The rats of tobruk is a dated but watchable aussie ww2 movie, of which there arent too many in existence. German radio started calling the australians poor desert rats of tobruk, which they took immense pride in, calling themselves the rats of tobruk. Australian forces successfully held tobruk against heavy fire from axis troops for 250 days, and the battle has been cited as a turning point in the war in north africa. Released as the fighting rats of tobruk, this drama was based on actual incidents. Is there a list of persons who are rats of tobruk answers. Most of the fighting scenes were in the dark which did not translate well on my dvd version as the scenes looked totally black. Usage public domain topics feature films, trailers, film marketing, charles chauvel, grant taylor, peter finch, george wallace, chips rafferty, australia, world war ii, north africa campaign, rommel, the desert rat, the rats of tobruk. Adolf hitler had prepared for war by socially engineering his followers into the perfect fighting machines. This battle primarily involved the australian 9th infantry division, as well as british artillery batteries. Tells the story of three menbluey, a tough two fisted drover taylor, milo, a laconic dingo trapper rafferty, and pete, an intellectual english new chum finch. The rats of tobruk was the name given to the soldiers who held the libyan port of tobruk against the afrika corps, during the siege of tobruk in world war ii the siege started on 10 april 1941.
The soldiers dug extensive trenches and tunnels for defensive and offensive movement. Rats of tobruk is a twoplayer operationaltactical game that simulates rommels easter day attack on tobruk in april 1941. Together they serve in north africa, fighting against the forces of rommel in what has now become one of australias greatest wartime legendsthe rats of tobruk. In order to aid the attack, a group of british commandos and german jews make their way undercover through 800 miles of desert, to destroy the fuel dumps starving the germans of fuel. Watch the rats of tobruk, the australian classic war film by. The film follows three drover friends who enlist in the australian army together during world war ii. In september 1942, the german afrika korps under rommel have successfully pushed the allies back into egypt. A canadian pow major is rescued by a special british military unit made up of germans to help lead an attack on a major nazi fuel depot in tobruk, libya. Rats of tobruk home tribute is a tribute to the rats of tobruk, who fought in tobruk, during the siege of tobruk, of 241 days from april 10 to december 1941. With grant taylor, peter finch, chips rafferty, pauline garrick.
Free wallpapers download of the rats of tobruk movie, hero, heroine, etc is available in our gallery section. The main theme is somewhat bland, and sounds like it would be better suited to a movie. Movie about australian rats of tobruk ww2 rats of tobruk. The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 the fighting rats of. Their story is based on the siege of the libyan city of tobruk in north africa by rommels afrika korps. This site is dedicated to those who fought at tobruk. The rats of tobruk was the name given to the soldiers of the garrison who held the libyan port against a germanitalian army commanded by gen. Axis forces recaptured the port on 21 june 1942, after defeating the eighth army in the battle of gazala. Read the fighting rats of tobruk movie synopsis, view the movie trailer, get cast and crew information, see movie photos, and more on. The rats of tobruk was the name given to the australian soldiers defending the port of tobruk, in libya. Grant taylor is the squarejawed lead, chips rafferty adds character, and peter finch is the uppercrust englishman. Today, out of 14,000 aussie rats that held tobruk against rommels forces 78.
So far as the rats of tobruk is concerned, the main interest is a glimpse of chauvel directing which can also be seen in the films trailer on the disc. The story follows a trio of characters as they head off to fight rommel on north africa. The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Tobruk is a 1967 world war ii adventure film directed by arthur hiller and written by leo gordon. Operation crusader was launched on november 18 to december 30 to achieve what battle axe failed to do. The siege started on 10 april 1941 australia n troops of the australian 9th division and the 18th brigade of the australian 7th division under lieutenant general leslie morshead made up more than half of the allied. A counterattack is planned, for which the fuel dumps at tobruk are a critical impediment. The desert rats 1953 stream and watch online moviefone. An abridged version was released in the united states in 1951 as the fighting rats of tobruk. The 1941 siege of tobruk, birth of the rats of tobruk. Fighting rats of tobruk 1946 charles chauvel synopsis.
The siege of tobruk was lifted in december 1941 in the course of operation crusader. The rats of tobruk 1944 stream and watch online moviefone. The movie stars rock hudson, george peppard and nigel green. The desert rats 1953 stream and watch online in north africa, german field marshal rommel james mason and his troops have successfully fended off british forces, and now intend to take tobruk. The film focuses on a joint britishsig special interrogation group raid on the fuel dumps at german controlled port city of tobruk. This battle primarily involved the australian 9th infantry division, as well as british artillery. The rats who returned to melbourne formed as association which has branches in every state as well as in the united kingdom. The rats of tobruk may not be charles chauvels best movie, but it deserves serious consideration as his best movie about war which is to argue that it is in some ways superior to his more famous and betterloved forty thousand horsemen 1940, made four years earlier.
Between april and august 1941, around 14,000 australian soldiers were besieged in tobruk by a germanitalian army commanded by general. Captured german and italian weaponry was used throughout filming. The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 opens on a pastoral scene lowing herds roaming over the gently rolling hills of australia, whips cracking, and on the background soundtrack a male chorus singing an outback song. This film shows how troops spend most of their time.
On return home the soldiers formed the rats of tobruk association. The rats of tobruk was the name given to the soldiers of the garrison who held the libyan port of tobruk against the afrika corps, during the siege of tobruk in world war ii. Australian rats of tobruk lz click here to view list. Curators notes the rats of tobruk 1944 on aso australia.
The film is an interesting survey of the chauvel partnership in action over the years, but when it comes to individual films, the coverage is inclined to be superficial. The rats of tobruk, featuring memorial historian dr karl james discussing the exhibition rats of tobruk 1941. Together they serve in north africa, fighting against the forces of rommel in what has now become one of australias greatest wartime. Tobruk 1967 internet movie firearms database guns in. Australian troops of the australian 9th division and the 18th brigade of the australian 7th division under lieutenant general leslie morshead made up more than. Available on dvd through au following on the great tradition of forty thousand horsemen, charles chauvels 1944. Identifying with authority, they obeyed rather than thought. Fully restored and presented in a brand new transfer, the rats of tobruk is a rousing tribute to the many brave the soldiers who served their nation. Grant taylor is the squarejawed lead, chips rafferty adds character. The rats of tobruk was the name given to the soldiers who held the libyan port of tobruk against the afrika corps, during the siege of tobruk in world war ii. The siege started on 10 april 1941 and was finally relieved at the end of november. The fighting rats of tobruk is a 1944 australian film directed by charles chauvel starring grant taylor, peter finch, chips rafferty and george wallace. The allies marching and singing were off to see the wizard was neat as was the german announcer naming the allies the fighting rats of tobruk, which was deemed a badge of honor by the allies. Together they serve in north africa, fighting against the forces of rommel in what has now become one of australias greatest.
The siege of tobruk took place in the western desert of north africa in 1941 at the height of the second world war. Corny, but its a fair enough way to open a movie made during wartime. An abridged version was released in the united states in 1951 as the fighting rats of. Usage public domain topics feature films, trailers, film marketing, charles chauvel, grant taylor, peter finch. The rats of tobruk suffered at least 3,836 casualties, there being a small difference in australian casualty figures quoted in the australian and british official histories. The army provided advisers who had served in tobruk. Released 1944, the rats of tobruk stars chipsrafferty, granttaylor, peterfinch, georgewallace the movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 35 min, and received a score of out of 100 on metacritic. Horsemen is a more entertaining and better constructed film, fully deserving of its place in the australian pantheon. The rats of tobruk simple english wikipedia, the free. The siege of tobruk was the first occasion in the war that german panzer units had been stopped. I believe if you want to see just how far directors have progressed from the early days of film making to what we expect today, then this film is worth. The rats of tobruk is a 1944 australian film directed by charles chauvel.
The rats of tobruk, a name adopted by australian soldiers who were at the siege of tobruk. The rats of tobruk hold an identifiable place within the ranks of returned servicemen, particularly in australia, where there is the rats of tobruk memorial, canberra on 22 march 1944, the original members of the rats of tobruk formed the north bondi subbranch of the returned and services league of australia and it is still known in modern times as tobruk house or the rathouse. The rats of tobruk the fighting rats of tobruk 2015. The german afrika corps under the command of general erwin rommel had commenced the offensive which drove the british forces eastwards across the desert to the egyptian frontier.
Men of the 24th infantry brigade after their voyage from tobruk. Major film about the rats of tobruk to be produced in canberra. Watch rats of tobruk online vimeo on demand on vimeo. Eagles wing 1979 full movie starring martin sheen and harvey keitel. The troops were later the subject of the film the rats of tobruk starring peter finch and chips rafferty. Members of the 2th battalion on patrol along the antitank ditch. The fighting rats of tobruk is more of a narrated documentry, poorly acted and shot in darkness. Together they serve in north africa, fighting against the forces of rommel in what has now become one of australias greatest wartime legends the rats of tobruk. Phillip noyce to direct wwii drama rats of tobruk deadline. The battles played out are not very clear and leaves the viewer guessing what really happened. With rock hudson, george peppard, nigel green, guy stockwell. Bronislau kapers music score is okay, but rather repetitive.
Raid on rommel is a 1971 movie that used some of the earlier film from tobruk. Theres also a military note revealing concerns about the films obvious faults, most notably a melodramatic scene where one character persuades another to recite the lords prayer. Most of the fighting scenes were in the dark which did not translate well on. Tobruk lifts a miniature effects shot of british bombers from mgms earlier operation crossbow which also starred george peppard. Australian forces successfully held tobruk against heavy fire from axis troops for 250 days, and the battle has. Aug 18, 2016 also featuring george wallace and joe valli, chauvels bold tale of war gives life to the many heroic tales of mateship during wwii.
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