The film opens with the title “Tunisia 1943” and the following narration
“In the early spring of 1943, a battalion of infantry were pulled out of the hills around Tunis. For thirteen weeks they had endured the hard, bitter fighting, the rain and the mud. The rear guard of this battalion was ‘C’ Company. They had provided the spearhead of the battle and had been in constant engagement with the enemy. Now, they were due for a rest. The battalion was going to re-form and refit.” Their rest is short-lived, however, as they receive orders to protect a vital post from the Germans…..
Production Details
A Hammer production released by United Artists
MPAA Approved Certificate No. 18413
Western Electric Recording
A Hammerscope Production
Black & White 85 minutes
Filming Began: 13th August 1956
UK Release: 3rd June 1957
Studio:
Bray Studios, Down Place, Oakley Green, Berkshire
Locations:
Long Valley, Aldershot, Hampshire
Stills from film
Click an image for enlarged slideshow
Cast & Crew
Red = Uncredited
Crew | Name | Age at Release | Birth | Death | Age | Hammer Credits | Uncredited | Total Hammer | |
Art Director | Ted Marshall | 7 | 1 | 8 | |||||
Assistant Director | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/don-weeks/# | 52 | 15 Nov 1904 | Mar 1988 | 83 | 31 | 31 | ||
Associate Producer | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/anthony-nelson-keys/# | 45 | 13 Nov 1911 | 19 Mar 1985 | 73 | 43 | 43 | ||
Boom Operator | Charles Harris | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Camera Operator | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/len-harris/# | 41 | 19 May 1916 | 21 Feb 1995 | 78 | 63 | 2 | 65 | |
Clapper Loader | John Foley | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Clapper Loader | Paul Tabori | 49 | 8 May 1908 | 9 Nov 1974 | 66 | 7 | 1 | 8 | |
Clapper Loader | Stanley Evans | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Continuity | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/renee-glynne/# | 30 | 3 Aug 1926 | 6 Apr 2022 | 95 | 41 | 3 | 44 | |
Dialogue Director | Howard Clewes | 44 | 27 Oct 1912 | 29 Jan 1988 | 75 | 2 | 2 | ||
Director | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/michael-carreras/# | 29 | 21 Dec 1927 | 19 Apr 1994 | 66 | 98 | 9 | 107 | |
Director of Photography | Jack Asher BSc | 41 | 29 Mar 1916 | Apr 1991 | 75 | 13 | 13 | ||
Draughtsman | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/don-mingaye/# | 28 | 1929 | 8 Nov 2017 | 88 | 28 | 15 | 43 | |
Editor | Bill Lenny | 29 | 1928 | 2002 | 74 | 14 | 4 | 18 | |
First Assistant Editor | John Beaton | 28 | 1929 | 14 Jan 2005 | 76 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
Focus Puller | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/harry-oakes/# | 36 | 16 Jan 1921 | 11 Dec 2012 | 91 | 3 | 56 | 59 | |
Make-up | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/phil-leakey/# | 49 | 4 May 1908 | 26 Nov 1992 | 84 | 50 | 50 | ||
Music Composer | Leonard Salzedo | 35 | 24 Sep 1921 | 6 May 2000 | 78 | 7 | 1 | 8 | |
Musical Director | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/john-hollingsworth/# | 41 | 20 Mar 1916 | 29 Dec 1963 | 47 | 37 | 3 | 40 | |
Producer | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/michael-carreras/# | 29 | 21 Dec 1927 | 19 Apr 1994 | 66 | 98 | 9 | 107 | |
Production Manager | John Workman | 37 | 28 May 1920 | 1973 | 52 | 2 | 2 | ||
Production Secretary | Faith Frisby | 29 | 1928 | 1997 | 69 | 2 | 2 | ||
Publicity Director | Bill Batchelor | 58 | 3 May 1899 | 23 Sep 1990 | 91 | 3 | 3 | ||
Recordist | Cliff Sandall | 54 | 24 Apr 1903 | 1988 | 84 | 3 | 1 | 4 | |
Recordist | Maurice Askew | 41 | 12 May 1916 | 11 Dec 1986 | 70 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
Second Assistant Director | Stanley Goulder | 36 | 28 Feb 1921 | 15 May 2006 | 85 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
Second Assistant Editor | Max Wheeler | 2 | 2 | ||||||
Second Camera Operator | Gerald Moss | 41 | 1916 | 1999 | 83 | 1 | 1 | ||
Sound Camera Operator | Walter R. Day | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Sound Editor | Alfred Cox | 32 | 1925 | 2005 | 80 | 21 | 5 | 26 | |
Special Effects | Frank George | 3 | 3 | ||||||
Special Effects | Sid Pearson | 9 | 1 | 10 | |||||
Still Photographer | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/john-jay/# | 36 | 14 Nov 1920 | 29 Apr 2005 | 84 | 13 | 22 | 35 | |
Story and Screenplay | Howard Clewes | 44 | 27 Oct 1912 | 29 Jan 1988 | 75 | 2 | 2 | ||
Stunt Supervisor | Jock Easton | 45 | 27 Apr 1912 | 1980 | 67 | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
Stunts | Joe Powell | 35 | 21 Mar 1922 | 30 Jun 2016 | 94 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
Third Assistant Director | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/hugh-harlow/# | 17 | 17 Jun 1939 | 17.06.1936 | 88 | 6 | 34 | 40 | |
Wardrobe | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/molly-arbuthnot/# | 48 | 19 Dec 1908 | 31 Oct 2001 | 92 | 48 | 5 | 53 | |
Cast | Name | Age at Release | Birth | Death | Age | Hammer Credits | Uncredited | Total Hammer | |
1st Stretcher Bearer | Michael Collins | 35 | 21 May 1922 | 25 Dec 1979 | 57 | 1 | 1 | ||
2nd Stretcher Bearer | David Brown | 1 | 1 | ||||||
ADC to General | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/victor-harrington/# | 47 | 27 Aug 1909 | 23 Jul 1980 | 70 | 7 | 7 | ||
Arab | Abdul Noor | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Artillery N.C.O. | Guy Deghy | 44 | 11 Oct 1912 | 25 Feb 1992 | 79 | 1 | 1 | ||
Artillery Officer | William Abney | 36 | 7 Jan 1921 | 9 Aug 1997 | 76 | 3 | 3 | ||
C.S.M. Gill | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/robert-brown/# | 35 | 23 Jul 1921 | 11 Nov 2003 | 82 | 6 | 1 | 7 | |
Capt. Mead | Kieron Moore | 32 | 5 Oct 1924 | 15 Jul 2007 | 82 | 2 | 2 | ||
Captain | John Trevor | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Company Commander | Garard Green | 32 | 31 Jul 1924 | 26 Dec 2004 | 80 | 1 | 1 | ||
Cpl. Ames | Paddy Joyce | 34 | 31 May 1923 | 27 Jul 2000 | 77 | 1 | 1 | ||
Cpl. Bean | John H Watson | 33 | 17 Jul 1923 | 24 Dec 2000 | 77 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
Divisional Commander | Wolf Frees | 47 | 8 Oct 1909 | 1974 | 64 | 1 | 1 | ||
German Sergeant | Rolf Carston | 1 | 1 | ||||||
German Soldier | Michael Cain | 24 | 14 Mar 1933 | 14.03.1933 | 91 | 1 | 1 | ||
Lt. Col. Derry | John Paul | 36 | 20 Apr 1921 | 23 Feb 1995 | 73 | 3 | 3 | ||
Lt. Vernon | Michael Medwin | 33 | 18 Jul 1923 | 26 Feb 2020 | 96 | 6 | 6 | ||
Mahomet | David Ritch | 24 | 28 Jul 1932 | 3 Jun 2018 | 85 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Major Gerard | Leo Genn | 51 | 9 Aug 1905 | 26 Jan 1978 | 72 | 1 | 1 | ||
Pte. Clark | Percy Herbert | 36 | 31 Jul 1920 | 6 Dec 1992 | 72 | 6 | 6 | ||
Pte. Ferguson | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/barry-lowe/# | 32 | 1925 | 12 Dec 2011 | 86 | 6 | 2 | 8 | |
Pte. Harris | Dave Crowley | 47 | 4 May 1910 | 11 Dec 1974 | 64 | 1 | 1 | ||
Pte. Jarvis | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/arthur-lovegrove/# | 43 | 15 Jul 1913 | 7 Nov 1981 | 68 | 3 | 6 | 9 | |
Pte. Livingstone | Bernard Horsfall | 26 | 20 Nov 1930 | 28 Jan 2013 | 82 | 2 | 2 | ||
Pte. Middleditch | https://www.hammer-graveyard.org.uk/michael-ripper/# | 44 | 27 Jan 1913 | 28 Jun 2000 | 87 | 34 | 2 | 36 | |
Pte. Thomas | Michael Balfour | 39 | 11 Feb 1918 | 24 Oct 1997 | 79 | 3 | 3 | ||
Pte. Tweddle | Michael Dear | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Pte. Wentworth | Jack Stewart | 44 | 22 Mar 1913 | 1 Jan 1966 | 52 | 4 | 4 | ||
Pte. Wilson | Ian Whittaker | 29 | 18 Jul 1928 | 16 Oct 2022 | 94 | 5 | 5 | ||
Sentry | Victor Platt | 36 | 30 Oct 1920 | 30 Jan 2017 | 96 | 3 | 3 | ||
Sgt. Gates | Shay Gorman | 34 | 18 Apr 1923 | 19 Apr 1999 | 76 | 1 | 1 | ||
Sgt. Nicholls | Tom Bowman | 36 | 14 Nov 1920 | 8 Jan 1997 | 76 | 2 | 2 | ||
Sniper | Jeremy Longhurst | 25 | 26 Jun 1931 | 18 Feb 2001 | 69 | 5 | 5 | ||
The General | Raymond Francis | 45 | 6 Oct 1911 | 24 Oct 1987 | 76 | 1 | 1 | ||
Warren | George Murcell | 31 | 30 Oct 1925 | 3 Dec 1998 | 73 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Wounded German | Tony Warren | 19 | 8 Jul 1937 | 1 Mar 2016 | 78 | 1 | 1 |
Original Poster
Click to enlarge
Footnotes
Unusually for a film made so soon after the end of the war, this film was mildly controversial for showing the Germans as human beings and is believed to be the first such film to allow the German characters to speak in their own language, with subtitles in English.
An early appearance here (uncredited) for Michael Cain as a German soldier.
Also uncredited here, an appearance for Tony Warren who went on to create ITV’s long running soap opera, Coronation Street.