very good film
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Dvd was fine no problems
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
This is the best version it’s longer and uncut.
Verified purchase: No
I realy enjoyed the Film - although as with most Films - the book ia better. But I don't wish to shed any doubt about the way the film was made however. It is a top Boys Story, with intrigue, action and a really good plot. The characters are fascinating too, The Second in Command of The German Abwehr,(Secret Service)Colonel Radel, devises a plot whereby German Paratroops are sent to England to capture Winston Churchill. The Leader of the Paratroops is an English-born German Luftwaffe Colonel, Kurt Steiner, who has both lived and studied in England until returning to Germany at the outbreak of war. Steiner is a Hero of Narvik, Crete and more recently Russia until clashing with an SS general, being court-martialed with His Unit and sent to a punishment unit on Alderney in The Channel Islands. He is later engaged to return to active duty to lead the capture of Churchill. There is an Irishman, Liam Devlin, an IRA man who is to help Steiner along with a German Agent who is living in the village near to where Churchill is visiting. Most of the plan goes quite well with Steiner's men disguised as Polish Paratroopers moving into the village and pretending to be practising manouveres. Something goes wrong and the German Paratroopers' cover is blown. The Sister of the village priest is friendly with an American Rangers Officer at a unit not far away and She escapes to report to The U.S Unit about the Germans. In the ensuing Battle the Germans, after showing superior tactics are all killed having also kiled some of the U.S Rangers too. Liam Devlin helps Colonel Steiner to get out of the village while His men cover his escape. The German Agent in the village is also killed, but only after killing The CO of The U.S Rangers who has managed to get some of His men Killed due to His complete lack of military experience. Winston Churchill is saved and taken away to a Country Estate house under heavy guard. Colonel Steiner takes a U.S Jeep from a guard patrol and finds the way to the House where Churchill is being hidden. Steiner finds His way to the rear of the house and then Winston Churchill appears on the patio outside. Steiner has taken off His U.S Rangers disguise and is now wearing His Luftwaffe Uniform. The Colonel approaches Churchill who turns around surprised, and Steiner shoots and kills Him. After hearing the shot a U.S Officer kills Colonel Steiner. It is one of Churchill's aides whom informs the U.S Officer that the dead man is not actually Winston Churchill but a double who has been planted as a decoy, whilst The real Churchill is attending a secret meeting with Roosevelt and Stalin in Tehran. Colonel Steiner thought He had killed Winston Churchill but would never know the truth. One of the most gripping parts of the film is where the C.O of The U.S Rangers leads His men fully gung-ho into a location where The German Paratroops are holding all the strategic parts of the village. From every chosen vantage point the Germans could see up and down every road and in some places down onto everywhere else from higher places. This shows the complete supremacy of The Germans at the start of the battle, mainly due to their years in numerous combat zones where they had served. This was in complete contrast to the lack of combat experience shown by the U.S Rangers, who were probably only in England whilst preparing to go to to Normandy in their first taste of combat. This was one battle fought betweeRead full review
A new and extended version of a much appreciated film from my childhood days. I remember going to see this film at the cinema in the late 1970's when it came out. I had it on DVD and sold it on ebay sometime back. This new and extended version shows a little more depth to some of main principle characters such as Colonel Radl, Steiner and Devlin. The excellent Donald Pleasance gives a career best performance, very convincing as Reichs Fuhrer Himmler. This special edition contains two DVDs one of the film, the other shows extras, location reports, photo gallery, interviews with some of the stars and director John Sturgess. It also shows the village that became the fictional village of Studley Constable, a fairly accurate merger of place names compared to real villages in the area of the North Norfolk Coast. A much enjoyed film from the best selling Jack Higgins novel, well directed by John Sturgess who always keeps the film interesting up to the final climatic confrontation between the German Paratroopers and the U.S. Rangers. Nice cameos by Larry Hagman, John Standing and Judy Gleeson melds the film nicely together. If not excellent I would give this film a rating of good. A ripping yarn from WWII, stated as 50% true at the beginning I would say this was economical with the truth. Does this take anything away from the film?, not a bit of it. Enjoy.Read full review
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best-selling in DVDs & Blu-rays
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Save on DVDs & Blu-rays