The Cockleshell Heroes

Writing reviews about World War II, I've watched epics about large-scale battles, personal stories about the home front, behind the scenes stories about government/administration, but my favorite has always been the men-on-a-mission sub-genre, commandos, specialists and secret agents working together to pull off an impossible mission. One of my favorites I recently rewatched for the first time in quite awhile is 1955's The Cockleshell Heroes.

Early in 1942 with WWII's outcome still very much in question, Royal Marines Captain Stringer (Jose Ferrer) has been tasked with an improbable mission. German ships operating out of the French city of Bordeaux have been wreaking havoc on Allied shipping, and Stringer must attempt to reach the harbor city with a small group of commandos, destroying as many ships as possible. The catch? They'll be doing it by paddling up the Garonne River in two-man canoes. With help from a career Marine officer, Captain Thompson (Trevor Howard), Stringer goes about training his team of volunteers for a mission that seems suicidal to everyone involved.

From star and director Ferrer (one of 7 films he directed), 'Heroes' is based on the true story of Operation Frankton which took place in December 1942. I watched it as a kid on the History Channel and have always remembered it fondly. Released in 1955, it is more of a heroic look at the bravery these commandos showed on their mission. It doesn't yet have the darkness, cynicism or reality of so many WWII movies released a few years later in the 1960s. There is still an innocence to the story, a "nice" factor. The commandos are the heroes, their Nazi counterparts stereotypically evil. 'Heroes' is only 98 minutes long and was shot on a smaller scale (some cool English locations providing good background) with the focus on this specific mission. There's no sense of a bigger issue or the state of the war. Instead, it's about 8 commandos and the officers leading them. When handled right, who needs a bigger scale than that?

Not a hugely well known movie, 'Heroes' doesn't have the same name recognition in its cast so many other war films have. Ferrer is solid but not particularly memorable as Major Stringer, the unlikely, volunteer commander of the mission. He has several strong dialogue scenes with Howard's Thompson as a rivalry develops about how the mission should be handled, but there's little doubt who the star is. Trevor Howard is a scene-stealer, putting a spin on the stiff upper lip British officer. He's prim and proper and interested in the bottom line -- the success of the mission -- more than how the men feel about him. Thompson is the only character given any real background and Howard does not disappoint. The commandos include Victor Maddern as Sgt. Craig, Thompson's right hand man, as well as the Marine volunteers; Anthony Newley as Clarke, the smart-alec, David Lodge as Ruddock, the strongest of the Marines, Peter Arne as Stevens, the capable Corporal, Percy Herbert, Graham Stewart, John Fabian as Cooney, the Irishman, John Van Eyssen, and Robert Desmond (The Great Escape). Newly, Maddern and Lodge stand out from the group as memorable.      

At its heart, this is a men on a mission movie. It just so happens to be based on a true story, the results of the movie mission exaggerated a bit relative to the actual history. Truth or not, 'Heroes' follows a familiar formula. The story is pretty clearly divided in two parts; the training for the mission and then the execution of said-mission. I would have liked some more character background on the commandos, but the training scenes do just enough to differentiate them from each other. There are some original, unique scenes, including Stringer parachuting his commandos into England.....dressed as German soldiers. No money, no identification, they must trek some 300-plus miles back to the base without getting caught. These are some necessary scenes, giving us a rooting interest in these men as they head off to their mission.

Not surprisingly then, the best parts of the movie are the actual mission, dubbed 'Cockleshell,' as Stringer's team is dropped off by a British sub (commanded by Christopher Lee) and must paddle over 70 miles up the Garonne River to their target, ships waiting in the harbor. The final 40 minutes are tense and adrenaline-pumping as they navigate the river. It's here where I started to question. If I didn't know this was in fact a real mission, I'd say it was ridiculous. The bravery exhibited here in insane, commandos in 2-man canoes paddling exposed up a heavily guarded/defended river. HERE is a Google Map showing how far they actually traveled. The ending is downbeat with a sense of success, Howard delivering a very moving final line. Success at what cost though? Listen to some of the main theme HERE, a whistle-worthy score from composer John Addison. The link below is a documentary about the real-life mission. As for the movie, a hidden gem and one I've always enjoyed.

The Cockleshell Heroes <---documentary (1955): ***/****

Tank Force

Running for two season in the 1960s, The Rat Patrol was a fun, little show following the exploits of the real-life Long Range Desert Group. Yes, it was ridiculous, four men taking on seemingly the entire German army in North Africa without taking casualties, but it was entertaining and a lot of fun to watch. Released in 1958, British war flick Tank Force seems almost like a dry run for the short-lived TV show.

Caught up in a chaotic back and forth battle, two British tank crews, one commanded by an American, Sgt. Thatcher (Victor Mature), and the other by Sgt. Kendall (Leo Genn), are captured by German forces. They are transported to a makeshift prison camp where hundreds of other Allied prisoners are being held in the Libyan desert. Kendall goes along with the flow, joining the escape committee and joining in on the effort to pull off a successful escape. Thatcher on the other hand is looking out for himself, planning his own escape without checking in with the rest of the camp. His efforts piss off the other prisoners, but he has his reasoning. An SS officer is headed to the camp to interrogate Thatcher who has no intention of being around for that questioning.

Directed by future James Bond director Terence Young, 'Tank' is a forgettable if entertaining WWII story. I enjoyed it, but didn't love it and probably won't feel the need to revisit again anytime soon. Part tank battle, part POW escape story, it's heavy on action and short on story and any sort of reality. It is entertaining though, and a WWII story that focuses on the 1942 North Africa campaign is rarely dull. Desert warfare always makes for interesting, unique viewing, and an escape across that desert with murdering Arab tribesmen, Italian and German forces on patrol and waiting is a cool premise.

American and British, a natural and historical rivalry, so in step Mature and Genn. Their dynamic is easily the best thing going in 'Tank.' They both want the same thing but go about it in polar opposite fashion, Mature's Thatcher on his own and Genn's Kendall as part of the team. Only when their backs are against the wall do they decide to work together. Their rivalry actually consists of a handful of scenes where they argue back and forth, but seeing the brooding intimidating American -- with an interesting backstory at that -- and the stuffy shirt, prim and proper British soldier going at it certainly keeps the action going.

Filling out Tank's Rat Patrol is a small but international bunch, starting with Anthony Newley as Pvt. 'Tiger' Noakes, Kendall's driver and all-around optimist. Nothing seems to rattle him, and he's always ready with a joke like most of Newley's supporting parts were. Bonar Colleano plays Walewski, the Polish POW who teams up with Thatcher in his escape efforts. Ready and willing to kill to preserve his own well-being, it certainly adds a darker dimension to the group. Some other familiar faces include Sean Kelly, Percy Herbert, David Lodge and Alfred Burke as the other British prisoners. Future Bond-girl/villain Luciana Paluzzi has a small part to as Carola, an Italian woman aiding the escape effort.

Not surprisingly, the action is what will draw most viewers in. Escaping the prison camp, Thatcher, Kendall and crew cut a swath through North Africa a mile wide, taking out Germans and Italians wherever they go. It's a fun movie overall that isn't great and isn't bad. Entertaining and forgettable but not much else. Probably worth a watch if nothing else.

Tank Force (1958): ** 1/2 /****

Yesterday's Enemy

War movies can be categorized into a wide variety of sub-genres, but two really stick with me the more I think about.  I'm struggling to come up with one that doesn't fit into one or the other in some way, anti-war and then a more heroic look at war.  Anti-war will typically get better critical reviews, think Platoon, Paths of Glory, Born on the 4th of July, Full Metal Jacket, and many, many more.  One that has been almost completely forgotten because of its controversial story is 1959's Yesterday's Enemy, a movie years ahead of its time that still packs a punch over 50 years later.

Anti-war movies typically have to tread that fine line between powerful and moving emotionally and just being preachy.  'Enemy' is just too honest, too forthright with the realities of war to be preachy.  It drags you into this story and quickly dispatches any notions you have about war movies you've seen in the past.  Sure, there's some genre characters, but they don't act like characters you've seen before.  These are soldiers fighting a hopeless mission where chances of survival range from slim to none, but they continue on because it's what they do, they fight.  Later after the plot review, I'm going to give major plot points away so be forewarned as you continue reading.

After a surprise Japanese attack, the ragtag remnants of a British battalion trudge through the Burmese jungle hoping to hook up with the main line of defense or at least find other wandering units.  Commanded by the highest ranking surviving officer, Capt. Langford (Stanley Baker), the survivors -- totaling between 40 and 50 men -- stumble across an isolated village where they find information about an upcoming Japanese offensive.  It's news that could save the lives of hundreds and maybe thousands of men if it reaches headquarters.  The radio is out though, forcing Langford to send a small squad forward with the news led by his right hand man, Sgt. McKenzie (Gordon Jackson), hoping the news reaches HQ.  With the Japanese not far behind, Langford stays behind in the village with the rest of the men, trying to buy as much time as possible while maybe, just maybe, surviving the coming firefight against impossible odds.

With WWII, there is and was a perception that the Allies were all heroic soldiers while the Axis were all demonized murderers intent on mass slaughter.  War crimes were committed on both sides of the war in Europe and the Pacific no matter what people believe.  That's part of what sets this movie apart from others.  In 1959 just 14 years since the end of WWII, 'Enemy' shows British and Japanese troops committing acts that would have been prime grounds for a war crime trial.  But in the context of the movie, it's necessary.  Baker's Langford is going to do whatever it takes to protect his men. A war correspondent (Leo McKern) asks though at what point does it become an atrocity? Two innocent people killed? 10? 100? Thousands? Topping this off though, director Val Guest doesn't answer that question. It's up to the individual to decide. If one person dies, is it worth the 10 that were saved?

It's rare you see a war movie, especially a pre-Vietnam war movie, that is so brutally honest.  Baker orders the execution of two Burmese villagers to get a Japanese informant to spill his guts.  Later, a Japanese officer (Philip Ahn) puts Langford in a similar situation, demanding he tell him everything he knows or his men will be killed.  Neither man does this because they relish killing in cold blood.  They do it because if they want to do their job and win the war people have to die, often in horrific, blood curdling situations. The whole movie delivers a powerful message, but it really hits home in the end.  Not knowing that McKenzie's squad has been ambushed and killed, Langford and a handful of survivors stand fast till the bitter end.  It is an unknown futile effort, but maybe it is more courageous because of that.  They don't know their stubbornness is wasted, their bravery unnecessary.  It is their duty and they intend to live up to it.

Known most for his performances in Zulu and The Guns of Navarone, Baker delivers a career-best performance as Capt. Langford.  He's not a raging, homicidal maniac, he's an officer who thinks things out in detail.  Forced to make extremely difficult decisions that will knowingly cause death in his own ranks, Langford commands this battalion remnant with a bigger picture in mind.  This isn't a hero or a villain, it's one man in an uncompromising situation who has to make decisions that could have horrific consequences and then has to live with it.  The conscience of the movie comes in three characters, a priest (Guy Rolfe), McKern's correspondent, and a medical officer (David Oxley), all questioning the humanity of what they're doing, Rolfe and McKern especially delivering strong performances.  Along with Jackson's Sgt. character, rounding out the unit among many others is Percy Herbert, David Lodge, and Richard Pasco as Lt. Hastings, the young officer dealing with the inner demons that tell him survival is a better option than blind courage. 

Filmed mostly on an indoor set, 'Enemy' still manages to give the feeling of being in the humid, sweaty Burmese jungle with a claustrophobic surrounding that gives the perception of being closed in with nowhere to go.  Guest films in black and white -- adding to the stark feeling -- and makes his soldiers look like soldiers who've been jungle fighting for months.  They're sweaty, wear unkempt beards, and their uniforms are in tatters.  Like everything else in this forgotten war movie, it all rings true.  Forgotten because of it's controversial subject matter and portrayal of Allied soldiers, Yesterday's Enemy is one of the best war movies I've ever seen. Honest, brutal, incredibly realistic, and a must see movie.

Yesterday's Enemy <---TCM trailer (1959): ****/****