What a difference a few years make! "Raid on Rommel" came out in 1971. As fate would have it, it was at the tail end of WW II movies with plots of far-fetched fiction. Seeing it again, after all these years, I still enjoy it for the action and for the different twists it had from other similar ventures. Sure, it uses some of the excellent footage Universal shot for "Tobruk" four years earlier. That film, with Rock Hudson and George Peppard, scores just a little higher than this one on the IMDb charts so far.
Other reviewers, who noted the use of the same footage from other films, weren't too harsh on this movie. Most of the criticism of the film has been based on its far-fetched plot. The film didn't purport to be a true or real event. And it was in good company. Hollywood produced several war flicks over a decade that had very far-out fictitious plots. The production of the make-believe war plots got a big push in Hollywood with "The Guns of Navarone." That 1961 blockbuster was produced by Columbia, and had a huge cast of big names to go with a thrilling and action-packed story. Gregory Peck, David Niven, Anthony Quinn, Anthony Quayle, Irene Papas, James Daren and Richard Harris head the cast that included some other fine actors.
But it was MGM that scored with the most hits. "The Dirty Dozen," in 1967 is one of the higher scoring war films by IMDb viewers. It came close to matching the Navarone cast, with big names of the day that included Lee Marvin, Charles Bronson, George Kennedy, Ernest Borgnine, Donald Sutherland, Richard Jaeckel, John Cassavetes, Robert Ryan, Telly Savalas and Clint Walker. MGM hit it big again the next year with "Where Eagles Dare." Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood were the two stars in what I think is one of the very best war films ever made. Then, in 1970, MGM had another winner with "Kelly's Heroes." That box-office hit also had a big cast of very familiar names. Besides Eastwood, other leads were played by Don Rickles, Carroll O'Connor, Gavin MacLeod, and repeats Sutherland and Savalas.
Universal tried its hand in the fantasy war film arena in 1967 with Tobruk. It starred Rock Hudson and George Peppard. While it was well- liked, it didn't score as well then, or now, as the others films. So, after the three successive MGM hits, one can understand why Universal would want to give it another try. Especially since they had some great footage already shot in other films, most notably Tobruk. But, this time they went for a single big name, Richard Burton, to head the cast.
Others have noted that this sub-genre of make-believe war films was coming to an end – or had come by the time of "Raid on Rommel." Universal's gamble didn't pay off. It went with a single big name, a cast of much less-known actors, a low budget and rehashed older film. All of that, with the viewing public's tiring of such films, ended with a film that bombed with the critics and did little better at the box office.
Still, I think the performances of the supporting cast in "Raid on Rommel" were all quite good. There was just enough mystery and intrigue. And the few different twists with good action add up to a most enjoyable war picture in my book.
Other reviewers, who noted the use of the same footage from other films, weren't too harsh on this movie. Most of the criticism of the film has been based on its far-fetched plot. The film didn't purport to be a true or real event. And it was in good company. Hollywood produced several war flicks over a decade that had very far-out fictitious plots. The production of the make-believe war plots got a big push in Hollywood with "The Guns of Navarone." That 1961 blockbuster was produced by Columbia, and had a huge cast of big names to go with a thrilling and action-packed story. Gregory Peck, David Niven, Anthony Quinn, Anthony Quayle, Irene Papas, James Daren and Richard Harris head the cast that included some other fine actors.
But it was MGM that scored with the most hits. "The Dirty Dozen," in 1967 is one of the higher scoring war films by IMDb viewers. It came close to matching the Navarone cast, with big names of the day that included Lee Marvin, Charles Bronson, George Kennedy, Ernest Borgnine, Donald Sutherland, Richard Jaeckel, John Cassavetes, Robert Ryan, Telly Savalas and Clint Walker. MGM hit it big again the next year with "Where Eagles Dare." Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood were the two stars in what I think is one of the very best war films ever made. Then, in 1970, MGM had another winner with "Kelly's Heroes." That box-office hit also had a big cast of very familiar names. Besides Eastwood, other leads were played by Don Rickles, Carroll O'Connor, Gavin MacLeod, and repeats Sutherland and Savalas.
Universal tried its hand in the fantasy war film arena in 1967 with Tobruk. It starred Rock Hudson and George Peppard. While it was well- liked, it didn't score as well then, or now, as the others films. So, after the three successive MGM hits, one can understand why Universal would want to give it another try. Especially since they had some great footage already shot in other films, most notably Tobruk. But, this time they went for a single big name, Richard Burton, to head the cast.
Others have noted that this sub-genre of make-believe war films was coming to an end – or had come by the time of "Raid on Rommel." Universal's gamble didn't pay off. It went with a single big name, a cast of much less-known actors, a low budget and rehashed older film. All of that, with the viewing public's tiring of such films, ended with a film that bombed with the critics and did little better at the box office.
Still, I think the performances of the supporting cast in "Raid on Rommel" were all quite good. There was just enough mystery and intrigue. And the few different twists with good action add up to a most enjoyable war picture in my book.