Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated) Binding: DVD Brand: Sony EAN: 9781404905603 Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC ISBN: 140490560X Label: Sony Pictures Manufacturer: Sony Pictures Number Of Items: 1 Publisher: Sony Pictures Region Code: 99 Release Date: May 13, 2003 Running Time: 100 minutes Sales Rank: 65841 Studio: Sony Pictures Theatrical Release Date: December 30, 1942
Description: Paul Muni stars as Eric Toresen, an apolitical Norwegian fisherman who is galvanized into action when his village is occupied by the Nazis.
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Rating: - Well crafted but overlong wartime morale-booster
With a story by Hornblower creator C.S. Forrester and a screenplay by future doorstop novelist Irwin Shaw, 1942's Commandos Strike at Dawn is a solid but overlong wartime propaganda picture that benefits from a good location (Canada standing in for Norway, giving it a similar feel to parts of 49th Parallel), a strong cast (an understated Paul Muni, Ray Collins, Lillian Gish, Cedric Hardwicke and the ever likeable Robert Coote among them, while Alexander Knox does double duty as a cold Nazi and the voice of the commandos' padre delivering a pre-raid sermon) but ultimately just takes too long to get where its going. Certainly the commando raid itself is a long time coming and not particularly excitingly mounted despite obvious extensive cooperation from the Canadian armed forces, although the last few minutes are almost staged as a pure western with commandos and Nazis instead of cowboys and Indians. En route it understandably ... Read More
Rating: - A good kind of war propaganda--lessons kids should know
As a dad, I found this film, though dated and quaint, both a stirring old war movie that boys will like as well as a good opportunity to teach some strategic realities. There are bad people in the world, they make promises and break them and they strive to enslave good people; for the sake of civilization good people often need to do otherwise bad things like fight and even kill. Rough stuff, but this is the fallen nature of this world.
Rating: - Commandos Strike at Dawn
Hollywood's first reaction to the United States' entry into World War II usually took one of two forms. In the Pacific Theater the movie typically chronicled a valiant, but doomed, defense. Wake Island and Bataan were popular movies of early defeat. When Hollywood turned its attention to the European Theater its early movies celebrated indigenous resistance against Nazism by the intrepid citizens of nations like Czechoslovakia, or, in the case of COMMANDOS STRIKE AT DAWN, Norway.
Paul Muni stars as Eric Toresen, a soft-spoken, pacifistic civil servant whose initial response to the German occupation of the small town he lives in is rather detached. "We civilians," he explains, haven't a right to interfere and oppose the military occupation. "This is not exactly our line." Of course, the occupiers are busy rounding up suspected subversives, imposing their doctrine in the local schools, and confiscating personal ... Read More
Rating: - this movie was made in 1942 off Vancouver Island
This movie was made in 1942, and made use of the HMCS Prince David which was on leave from thrashing around in the Aleutians looking for the Japanese. My father was an officer on that ship at the time, and thoroughly enjoyed the cast, especially Sir Cecil Hardwicke. I've watched the movie, and of course it is propaganda, it was made in 1942. That is part of its charm. Remember that at the time, no one knew who would win the war. Vancouver Island makes a good stand in for Norway, and Paul Muni is some brave! It is superior propaganda and a fun experience.
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- Well crafted but overlong wartime morale-booster
- A good kind of war propaganda--lessons kids should know
