldo sees many dead Germans and Italian-American's that where people he knew now gone, all too silent everything seems quiet and now he is all by himself, but not before Hans, the last of Professor Agen's Junior NCO's survived the battle by himself, he nearly attempts to kill Aldo, but he sees in his heart the truth and he begins to understand Aldo's feelings and looks back the time he first met at the dining room, then seeing the truth Aldo and Hans agree a truce and they lay down their guns allowing a truce after realizing they have all their dead friends they have to bury now into graves, Aldo and Hans agree to help, together like friends they now help bury the dead soldiers including Sullivan and many others, and Agen as well, as all are lined up, Aldo and Hans now complete the dead in place and together they now await for allied Americans to come find them.


== Cast ==
== Cast ==
Line 71: Line 56:
* [[Marilù Tolo]] as Adriana
* [[Marilù Tolo]] as Adriana
* [[Joachim Fuchsberger]] as [[Oberleutnant]] Heitzel Agen (called "Professor")
* [[Joachim Fuchsberger]] as [[Oberleutnant]] Heitzel Agen (called "Professor")
* [[Heinz Reincke]] as [[Offizier]] Hans
* [[Heinz Reincke]] as [[Unteroffizier]] Hans
* [[Helmut Schmid]] as [[Sergeant]] Miller
* [[Helmut Schmid]] as [[Sergeant]] Miller
* [[Otto Stern]] as [[Sergeant]] Braumann
* [[Otto Stern]] as [[Sergeant]] Braumann
Line 77: Line 62:
* [[Gianni Brezza]] as Marco
* [[Gianni Brezza]] as Marco
* [[Duilio Del Prete]] as Bruno
* [[Duilio Del Prete]] as Bruno

⚫
==See also==
⚫
* [[Euro War]]
* [[War film|War Film]]


==Release==
==Release==
Line 87: Line 68:
==Reception==
==Reception==
In a contemporary review in the ''[[Monthly Film Bulletin]]'', Richard Comb commented that the conclusion of the film was "the kind of meaningless apocalyptic moment much favoured when international producers get together to meditate over mutual insanity in war", and that ''Commandos'' was "rife with such rhetoric, interspersed with all the action cliches of the war movie and fitfully jerking its line with type" <ref name="mfb">{{cite magazine|title=Commandos|magazine=[[Monthly Film Bulletin]]|year=1972|volume=39|issue=456|pages=68–69|first=Richard|last=Combs}}</ref>
In a contemporary review in the ''[[Monthly Film Bulletin]]'', Richard Comb commented that the conclusion of the film was "the kind of meaningless apocalyptic moment much favoured when international producers get together to meditate over mutual insanity in war", and that ''Commandos'' was "rife with such rhetoric, interspersed with all the action cliches of the war movie and fitfully jerking its line with type" <ref name="mfb">{{cite magazine|title=Commandos|magazine=[[Monthly Film Bulletin]]|year=1972|volume=39|issue=456|pages=68–69|first=Richard|last=Combs}}</ref>

⚫
==See also==
⚫
* [[Euro War]]


==References==
==References==
Line 98: Line 82:
{{DEFAULTSORT:Commandos (Film)}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Commandos (Film)}}
[[Category:1968 films]]
[[Category:1968 films]]
[[Category:1960s war films]]
[[Category:1968 war films]]
[[Category:North African campaign films]]
[[Category:North African campaign films]]
[[Category:Italian World War II films]]
[[Category:Italian World War II films]]
Line 104: Line 88:
[[Category:Films set in deserts]]
[[Category:Films set in deserts]]
[[Category:West German films]]
[[Category:West German films]]
⚫
[[Category:Italian films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Armando Crispino]]
[[Category:Films directed by Armando Crispino]]
[[Category:Macaroni Combat films]]
[[Category:Macaroni Combat films]]
Line 111: Line 94:
[[Category:Films shot in Almería]]
[[Category:Films shot in Almería]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Menahem Golan]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Menahem Golan]]
⚫
[[Category:1960s Italian films]]
[[Category:1960s German films]]

Latest revision as of 13:59, 28 July 2024

Commandos
Directed byArmando Crispino
Screenplay by
Story by
Based onA short story
by Menahem Golan[1]
Produced by
  • Alfonso Sansone
  • Artur Brauner[1]
Starring
CinematographyBenito Frattari[1]
Edited byDaniele Alabiso[1]
Music byMario Nascimbene[1]
Production
companies
Distributed by
  • Columbia Filmgescellschaft mbH[1]
Release dates
  • 19 November 1968 (1968-11-19) (Italy)
  • 8 August 1969 (1969-08-08) (West Germany)
Running time
112 minutes[1]
Countries
  • Italy
  • West Germany[1]

Commandos a.k.a. Sullivan's Marauders is a 1968 Italian-produced war film starring Lee Van Cleef and Jack Kelly and directed by Armando Crispino.[1] The film is set in North Africa but was shot in Sardinia.[2]

Dario Argento is credited as co-screenwriter.

Plot

[edit]

The film is set in the middle of World War II, and in the deserts of Africa, Sgt. Sullivan puts together a group of Italian-Americans into disguise as Italian soldiers in order to infiltrate a North African camp held by the Italians. Sullivan, along with Dino, was one of three that survived from the Pacific War against the Japanese, although Lieutenant Freeman was killed in his last mission. Their Captain in charge of the mission, Captain Valli, has several soldiers with special training.

Cast

[edit]

Release

[edit]

Commandos was released in Italy on 19 November 1968.[1] It was released in West Germany as Himmelfahrtskommando El Alamein in several cities on 8 August 1969.[1]

Reception

[edit]

In a contemporary review in the Monthly Film Bulletin, Richard Comb commented that the conclusion of the film was "the kind of meaningless apocalyptic moment much favoured when international producers get together to meditate over mutual insanity in war", and that Commandos was "rife with such rhetoric, interspersed with all the action cliches of the war movie and fitfully jerking its line with type" [3]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Himmelfahrtskommando El Alamein". Filmportal.de. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  2. ^ "Commandos film review - The Grindhouse Cinema Database". www.grindhousedatabase.com. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
  3. ^ Combs, Richard (1972). "Commandos". Monthly Film Bulletin. Vol. 39, no. 456. pp. 68–69.
[edit]
  • Commandos at IMDb
  • ‹The template AllMovie title is being considered for deletion.› Commandos at AllMovie
  • Commandos at Rotten Tomatoes
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Commandos_(film)&oldid=1237175264"