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. The print also runs a full 96 minutes, suggesting this was as per chauvels. Overview of the desert rats, 1953, directed by robert wise, with richard burton, robert newton, robert douglas, at turner classic moviesthe desert rats 1953 full movie. Read the fighting rats of tobruk movie synopsis, view the movie trailer, get cast and crew information, see movie photos, and more on. Jun 26, 2015 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. Based on a true incident, this exciting drama follows a convoy of british and germanjewish commandos as they cross 800 miles on libyan desert to blow up a key nazi fortress at tobruk. This film shows how troops spend most of their time. Horsemen is a more entertaining and better constructed film, fully deserving of its place in the australian pantheon. A counterattack is planned, for which the fuel dumps at tobruk are a critical impediment. It ended in a stalemate, and it cost rommel 33,000 men and most of his tanks. With rock hudson, george peppard, nigel green, guy stockwell. Members of the 2th battalion on patrol along the antitank ditch. Australian forces successfully held tobruk against heavy fire from axis troops for 250 days, and the battle has.
We are an ares affiliated club supporting the coachella valley with emergency communications. The fighting rats of tobruk is a 1944 australian film directed by charles chauvel starring grant taylor, peter finch, chips rafferty and george wallace. In september 1942, the german afrika korps under rommel have successfully pushed the allies back into egypt. An abridged version was released in the united states in 1951 as the fighting rats of. Charles chauvel directed a 1944 movie titled the rats of tobruk, starring peter finch and chips rafferty, see imdb. Most of the fighting scenes were in the dark which did not translate well on. The rats of tobruk 1944 directed by charles chauvel. The rats of tobruk may not be charles chauvels best movie, but it deserves serious consideration as his best movie about war which is to argue that it is in some ways superior to his more famous and betterloved forty thousand horsemen 1940, made four years earlier. Three friends enlist in the australian army and serve in north africa, holding the city of tobruk against rommels forces.
With grant taylor, peter finch, chips rafferty, pauline garrick. Based on a true incident, this exciting drama follows a convoy of british and germanjewish commandos as they cross 800 miles on libyan desert to blow up a key nazi fortress at tobruk guarded by general rommels best troops. 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. 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. Tobruk 1967 in order to slow rommels advance on the suez canal, a group of allied soldiers cross the libyan desert to destroy enemy fuel reserves and stop tanks dead in their tracks. Grant taylor is the squarejawed lead, chips rafferty adds character. 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. The desert rats 1953 war movie depicts rats of tobruk siege richard burton stars in this exciting story of the stubborn, courageous men who held rommel at bay in tobruk north africa despite hopelessly outnumbered.
Australian troops of the australian 9th division and the 18th brigade of the australian 7th division under lieutenant general leslie morshead made up more than. The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 the fighting rats of. On return home the soldiers formed the rats of tobruk association. Dec 05, 2017 the rats of tobruk was the name given to the soldiers of the garrison who held the libyan port against a germanitalian army commanded by gen. Australian rats of tobruk ww2 movie classic remastered 70th. Most of the fighting scenes were in the dark which did not translate well on my dvd version as the scenes looked totally black. Grant taylor is the squarejawed lead, chips rafferty adds character, and peter finch is the uppercrust englishman. On 22 january 1941, a joint force of british, australian, and indian troops captured the libyan port city of tobruk making it the only alliedheld city in axiscontrolled territory. The army provided advisers who had served in tobruk. He also had to match in the public mind the achievement of forty thousand horsemen, his one genuine critical and commercial success.
In order to aid the attack, a group of british commandos and german jews make their way undercover through 800 miles of desert, to destroy the fuel dumps starving the germans of fuel. This was an adf pr video extolling the values of the australian defence forces. Jacks, directed by robert wise, that stars richard burton, james mason, and robert newton. Buy dvd from australian rats of tobruk ww2 movie classic remastered 70th. An armed forces major is assigned to take a special unit of ninety men across the desert of libya to destroy military supplies in tobruk during the second world war. Original us theatrical trailer for the fighting rats of tobruk a classic australian world war ii film. Rats of tobruk home tribute is a tribute to the rats of tobruk, who fought in tobruk, during the siege of tobruk, of 241 days from april 10 to december 1941. See the full list of cast and crew including actors, directors, producers and more. Corny, but its a fair enough way to open a movie made during wartime.
The rats of tobruk is a dated but watchable aussie ww2 movie, of which there arent too many in existence. The rats of tobruk was the name given to the soldiers of the garrison who held the libyan port against a germanitalian army commanded by gen. The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. The story follows a trio of characters as they head off to fight rommel on north africa. Together they serve in north africa, fighting against the forces of rommel in what has now become one of australias greatest wartime. Rock hudson and george peppard star in the explosive hardhitting world war ii epic tobruk. The rats of tobruk simple english wikipedia, the free. Sung by the soldiers and heard as a theme during the film. Tobruk is a 1967 american technicolor drama war film directed by arthur hiller and starring rock hudson and george peppard. The rats of tobruk, a name adopted by australian soldiers who were at the siege of tobruk. 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. Their story is based on the siege of the libyan city of tobruk in north africa by rommels afrika korps. 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. Released 1944, the rats of tobruk stars chipsrafferty, granttaylor, peterfinch, georgewallace the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 35 min, and received a score of out of 100 on metacritic.
The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 plot summary imdb. The film was written by leo gordon who also acted in the film and released through universal pictures. Directed by 1 writing credits 1 cast 24 produced by 2 music by 1. Theres also a military note revealing concerns about the films obvious faults, most notably a melodramatic scene where one character persuades another to recite the lords prayer. This site is dedicated to those who fought at tobruk. The desert rats full full movie, the desert rats full full movie streaming the desert rats full movie engsub watch the desert rats full english full movie online the desert rats full film online. Watch rats of tobruk online vimeo on demand on vimeo. Please, see if you are eligible to stream or download tobruk 1967 full movie by creating an account. Tobruk movie trailer, news, cast, interviews sbs movies. 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. The film follows three drover friends who enlist in the australian army together during world war ii.
The 1941 siege of tobruk, birth of the rats of tobruk. Watch the fighting rats of tobruk full free by lynn m. This is the films first real encounter in the desert and chauvel emphasises the immediacy and very personal nature of the fighting, as well as the comradeship of. Free wallpapers download of the rats of tobruk movie, hero, heroine, etc is available in our gallery section. An abridged version was released in the united states in 1951 as the fighting rats of tobruk. Movie about australian rats of tobruk ww2 rats of tobruk. Men of the 24th infantry brigade after their voyage from tobruk. This battle primarily involved the australian 9th infantry division, as well as british artillery. 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 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 times as tobruk house or the rathouse.
The rats of tobruk had already entered australian mythology, and he had a relatively modest budget with which to replicate a desert war, tank action and a siege, followed by action in new guinea. The desert rats is a 1953 american blackandwhite war film from 20th century fox, produced by robert l. Joe valli in the fighting rats of tobruk 1944 the fighting rats of tobruk. Australians standing by in a hot section of the front, 400 yards from the enemy. Phillip noyce to direct wwii drama rats of tobruk deadline. The year is 1941, and rommel has the british in full retreat. Set in the libyan desert in ww2 a battalion of czech soldiers face the siege of tobruk. Following on the great tradition of forty thousand horsemen, charles chauvels 1944 cinematic account of the battle of rommel. So far as the rats of tobruk is concerned, the main interest is a glimpse of chauvel directing which can also be seen in the films trailer on the disc. Together they serve in north africa, fighting against the forces of rommel in what has now become one of australias greatest. 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. The films storyline concerns the siege of tobruk in north africa during world war ii. German radio started calling the australians poor desert rats of tobruk, which they took immense pride in, calling themselves the rats of tobruk.
Italy a german ally had occupied libya, right next to egypt where the british were heavily ensconced. One of very few australian features made during world war ii, this 1944 film. These actions and campaigns were fought in the middle east and the mediterranean where the three australian services were continuously. The rats of tobruk is a rousing tribute to the many brave the soldiers. The rats of tobruk 1944 stream and watch online moviefone. The rats of tobruk is a 1944 australian film directed by charles chauvel. John wayne the green berets 1968 video dailymotion.
Released as the fighting rats of tobruk, this drama was based on actual incidents. The famous story of the rats of tobruk and the ships that supplied them in ww2, as told by the rats themselves. The rats of tobruk the fighting rats of tobruk 2015. 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 the siege started on 10 april 1941. The rats of tobruk, featuring memorial historian dr karl james discussing the exhibition rats of tobruk 1941. Operation crusader was launched on november 18 to december 30 to achieve what battle axe failed to do. Australian forces successfully held tobruk against heavy fire from axis troops for 250 days, and the battle has been cited as a turning point in the war in north africa. Captured german and italian weaponry was used throughout filming.