Ascension Command (1955)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Suicide mission |
| Original title | The Cockleshell Heroes |
| Country of production | Great Britain |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1955 |
| length | 94 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 16 |
| Rod | |
| Director | José Ferrer |
| script |
Bryan Forbes , Richard Maibaum |
| production | Phil C. Samuel |
| music | John Addison |
| camera |
Ted Moore , John Wilcox |
| cut | Alan Osbiston |
| occupation | |
| |
Himmelfahrtskommando (Original title: The Cockleshell Heroes ) is a British war film from 1955. Director José Ferrer , who also plays one of the leading roles, directed the film based on the short story Cockleshell Heroes by George Kent, which appeared in Reader's Digest in 1951 and on a true one Incident is based.
action
In March 1942, at the British naval base in Portsmouth, Captain Thompson met his new superior, Major Stringer. Stringer is an experienced sailor who owes his rank to his unconventional idea of equipping a special unit of divers with canoes. Stringer wants to penetrate the port of Bordeaux with his unit in order to destroy the German blockade breakers. 43 volunteers introduce themselves at the base. Stringer wants to speak to each of them personally. The first are sent back, Stringer wants to test the others. They are dropped off in 200 km from the base, dressed in German uniforms. The men should return as soon as possible. Eight men pass the test brilliantly: Clarke, Ruddock, Stevens, Lomas, Booth, Cooney, Bradley and Todd.
Sergeant Craig begins training men. Thompson believes the men are indisciplinary and complains about Stringer's lax methods. After the men did poorly in a training session, Stringer asks Thompson for advice. Thompson and Stringer now share the responsibilities. While Thompson lets the men exercise, Stringer instructs them in the use of canoes and explosives. When the mission gets the green light, Thompson and Stringer celebrate. Thompson confided in Stringer and told him that he had been passed over for promotion because his commander had blamed him for the failure of a mission. While Thompson talks about his military career, the men get into a bar fight.
Ruddock did not return to base with the others. Thompson wants to visit Ruddock at his house and catches Mrs. Ruddock with her lover. Thompson locates Ruddock in a pub and drives him home, where Ruddock goes after the lover. When Ruddock and Thompson arrive at the base, the canoes are loaded into a submarine. On the way, Stringer makes it clear to his men that every two-man canoe is responsible for itself. The success of the mission is more important than the lives of men.
The submarine approaches the Gironde when a German ship attacks with depth charges. Lomas hits his head and remains unconscious. Thompson wants to take the place of the injured who should team up with Ruddock. The canoes are launched in heavy seas. A wave floods one of the canoes, the men now have to save themselves, but are soon captured by the Germans. The other six boats reach land. The boats are hidden, the men wait for darkness to cover. When the tide set in, the men get back in the canoes and paddle towards Bordeaux. Craig's canoe is seen by the Germans. Craig capsizes the canoe and blows it up with a grenade. He and his comrade are captured. The two remaining canoes with Thompson and Ruddock as well as Stringer and Clarke paddle on. The Germans look for them unsuccessfully.
When the enemy blockade breakers are reached, the four men launch themselves into the water, dive under the ships and set up mines. The alarmed Germans reach the port and capture Thompson and Ruddock. Stringer's boat is rammed, the two soldiers are pulled out of the water by French fishermen. Thompson and the five others are brought before a firing squad and shot when they refuse to talk about their mission. The mines explode and destroy the ships in the port. Clarke and Stringer, the mission's only survivors, make their way back to England in disguise.
background
The film premiered in London on November 16, 1955 . In Germany it was released on September 14, 1956.
Karel Štěpánek as Gestapo officer, Christopher Lee as submarine commander, Sydney Tafler as policeman and Judith Furse as driver can be seen in small supporting roles .
The operation Frankton , on which the film is based, took place in December 1942nd Colonel Herbert Hasler and the Marine William Sparks, the only survivors of the real mission, acted as consultants during the production.
Reviews
The lexicon of international films ruled: “[The] shooting scenes have been eliminated in the German version; They also wanted to meet the German audience by synchronizing the superficial film with a by no means humorous barrack yard jargon a la '08/15'. This reinforces the tendency in the original to present the war once again as an exciting adventure for tough men. "
AH Weiler of the New York Times wrote that the conflict between Ferrer and Howard was uninspired. However, because of the support of the Royal Navy, the film exudes an aura of authenticity. Variety praised the incredible care in the cast. The cast is backed by a tight script with some of the best dialogue.
Web links
- Suicide mission in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Ascension Command . In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .
- ↑ AH Weiler : 'Cockleshell Heroes' Arrives at State . In: The New York Times , June 4, 1956.
- ↑ See Cockleshell Heroes . In: Variety , 1955.