Bitter Victory
Encyclopedia
Bitter Victory is a 1957
black and white French-American international co-production
film shot in CinemaScope
, directed by Nicholas Ray
.
Set in World War II
, it stars Richard Burton
and Curd Jürgens
as Allied officers sent out on a commando
raid in North Africa. Ruth Roman
plays the former lover of one and the wife of the other. It was based on the novel of the same name by René Hardy
.
of World War II, two officers are interviewed to command a dangerous commando
mission far behind enemy lines. South African Major Brand is an experienced professional soldier but does not speak Arabic and has only a limited knowledge of the area in Libya
in which the patrol is to operate. Welsh Captain Leith is the opposite; an amateur volunteer with extensive knowledge of the area who knows a local guide and speaks fluent Arabic as well. It is decided that both officers will go, but with Major Brand in command.
Major Brand's wife Jane is an RAF
Flight Lieutenant who enlisted to be near her husband. When Brand invites Leith to dinner with his wife, he picks up the fact that the two had previously had an affair before she married Brand.
The unit parachutes behind enemy lines with the mission of attacking a German headquarters and bringing back secret plans from a safe to be opened by Wilkins, an experienced safecracker. Dressed as local civilians, Brand shakes in fright when he has to knife a German sentry; the deed is done by Leith.
The mission is completed successfully with only one death and one man wounded. The patrol ambushes a German detachment, capturing a German colonel Leith knows was responsible for the secret information. Leith remains behind with the wounded who he kills rather than let fall into enemy hands to be tortured for information.
The patrol is supposed to escape on camels, but they discover the men left with them have been murdered and looted of the camels and their weapons. During the long march back, Brand's animosity towards Leith grows, not only due to the affair with his wife, but Brand fears Leith will reveal Brand as a coward to headquarters and destroy his career.
1957 in film
The year 1957 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* October 21 - The movie Jailhouse Rock, starring Elvis Presley, opens.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue-Awards:...
black and white French-American international co-production
International co-production
An international co-production is a production where two or more different production companies are working together, for example in a film production...
film shot in CinemaScope
CinemaScope
CinemaScope was an anamorphic lens series used for shooting wide screen movies from 1953 to 1967. Its creation in 1953, by the president of 20th Century-Fox, marked the beginning of the modern anamorphic format in both principal photography and movie projection.The anamorphic lenses theoretically...
, directed by Nicholas Ray
Nicholas Ray
Nicholas Ray was an American film director best known for the movie Rebel Without a Cause....
.
Set in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, it stars Richard Burton
Richard Burton
Richard Burton, CBE was a Welsh actor. He was nominated seven times for an Academy Award, six of which were for Best Actor in a Leading Role , and was a recipient of BAFTA, Golden Globe and Tony Awards for Best Actor. Although never trained as an actor, Burton was, at one time, the highest-paid...
and Curd Jürgens
Curd Jürgens
Curd Gustav Andreas Gottlieb Franz Jürgens was a German-Austrian stage and film actor. He was usually billed in English-speaking films as Curt Jurgens.-Early life:...
as Allied officers sent out on a commando
Commando
In English, the term commando means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means elite light infantry and/or special operations forces units, specializing in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and...
raid in North Africa. Ruth Roman
Ruth Roman
Ruth Roman was an American actress. One of her most memorable roles was in the Alfred Hitchcock 1951 thriller Strangers on a Train....
plays the former lover of one and the wife of the other. It was based on the novel of the same name by René Hardy
René Hardy
René Hardy was a French resistant during World War II. He was captured by the Gestapo and agreed to work with Klaus Barbie although it is not clear to what extent. He may have given information leading to the capture of Jean Moulin and of a number of other resistance leaders on 21 June 1943, at a...
.
Plot
During the Western Desert CampaignWestern Desert Campaign
The Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War, was the initial stage of the North African Campaign during the Second World War. The campaign was heavily influenced by the availability of supplies and transport. The ability of the Allied forces, operating from besieged Malta, to...
of World War II, two officers are interviewed to command a dangerous commando
Commando
In English, the term commando means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means elite light infantry and/or special operations forces units, specializing in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and...
mission far behind enemy lines. South African Major Brand is an experienced professional soldier but does not speak Arabic and has only a limited knowledge of the area in Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
in which the patrol is to operate. Welsh Captain Leith is the opposite; an amateur volunteer with extensive knowledge of the area who knows a local guide and speaks fluent Arabic as well. It is decided that both officers will go, but with Major Brand in command.
Major Brand's wife Jane is an RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Flight Lieutenant who enlisted to be near her husband. When Brand invites Leith to dinner with his wife, he picks up the fact that the two had previously had an affair before she married Brand.
The unit parachutes behind enemy lines with the mission of attacking a German headquarters and bringing back secret plans from a safe to be opened by Wilkins, an experienced safecracker. Dressed as local civilians, Brand shakes in fright when he has to knife a German sentry; the deed is done by Leith.
The mission is completed successfully with only one death and one man wounded. The patrol ambushes a German detachment, capturing a German colonel Leith knows was responsible for the secret information. Leith remains behind with the wounded who he kills rather than let fall into enemy hands to be tortured for information.
The patrol is supposed to escape on camels, but they discover the men left with them have been murdered and looted of the camels and their weapons. During the long march back, Brand's animosity towards Leith grows, not only due to the affair with his wife, but Brand fears Leith will reveal Brand as a coward to headquarters and destroy his career.
Cast
- Richard BurtonRichard BurtonRichard Burton, CBE was a Welsh actor. He was nominated seven times for an Academy Award, six of which were for Best Actor in a Leading Role , and was a recipient of BAFTA, Golden Globe and Tony Awards for Best Actor. Although never trained as an actor, Burton was, at one time, the highest-paid...
as Captain Leith - Curd JürgensCurd JürgensCurd Gustav Andreas Gottlieb Franz Jürgens was a German-Austrian stage and film actor. He was usually billed in English-speaking films as Curt Jurgens.-Early life:...
as Major Brand (as Curt Jurgens) - Ruth RomanRuth RomanRuth Roman was an American actress. One of her most memorable roles was in the Alfred Hitchcock 1951 thriller Strangers on a Train....
as Jane Brand - Raymond PellegrinRaymond PellegrinRaymond Pellegrin was a French actor.Born in Nice, Pellegrin made his screen debut in the 1945 French feature Naïs....
as Mekrane - Anthony BushellAnthony BushellAnthony Bushell was an English film actor and director, who appeared in 56 films between 1929 and 1961. He also appeared on and directed various British TV series such as Danger Man.-Early life:...
as General Patterson - Alfred BurkeAlfred BurkeAlfred Burke was a British actor, best known for his portrayal of Frank Marker in the drama series Public Eye, which ran on television for ten years.-Early life:...
as Lieutenant Colonel Callander - Sean Kelly as Lieutenant Barton
- Ramón de Larrocha as Lieutenant Sanders (as Ramon de Larrocha)
- Christopher LeeChristopher LeeSir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee, CBE, CStJ is an English actor and musician. Lee initially portrayed villains and became famous for his role as Count Dracula in a string of Hammer Horror films...
as Sergeant Barney - Ronan O'Casey as Sergeant Dunnigan
- Fred Matter as Colonel Lutze
- Raoul Delfosse as Lieutenant Kassel
- Andrew Crawford as Private Roberts
- Nigel GreenNigel GreenNigel Green was a South African-born English character actor. Because of his strapping build and commanding demeanour he would often be found playing military types and men of action in such classic sixties films as Jason and the Argonauts, Zulu, Tobruk and The Ipcress File.-Early life and...
as Lance Corporal Wilkins - Harry LandisHarry LandisHarry Landis is a British actor. He has had a long career in British television and film and is known for playing cockney-Jewish roles....
as Private Browning