Bitter Victory (1957)
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- Approved
- 1h 42min
- Drama, War
- Mar 1958 (USA)
- Movie
A commander receives a citation for an attack on Erwin Rommel's headquarters, which is actually undeserved, as the commander is unfit for his job. On top of that, unbeknownst to him, his wife is having an affair with one of his officers.
Director:
Writers:
Stars:
Award:
- 1 nomination.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Complete, Cast awaiting verification
| Richard Burton | ... |
Captain Leith
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| Curd Jürgens | ... |
Major Brand
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| Ruth Roman | ... |
Jane Brand
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| Raymond Pellegrin | ... |
Mekrane
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| Anthony Bushell | ... |
General Paterson
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Alfred Burke | ... |
Lt. Colonel Callander
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Sean Kelly | ... |
Lieutenant Barton
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Ramón de Larrocha | ... |
Lieutenant Sanders
(as Ramon De Larrocha)
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| Christopher Lee | ... |
Sergeant Barney
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| Ronan O'Casey | ... |
Sergeant Dunnigan
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Fred Matter | ... |
Oberst Lutze
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Raoul Delfosse | ... |
Lieutenant Kassel
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Andrew Crawford | ... |
Private Roberts
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| Nigel Green | ... |
Private Wilkins
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| Harry Landis | ... |
Private Browning
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Christian Melsen | ... |
Private Abbot
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| Sumner Williams | ... |
Private Anderson
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Joé Davray | ... |
Private Spicer
(as Joe Davray)
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Directed by
| Nicholas Ray | ||
Written by
| René Hardy | ... | (screenplay) (as Rene Hardy) & |
| Nicholas Ray | ... | (screenplay) & |
| Gavin Lambert | ... | (screenplay) |
| René Hardy | ... | (from Mr. Hardy's novel) (as Rene Hardy) |
| Paul Gallico | ... | (additional dialogue) |
| Vladimir Pozner | ... | () (uncredited) |
Produced by
| Janine Graetz | ... | executive producer: on location |
| Paul Graetz | ... | producer |
| Robert Laffont | ... | executive producer (uncredited) |
Music by
| Maurice Leroux | ... | (as Maurice Le Roux) |
Cinematography by
| Michel Kelber | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
| Léonide Azar | ... | (as Leonide Azar) |
Editorial Department
| Denise Charvein | ... | assistant editor (uncredited) |
Production Design by
| Jean d'Eaubonne | ... | (uncredited) |
Art Direction by
| Jean d'Eaubonne | ... | (as Jean D ' Eaubonne) |
Makeup Department
| René Daudin | ... | makeup artist (uncredited) |
Production Management
| Mario Del Papa | ... | production manager (uncredited) |
| Paul Joly | ... | production manager (uncredited) |
| Giorgio Riganti | ... | production manager (uncredited) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Christian Ferry | ... | assistant director |
| Édouard Luntz | ... | assistant director (as Eddie Luntz) |
Sound Department
| Joseph de Bretagne | ... | sound engineer (as Joseph De Bretagne) |
| Suzanne Cabon | ... | assistant sound editor (uncredited) |
| Renée Lichtig | ... | sound editor (uncredited) |
| Kenout Peltier | ... | assistant sound editor (uncredited) |
| Suzanne Rondeau | ... | assistant sound editor (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Jacques Boutinot | ... | still photographer (uncredited) |
| André Domage | ... | assistant camera (uncredited) |
| Wladimir Ivanov | ... | camera operator (uncredited) |
| Roger Tellier | ... | assistant camera (uncredited) |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Jean Zay | ... | wardrobe |
Music Department
| Maurice Leroux | ... | conductor (as Maurice Le Roux) |
Script and Continuity Department
| Lucie Lichtig | ... | continuity |
Additional Crew
| C.M.F. White | ... | military adviser (as Major General C.M.F. White C.B.E. D.S.O.) |
| Alfred Adam | ... | voice dubbing (uncredited) |
| Michel Auclair | ... | voice dubbing (uncredited) |
| Pierre Gay | ... | voice dubbing (uncredited) |
| Hubert Noël | ... | voice dubbing (uncredited) |
| Michel Piccoli | ... | voice dubbing (uncredited) |
| Rognoni | ... | voice dubbing (uncredited) |
| Roger Tréville | ... | voice dubbing (uncredited) |
| Howard Vernon | ... | voice dubbing (uncredited) |
Production Companies
- Columbia Pictures (presents)
- Transcontinental Films (A Co-Production)
- Robert Laffont Productions (A Co-Production)
Distributors
- Columbia Pictures Corporation (1957) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Columbia Film-Verleih (1958) (West Germany) (theatrical)
- Columbia Pictures (1958) (United States) (theatrical)
- Columbia Film (1958) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Fram Film (1959) (Norway) (theatrical)
- Columbia TriStar Home Video (2005) (United States) (DVD) (chronological)
- Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
- Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2010) (Canada) (DVD)
- Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2010) (United States) (DVD)
- Umbrella Entertainment (2022) (Australia) (DVD)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Chevereau (camera location)
- Editions Salvet (music published by)
- French Ministerial Visa (visa ministériel no. 19.554)
- Her Majesty's Forces in Libya (the producer gratefully acknowledges the kind cooperation of)
- Lax (opticals)
- Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Française (orchestra)
- The British War Office (the producer gratefully acknowledges the kind cooperation of)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
In North Africa during World War II, Major David Brand is assigned to lead a British commando raid into German-held Benghazi to retrieve whatever documents they can lay their hands on at the German headquarters. His number two will be Capt. Jimmy Leith who speaks Arabic fluently and knows Benghazi well. Brand also learns that his beautiful wife Jane and Leith were lovers before the war, creating tension between the two. Brand is untested in battle and freezes at a critical moment, losing the respect of his men. After the raid, the trek back is arduous and takes its toll on the men. It also results in only one of the two senior officers surviving. Written by garykmcd |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | The Desert Commando Raid They Wiped Off the Record Books! See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
| Certification |
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Additional Details
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | The making of this film was especially difficult. Screenwriter Gavin Lambert was, in later years, inclined to blame this chiefly on the abrasive and dictatorial personality of producer Paul Graetz, whom he and director Nicholas Ray both disliked intensely. The original plan was to cast Richard Burton as Brand and Montgomery Clift as Leith, but, when Clift dropped out of the film, Burton was promoted to the heroic role and Graetz insisted on Curt Jurgens being cast as the cowardly Brand, as he was a popular European star who was just starting to make American films, and it was assumed that this casting would be good for box-office. The fact that a German actor would be unlikely to be convincing as a British officer was ignored by Graetz. Ray and Lambert made the character South African to explain Jurgens' accent. The screenplay was constantly changed throughout filming, causing the actors much distress and bafflement, and Ray found the whole experience a disheartening one, although the film came to be recognized as one of his best. It was a box-office failure which was heavily cut to a running time of 82 minutes in the US. See more » |
| Goofs | After the raid on the German compound, in the fight out in the desert, an explosion goes off under a German vehicle, but there is a slight delay before it is obviously pulled over on its side. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in João Bénard da Costa - Others will love the Things I loved (2014). See more » |
| Crazy Credits | The credits are designed to look like they came from a typewriter (although in white on a dark or transparent background). There are no upper case letters (capitals) in the credits. See more » |
| Quotes |
Capt. Leith:
[surveying the ruins of a Berber city in the desert]
Tenth century, I'd say. Too modern for me. See more » |