Desert Commandos (1967)
"Attentato ai tre grandi" (original title)

German commandos are dropped behind enemy lines in the Sahara Desert tasked with getting to Casablanca in an assassination attempt on allied leaders.

Director:

Umberto Lenzi

Writers:

Umberto Lenzi (screenplay), Umberto Lenzi (story)

Stars:

Ken Clark, Horst Frank, Jeanne Valérie

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Ken Clark	...	Capt. Fritz Schöller
Horst Frank	...	Lt. Roland Wolf
Jeanne Valérie	...	Faddja Hassen
Carlo Hinterman	...	Sgt. Erich Huber
Howard Ross	...	Willy Mainz
Franco Fantasia	...	Major Dalio
Hardy Reichelt	...	Cpl. Hans Ludwig
Fabienne Dali	...	Simone
Tom Felleghy	...	Colonel Ross
John Stacy	...	Sir Bryan
Giovanni Ivan Scratuglia	...	(as Ivan Scratuglia)
Gianni Rizzo	...	Perrier

Storyline

German commandos are dropped behind enemy lines in the Sahara Desert tasked with getting to Casablanca in an assassination attempt on allied leaders.

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Plot Keywords:

parachute | shootout | machine gun | small town | main character dies | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | War

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

Italy France West Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

1976 (USA)

Also Known As:

Desert Commandos

Company Credits

Production Co:

Constantin Film, Films EGE, Produzioni Europee Associati (PEA)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

User Reviews

Totally iconoclastic for 1967!

This is an interesting plot, done only a few times, in which we follow the Axis invaders behind Allied lines ("The 49th Parallel", "Das Boot" are probably the two definitive classics of this sort).

5 German commandos go on a far fetched plot to assassinate the Allied supreme leaders. To its credit, the officer in charge admits it is half cocked, and only agrees to allow the 5 to go because it doesn't interfere with any other plans. Realistic? Probably not, but probably more realistic than people today realize.

Ken Clark, who is famous for the super cheese scene of being the blonde muscle man embracing the scantily clad blonde in one hand and packing a pistol in the other in "Attack of the Giant Leeches", goes to portraying a very believable bad guy. This was very typical of the evil Nazi. His cruelty and savagery come across in a convincing way in mixing with a civilized world. Very similar to the evil leader in "The 49th Parallel" in being a three dimensional and credible bad guy.

The second in command is also believable, and quite credible for the time, as a German officer who is not a Nazi. The film serves much as a vehicle for this character to develop. In fact, even the other 3 Germans develop some character in their limited lines. While serving as an action desert film, it also gives some good characters. We probably would've liked to see more of them.

And just about everything that happens, plot twists and characters who die, go totally against the grain for the late 1960s and early 1970s. We know, of course, the mission will fail, but we are surprised to see how some of this comes about.

This may classify as just short of a hidden gem.