Tarnished Heroes is a 1961 British war film directed by Ernest Morris and starring Dermot Walsh and Anton Rodgers. It was produced by Danziger Productions.[1]
| Tarnished Heroes | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Directed by | Ernest Morris |
| Written by | Brian Clemens |
| Produced by | Edward J. Danziger Harry Lee Danziger |
| Starring | Dermot Walsh Anton Rogers |
| Cinematography | James Wilson |
| Edited by | Desmond Saunders |
| Music by | Bill LeSage |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Warner-Pathé Distributors |
Release date |
|
Running time | 75 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
The film is set in France during World War II, and concerns a British major who destroys a Nazi convoy.[2] The plot of the film bears similarities to The Dirty Dozen,[citation needed] although it was made five years before Robert Aldrich's film, and three years before the novel on which it is based.
Plot
editWhen Major Roy Bell and his company are trapped by the advancing German army, Bell decides to embark on a suicide mission to blow up a bridge which is of strategic importance to the enemy. However, the only resource available to him is a group of rag-tag army failures, made up of drunks, thieves and deserters. According to the officer's handbook, 'an officer will perform whatever task confronts him with whatever men are available'. Under Bell's guidance, these men must now rise to the challenge and prove themselves as heroes if they are to fulfil the mission and come back alive.[3][4]
Cast
edit- Dermot Walsh as Major Roy Bell
- Anton Rodgers as Private Donald Conyers
- Patrick McAlinney as Private Timothy Reilly
- Richard Carpenter as Private Frederick Burton
- Maurice Kaufmann as Private Thomas Mason
- Max Butterfield as Private Anthony Burton
- Brian Peck as Private Bernard White
- Hugh David as Private Walter Hoyt
- Graham Stewart as corporal
- John Scott as Col. Moreton
- Stuart Hillier as Capt. Mead
- Sheila Whittingham as Josette
- Andreas Malandrinos as Flamoun
- Frank Thornton as trench officer
- Richard Bennett as officer
- Eric Corrie as officer
- Ray Austin as Stunt Coordinator
Critical reception
editThe Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Dragging British World War II film with most of the textbook clichés: standard second feature action sequences, mildly purposeful acting."[5]
Tortillafilms wrote "Ernest Morris makes a good little film."[6][dead link]
Sky Movies noted " things are reassuringly in their place with Dermot Walsh, hero of a fistful of `B' movies, at the head of the cast. In a small role as a trench officer, you may spot Frank Thornton, later well-known on television for his long-running role in Are You Being Served?."[7]
References
edit- ^ Tarnished Heroes at BFI
- ^ "Tarnished Heroes | BFI | BFI". Explore.bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on 2012-07-12. Retrieved 2014-04-21.
- ^ "Tarnished Heroes (1962)". dvdcity.dk. Retrieved 2014-04-21.
- ^ "Tarnished Heroes [DVD]: Amazon.co.uk: Dermot Walsh, Anton Rodgers, Maurice Kaufmann, Patrick McAlinney: DVD & Blu-ray". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-04-21.
- ^ "Tarnished Heroes". The Monthly Film Bulletin. 28 (324): 100. 1 January 1961 – via ProQuest.
- ^ "Tortillapolis".
- ^ "Tarnished Heroes - Sky Movies HD". Skymovies.sky.com. 2003-04-29. Retrieved 2014-04-21.