Under ten flags

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Movie
German title Under ten flags
Original title Sotto dieci bandieri / Under Ten Flags
Country of production Italy , USA
original language Italian , English
Publishing year 1960
length 92 minutes
Rod
Director Duilio Coletti
script Vittoriano Petrilli
Duilio Coletti
Ulrich Mohr
production Dino De Laurentiis
music Nino Rota
camera Aldo Tonti
cut Jerry Webb
occupation

Under ten flags ( Italian : Sotto dieci Bandieri , English : Under ten flags ) is an Italian - American feature film from 1960, the 622-day plunder of the German auxiliary cruiser Atlantis theme. As a script template the first time in 1955 published served memoirs of the commander , Bernhard Rogge , 1960 Rear Admiral of the German Navy . It was one of the last films that Charles Laughton appeared in. The premiere took place in June 1960 during the 10th Berlin International Film Festival . The film's title comes from the modus operandi of false flag off.

action

The auxiliary cruiser Atlantis wages under false flags in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans and captures numerous merchant ships. The crews and passengers of the ships are interned or captured on board the Atlantis , whereby completely different cultures meet.

The British Admiralty in London cannot initially explain the losses, but then suspects a German raider behind the disappearance of the merchant ships. A British spy in Paris , which was occupied by the Wehrmacht, succeeded in gaining decisive information about the auxiliary cruiser. Finally, the Atlantis can be sunk by the heavy cruiser Devonshire . The crew is rescued by German and Italian submarines ; the involuntary passengers had already been disembarked on hijacked units.

production

Little is known about the production background. The script was written with the assistance of Dr. Ulrich Mohr, Rogges' adjutant during the trip , wrote. Director Coletti had already made several war films such as Divisione Folgore (1954), which was dubbed El Alamein in West Germany . The film, distributed by Paramount Pictures and UFA , premiered in the USA on September 15, 1960, in Italy: September 21, 1960 and in the Federal Republic of Germany in June 1960 during the Berlin Film Festival. The production costs amounted to nine million DM .

criticism

Die Welt assessed the result of the extensive efforts (cost of the film: 2.5 million dollars ) : "An outrageous mixture of sex, blood, merry seafaring war and loyal German nobility". Indeed, De Laurentiis has prepared the Atlantis voyage with ingredients that make the warlike enterprise appear as a chivalrous sport and a refreshing adventure. One of these additions is a French dancer who fell prey to Atlantis so early that she was able to promenade in front of the sea heroes for almost the entire film - often only wearing the minimum censorship level. The film people did not fail to imagine the chevaleresque amiability of the German officers. The special care of the sea cavaliers goes to a pregnant Jew… Federal seaman Rogge found the film "fair, clean and exciting", but the Berlinale critics panned the work almost unanimously… And even the Hamburger Abendblatt suspiciously suspected that under ten flags was “ was commissioned by the German Navy “... The critics were particularly excited about a scene that can be understood as an allusion to Rogge's NATO career. In the midst of the ominous turmoil of battle, a captured enemy captain conjures the German commander: "Save yourself Captain Rogge! We need men like you after the war!"

Naval warfare. All good spirits , in: Der Spiegel from July 27, 1960

... So Admiral Rogge put on a good face for the film that was seen that morning. What else should he do? But he picked up newspaper clippings - reviews from the Berlin Film Festival, which had just been shown under Ten Flags . They were "slips". She mentioned that this film was of German heroism and of Italian origin ... You called the film dangerous because it could inspire joy in war. They said he was lying because the war had just been different: a terrible event, no playground for GENTLEMEN. That is true, however. Nevertheless, as far as it has documented what happened, the film is true, if not in every single scene, then in the entire description. Nothing is reduced, nothing enlarged ... "

Admiral sees his exploits in: Die Zeit vom July 15, 1960

... But, in the end, a British cruiser gets Mr. Heflin's ship, and the whole thing concludes on a rather winded but determindly heroic note. There is much confusion of actuality and tank-made shots of sinking ships as there is a plot and people. In short, it is also so confused that no excitement of any consequence develops, just a sense of turgid turmoil on the seas.

publication

The film is available as a DVD edition in Spanish and English.

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Naval War. All good spirits, in: Der Spiegel, No. 31 of July 27, 1960
  2. ↑ Admiral sees his heroic deeds, in: Die Zeit, No. 29 of June 15, 1960
  3. ↑ Bosley Crowther : Screen: Sea Adventure: Under Ten Flags on New Double Bill, in: The New York Times, September 16, 1960