This is a Italian-German production headlined by two better known American actors, Lee van Cleef (a veteran of many 'spaghetti' films) and Jack Kelly (one of the 'Maverick' brothers from the classic TV show). The film opens with a US Sargent (van Cleef) extolling a motley group of Italian-American to be and think 'Italian' in order to carry out a vital mission. van Cleef, along with a private 'Dino' and a officer never seen are survivors (somewhat improbably) from Bataan and suffers from PTSD and is forced to work with a desk bound Captain (Kelly) who devised the plan. This brings on a conflict between the veteran Sargent and untested Captain with the former worried that the purpose is only to get Kelly a medal. After awhile the plan is divulged, the US commandos are going to capture a Italian held supply dump/water source prior to American landings in North Africa. The commandos infiltrate the base killing many Italians, capturing some along with a prostitute whose sole purpose seems to be to prance around in skimpy underwear. They also find three dead Germans they did not expect, not realizing one wounded German is hiding from them. A Italian convoy is allowed to come and go without incident. Then a group of Germans come looking for their missing comrades but are told they already left and share a meal with the fake Italians. The wounded German tries to warn his mates but is killed by van Cleef triggering another PTSD attack. The Germans leave, but a friendly officer promises to return with a gift the next day. This allows the Italian PoW's to use the sick man gag to overpower a guard and escape in a truck into the desert. The commandos pursue in another truck killing all but one Italian between gunfire and a land mine, but the last one flees into the desert on foot. Dino is killed in the exchange. As soon as the commandos return a Allied plane drops a message that 'Operation Torch' has been cancelled and they are to retreat to the coast. In this case 'Torch' seems to imply the raid, not the historic landing, but who knows. The Italian officer is picked up by a German patrol and warns their allies. The US Captain refuses to give up and van Cleef is ready to take over, but the friendly German returns with his gift and the commandos must continue the ruse. The friendly German is warned by radio that these are Americans and to play dumb until a relief column can reach him. Afire fight breaks out and the last of the Germans are cornered just as a group of Panzer's and infantry arrive. A massive battle take place killing all but two soldiers, one American, one German who face off with Smg's in classic 'spaghetti' fashion before both throwing down their guns and working together to lay out the dead. The film ends with the two walking off together. This movie is in the classic era of the anti-war film and has many of the usual tropes, it is also over complicated but to be fair somewhat original. Acting is decent, though like many such dialog is stilted. The music is more restrained than usual and editing is mostly OK. It has the washed out look common from VHS transfers to DVD. Not a good film, not a really bad one, just unremarkable.
Do they acknowledge at any point that we were landing in French North Africa? Where there were no German or Italian troops until after the landings? "a prostitute whose sole purpose seems to be to prance around in skimpy underwear." You write as though that's a bad thing
I agree it was better than Capablanca Express or Desert Commandos. The story was some what original, the music/editing better and acting a notch better. That being said the story was too complex, sometimes dropping plot points for no real reason. Bottom line once seen, quickly forgotten and not worth repeated viewings.
I do recall that one. Van Cleef has always been a favorite of mine, and the German that lives to the end was Heinz Reincke, one of the great "what's his names" of the movies. I had to look for his name but he was Priller on The Longest Day.
