Commando (1962)

Name: Commando
Genre: War
Released: 1962-11-14
Duration: 87 min
Rating: 6.2
Cast: Stewart Granger, Dorian Gray, Carlos Casaravilla, Ivo Garrani, Alfredo Mayo

Commando (1962), directed by Frank Wisbar, starring Stewart Granger and Dorian Gray.

11/14/1962 BR War 1h 27m

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Synopsis

A French Foreign Legion commander is told to assemble a unit and capture an Algerian rebel leader. He gathers in his old unit, most of whom are no longer in top form. One is having nightmares of past indiscretions, another is now drinking, another has lost his nerve. He takes them in captures the leader, but then is unable to make it to the pick up. He encounters a rebel patrol and is trapped unless they can escape before their water runs out.

Cecilio PaniaguaCinematography
Frank WisbarDirector, Writer
Mario SerandreiEditing
Willy Zeyn Sr.Producer

About the film

Marcia o Crepa (March or Die), known as The Legion's Last Patrol in the UK and Commando in the US, is a 1962 European (Italian, German, Spanish) co-production war film about the Algerian War of Independence.

It was released in 1964 in the US by American International Pictures on a double feature with Torpedo Bay (aka Beta Som).

In the UK this film was shown at Odeon cinemas as part of a double feature with The Day of the Triffids.

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It was released in 1964 in the US by American International Pictures on a double feature with Torpedo Bay (aka Beta Som).

In the UK this film was shown at Odeon cinemas as part of a double feature with The Day of the Triffids.

Plot

French Foreign Legion Captain Le Blanc (Stewart Granger) leads a section of his Legion parachutists to capture an FLN guerrilla leader. Along the way they are joined by a prostitute (Dorian Gray) and an Arab child. Their mission is a success but when their escape helicopter is shot down they have to fight their way back to the French lines.

Cast

Stewart Granger : capitaine Leblanc

Dorian Gray : Nora

Fausto Tozzi : Brascia

Riccardo Garrone : Paolo

Carlos Casaravilla : Ben Bled

Ivo Garrani : Colonel Dionne

Alfredo Mayo : Mayor

Pablito Alonso : Arab Kid

Hans von Borsody : Fritz

Maurizio Arena : Dolce Vita

Dietmar Schönherr : Petit Prince

Peter Carsten : Barbarossa

Leo Anchóriz : Garcia

Musical score

The theme music Concerto Disperato by Angelo Francesco Lavagnino became a top selling instrumental in Italy performed by Nini Rosso and in the UK with a cover version by Ken Thorne reaching No. 4.

Reception

The Los Angeles Times called it "mediocre, its timely subject matter reduced to the level of a formula Western."

The Monthly Film Bulletin said "despite up-to-date dressing this is basically a schoolboy adventure story, though somewhat grimly executed... the narrative owes more to war movies than P.C. Wren, being a variation on the old idea of the gradual decimation of a patrol. Still, the film is an example of action all the way, apart from the gratuitously ironic ending which, though tart, comes as a decided anti-climax."

References

External links

Commando at IMDb

Commando at Letterbox DVD

Commando at BFI

Text from Commando (1962 film) on Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commando_(1962_film)

Trivia

It premiered on November 14, 1962, a Wednesday.
It runs 1h27 — a typical feature length.
Its original title is "Marcia o crepa".
This film's quiz has 10 questions — enough to play more than once without repeats.

Production

StudiosTempo Film, Midega Film, Monachia Zeynfilm, American International Pictures
CountriesItaly, Belgium, Spain, Germany
LanguagesItalian
StatusReleased

Cast

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Crew

Cecilio Paniagua Cinematography
Frank Wisbar Director
Mario Serandrei Editing
Willy Zeyn Sr. Producer
Frank Wisbar Writer
Giuseppe Mangione Writer
Milton Krims Writer
Mino Guerrini Writer
William Demby Writer

Questions about this film

What is Commando about?

Commando: A French Foreign Legion commander is told to assemble a unit and capture an Algerian rebel leader. He gathers in his old unit, most of whom are no longer in top form. One is having nightmares of past indiscretions, another is now drinking, another has lost his nerve. He takes them in captures the leader, but then is u…

Who directed Commando?

Commando was directed by Frank Wisbar in 1962.

Who stars in Commando?

The cast of Commando includes Stewart Granger, Dorian Gray, Carlos Casaravilla, Ivo Garrani and Alfredo Mayo.

How long is Commando?

Commando runs for 87 minutes, or 1h27.