In September 1942, the German Afrika Korps under Rommel have successfully pushed the Allies back into Egypt. A counter-attack is planned, for which the fuel dumps at Tobruk are a critical impediment. In order to aid the attack, a group of British commandos and German Jews make their way undercover through 800 miles of desert, to destroy the fuel dumps starving the Germans of fuel.
Practical Effects
Real tanks, real desert, real heat—no green screens in 1967.
Cinematography
Techniscope widescreen makes sand look absolutely gorgeous.
Acting
Peppard's German-Jewish captain simmers with barely contained rage.
Director
Arthur Hiller
Rock Hudson
Major Donald Craig
George Peppard
Captain Kurt Bergman
Nigel Green
Colonel John Harker
Guy Stockwell
Lt. Max Mohnfeld
Jack Watson
Sgt. Maj. Jack Tyne
Norman Rossington
Alfie
Percy Herbert
Dolan
Liam Redmond
Henry Portman
Leo Gordon
Sgt. Krug
Robert Wolders
Corporal Bruckner
Curt Lowens
German Colonel
Rico Cattani
Peter Coe
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Techniscope was a low-budget widescreen process using half-frame 35mm—Tobruk looks expensive despite the cheat.
German-Jewish soldiers in British service were a real, largely forgotten WWII phenomenon—Bergman's character has painful historical roots.
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