Tobruk concerns a british army group assigned the job of getting through the desert to destroy rommels fuel reserves at tobruk. I remember seeing this film on a large screen on broadway in new york city. No quotes approved yet for fighting rats of tobruk. Most of the fighting scenes were in the dark which did not translate well on. The rats who returned to melbourne formed as association which has branches in every state as well as in the united kingdom. Tobruk subtitles 43 subtitles subtitles download movie. The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 opens on a pastoral scene lowing herds roaming over the gently rolling hills of australia, whips cracking, and on the background soundtrack a male chorus singing an outback song. German radio started calling the australians poor desert rats of tobruk, which they took immense pride in, calling themselves the rats of tobruk. The nazi propagandist lord haw haw william joyce derided the tenacious defenders as rats, a term that the australian soldiers embraced as an ironic compliment. This film is not currently playing on mubi but 30 other great films are. Although he travelled with family, it would have been a lonely trip from his. In so doing, they achieved lasting fame as the rats of tobruk. In september 1942, the german afrika korps under rommel have successfully pushed the allies back into egypt. Tells the story of three menbluey, a tough two fisted drover taylor, milo, a laconic dingo trapper rafferty, and pete, an intellectual english new chum finch.
The stiff fighting on the opening day was not repeated on 22 january when 25,000 italians surrendered and hundreds of artillery pieces and vehicles were captured. Curators notes the rats of tobruk 1944 on aso australia. The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. The film takes significant liberties with the real events, yet it is an exciting and thrilling war feature with several terrific performances from its cast. The rats of tobruk simple english wikipedia, the free. The rats of tobruk is a 1944 australian film directed by charles chauvel. The rats of tobruk was the name given to the soldiers who held the libyan port of tobruk against the afrika corps, during the siege of tobruk in world war ii. Very good and entertaining war picture, tobruk is a classic of the genre, but by no means is this an accurate retelling of the famous tobruk battle. Watch rats of tobruk online vimeo on demand on vimeo. Identifying with authority, they obeyed rather than thought. Fully restored and presented in a brand new transfer, the rats of tobruk is a rousing tribute to the many brave the soldiers who served their nation.
Information supplied by the family of robert scarr and the. A counterattack is planned, for which the fuel dumps at tobruk are a critical impediment. The film was written by leo gordon who also acted in the film and released through universal pictures. Watch the fighting rats of tobruk full free youtube. Following on the great tradition of forty thousand horsemen, charles chauvels 1944 cinematic account of the battle of rommel. The allies marching and singing were off to see the wizard was neat as was the german announcer naming the allies the fighting rats of tobruk, which was deemed a badge of honor by the allies. Together they serve in north africa, fighting against the forces of rommel in what has now become one of australias greatest wartime legendsthe rats of tobruk. Leah riches, the patrolling war in tobruk australian war memorial 1 tobruk is not a siege, nor a defence. Queenslands last rat of tobruk vernon hansen was in canberra yesterday to mark the 75th anniversary of the siege.
Meet queenslands last rat of tobruk queensland times. Their determination, bravery, and humour, combined with the aggressive tactics of their commanders, became a source of inspiration during some of the wars darkest days. Aug 18, 2016 also featuring george wallace and joe valli, chauvels bold tale of war gives life to the many heroic tales of mateship during wwii. The only libyan territory still in british hands was the cyrenaican port of tobruk. Watch the fighting rats of tobruk full free lynn m. It is a permanent offensive day after day, night after night. See the full list of the rats of tobruk cast and crew including actors, directors, producers and more. Then, the british 8th armys taking of occupied africa in 1943, from the trouncing of tobruk to the triumph at tripoli, can be relived once more with the oscarwinning documentary desert victory. The rats of tobruk were australian war soldiers that fought in a siege that took place from 11 april 1941 to 27 november 1941. Tobruk is a 1967 world war ii adventure film directed by arthur hiller and written by leo gordon. An abridged version was released in the united states in 1951 as the fighting rats of tobruk. Erwin rommel, in a letter to his wife, lucie, wrote, today may well see the end of the battle of tobruk. Men of the 2th battalion going out through the wire in tobruk, 30 april 1941 awm 007.
Corny, but its a fair enough way to open a movie made during wartime. Tobruk 1967 internet movie firearms database guns in. Also featuring george wallace and joe valli, chauvels bold tale of war gives life to the many heroic tales of mateship during wwii. Most of the fighting scenes were in the dark which did not translate well on my dvd version as the scenes looked totally black. What this movie lacks is a story, a dramatization, in other words a script. This opened with an outflanking movement that brought eighth army to within 30 miles of the tobruk perimeter. Combined german and italian troops had sealed off all land approaches to tobruk on april 11. Adolf hitler had prepared for war by socially engineering his followers into the perfect fighting machines. The fighting rats of tobruk desert victory on tcm shop. Peter finch, chips rafferty, grant taylor, and pauline garrick star in the rugged australian wwii adventure the fighting rats of tobruk. In the context of wartime, the rats of tobruk is certainly meant as a tribute to the exploits and courage of the australian fighting forces, but it falls somewhat short of being a recruiting film.
Tobruk was an allied defensive operation in an attempt to maintain a. The australians gave themselves the nickname the rats of tobruk after radio berlin described the australians as caught like rats in a trap. The rats of tobruk australian war memorial, london. Watch the fighting rats of tobruk full free by lynn m. On 22 march 1944, the original members of the rats of tobruk formed the north bondi subbranch of the returned and services league of australia and it is still known in modern. The rats of tobruk controlling north africa would give the allied forces a base from which to attack occupied europe, across the mediterranean. Of course the production values were much superior, still the rats of tobruk shows a lot of care about the australian fighting man and his contribution in world war ii from the folks they were defending. A canadian pow major is rescued by a special british military unit made up of germans to help lead an attack on a major nazi fuel depot in tobruk, libya. Richard burton did a fine hollywood based film, desert rats, about the same siege at tobruk and chips rafferty had a featured role in that. The defenders of tobruk and their besiegers were at a stalemate. The old warships that helped the rats of tobruk with supplies and evacuation of the wounded were insulted by radio berlin, being called a pile of scrap iron. The film follows three drover friends who enlist in the australian army together during world war ii. The movie stars rock hudson, george peppard and nigel green. A lot of the fighting is done at night and it is very difficult to see what is going on because the film has gotten darker over the years.
The goal is to hold tobruk for at least two months. The 1941 siege of tobruk, birth of the rats of tobruk. Together they serve in north africa, fighting against the forces of rommel in what has now become one of australias greatest wartime legends the rats of tobruk. The victorian state branch decided to form a pipe band as a living memorial to the soldiers who died at tobruk and to keep alive the proud name the rats of tobruk. Fighting rats of tobruk movie quotes rotten tomatoes. There were also major oil fields in the middle east that were vital to fuel their tanks, planes and motorised transport. Fighting rats of tobruk 1951 soldiers chips rafferty, grant taylor, peter finch of the australian and new zealand army corps hold off the nazis for months. The defenders of tobruk did not surrender, they did not retreat. The rats of tobruk hold an identifiable place within the ranks of returned servicemen, particularly in australia, where there is the rats of tobruk memorial, canberra. Tobruk is a 1967 american technicolor drama war film directed by arthur hiller and starring rock hudson and george peppard.
To prepare for that, rommel wasnt receiving the supplies and material he needed. Three australian friends end up fighting nazis in north africa in a clumsily executed action tale. The capture of tobruk was followed up by the british 7th armoured division and the 6th division. The battle of tobruk, in which a small british force composing primarily of australians, nicknamed the rats of tobruk, held tobruk while surviving waves of axis forces, is the most significant to australia. Original us theatrical trailer for the fighting rats of tobruk a classic australian world war ii film.
For relief, the australian soldiers get to go sightseeing in down town tobruk or whats left of it. The fighting rats of tobruk 1951 action, war, drama. The film focuses on a joint britishsig special interrogation group raid on the fuel dumps at german controlled port city of tobruk. The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 the fighting rats of. Months later, it got to my local theater in brooklyn and i saw it again on a doublefeature with 007 in you only live twice, no less.
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