Commandos Strike at Dawn

1942

1h 38m

IMDb RATING

5.4/10

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War

Drama

A gentle widower, enraged at Nazi atrocities against his peaceful Norwegian fishing village, escapes to Britain and returns leading a commando force against the oppressors.

Directors

John Farrow

Writers

Irwin Shaw(screenplay by)

C. S. Forester(story by)

Stars

Paul Muni

Anna Lee

Lillian Gish

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Top cast

Eric Toresen

Judith Bowen

Mrs. Bergesen

Admiral Bowen

Robert Bowen

Johan Bergesen

German Captain

Hilma Arnesen

Anna Korstad

Gunnar Korstad

Johan Garme

Mrs. Olav

Pastor

Karl Arnesen

Schoolteacher

German Colonel

Young German Soldier (uncredited)

Ann Carter

Solveig Toresen (uncredited)

Directors

John Farrow

Writers

Irwin Shaw(screenplay by)

C. S. Forester(story by)

All cast & crew

Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

There were a few of these wartime dramas designed to bring attention to the atrocities being carried out by the Nazis on the erstwhile peaceful people of Norway. This one finds "Eric" (Paul Muni) flee to Britain where he trains and returns to his homeland determined to wreak revenge on his occupiers and their Quisling allies and to help the British to successfully bomb an airbase being built at altitude that could be used to attack allied territory and shipping. It's all a bit meandering, however. Muni isn't really a very convincing Norwegian nor is Alexander Knox particularly menacing as a captain in the Wehrmacht nor Rod Cameron as the Pastor. Indeed, aside from Sir Cedric Hardwicke as the archetypal British admiral, none of the casting works especially well here - and coupled with some very wordy dialogue, that manages to drag this down a little into melodrama territory. It ends rousingly enough, though, and given it's purpose was largely propagandist - it does what is says on the tin. Watchable, but forgettable fayre.

Geronimo196701 Apr, 2023