Plot introduction
Thestoryisfreshandoriginal,andpresentedwithuniquetwistsfrombeginningtoend.FiveGermansoldiersareparachutedintoNorthAfrica,andwilltrektoCasablancatoassassinateaconferenceofChurchill,RooseveltandDeGaulle.Lenzi’sfilmisatrueexampleofcharacter-drivendramaatitsbest.KenClarkisCaptainSchoeller,leaderoftheunit,andhe’sneverlessthantotallyconvincingasadie-hardadvocateofHitlerandNazism.HorstFrank("ThunderfromtheWest")playsLt.Wolfwithgustoandconviction.Wolf’smotherisAmericanandhisbestfriendisaJew,soheandSchoellerdon’tseeeye-to-eye.HeandSchoellerclashoveropposingidealsseveraltimes.Despitetheirdissension,botharededicatedsoldierswhohaveajobtogetdone,andgrudginglyworktogethertoaccomplishthemission.Lenzineverstraysfarfromthiscentralconflictofideals,alwayskeepinghismessageclearlyinfocus.ThesupportingcastoffamiliarEuropeanactorsisexcellentall-around.CarloHintermann,HardyReycheltandHowardRossroundouttheGermanteam.Hintermannmakesthemostofhislittleroleasatough,dedicatedGermanSergeant,acareersoldierwho’lldowhathe’stoldwhenhe’stold,noquestionsasked.JeanneValerieandFabienneDaliaretwofemalecharacters,whosemotivesareneverclearlydefineduntilthefilm’sthirdact–andthat’swhenyourealizewhosesideeachisreallyon.GianniRizzohasafewbriefscenesasaFrenchinformer,workingwiththeGermans,andgetstodoblastawayatAmericansoldierswithamachineguninoneofthefilm’snail-bitingactionscenes.BesuretowatchforTomFelleghy("TheGreatestBattle"),JohnStacy("BattleoftheCommandos"),andFrancoFantasia("Adios,Sabata")insmall,yetkeyrolesasAlliedofficers.Thoughtheaction-packedfootageisscant,what’shereisbrilliantlyeditedanddirected.Thethirdactistenseandfast-paced,astheGerman"heroes"dodgebulletsacrossrooftopsandduckthroughalleywaysasAmericanMPsareinhotpursuit.ThefinalinfiltrationofChurchill’sbanquetinghallisexcellentlysetup,withfrustratinglydeliberatepacing,whichwillleaveyouontheedgeofyourseat.Thisclimaxendsabruptlywithagreatsurprise,causingyourjawtodropasyouwonder"Whatjusthappened…?"Twoaspectsoffilm-makingthatLenziandhiscrewseemtoemphasizearethesetsandlandscapes.Thereisnotoneshotinthismoviethatlooksoutofplace.WhentheGermanofficerstalkinheadquarters,theinteriorlookslikeanofficeinaGermanheadquarters.Thefilmissetinthedesert,andthereareconstantwideshotsasactorsspeakandwalkwhichrevealthatthesesceneswereactuallyshotinthevastEgyptiansanddunes.TheoasisofKuffranlooksespeciallybustling,andtheessenceoftheatmosphereofCasablancaduringwartimeissuperblycaptured.Duringthistimeperiod,manydirectorsfellbackonshabbyinteriorsandshotinoutdoorlocationswhichlookedcompletelywrong.Forexample,"CommandoAttack",alsoshotin1967,waslensedinSpainandexteriorswerepassedoffas"southernFrance",yetit’sclearlyvisibletheactionwasnotoccurringintheFrenchcountryside.Finally,thereareanumberofotherlittledetailswhichcontributetothisfilm’ssuccess:fineeditingandcamera-workgivethismovieaveryprofessionallookandfeel;italwayslooksprofessional.Lenziisjuststartingtodevelophisstyle,andhissignatureclose-upsareusedinmoderation,butmeanallthemorewhentheyareused.Therearesomegreatcraneshotsandwideshotsusedtoestablishthescopeofthesets,mostnotablyinthescenessetinCasablanca.Thisisdefinitelyagreatfilm,withsomestronglydevelopedinternalconflictsandfleshed-outcharacters.ThequalityofLenzi’sfilmswoulddegenerateastheyearspassed,but"DesertCommando"iseasilyoneofthebestwarfilmstocomeoutof1967,rankingrightuptherewith"TheDirtyDozen".
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