Curators notes the rats of tobruk 1944 on aso australias. The film follows three drover friends who enlist in the australian army together during world war ii. Action packed throughout, this picture has all of the ingredients you would usually have to find in several movies. Rats of tobruk, the 1944 stream umbrella entertainment. Unfortunately it was the wrong robert carlyle for me. The dying young stockmen uncredited written by horace flower sung by the stockmen and heard as a theme during the film. The rats of tobruk the fighting rats of tobruk 2015. Rats of tobruk memorial pipes and drums home facebook.
They were called the rats of tobruk as there attitude and the way the australians fought made them live like rats and they scurried around the war collecting food and weapons stealthily which made them seem like rats. The job of the reconnaissance patrol was to gather information and, if possible, to secure prisoners for identification. The rats of tobruk australian war memorial, london. The rats of tobruk 1944 letterboxd your life in film. For relief, the australian soldiers get to go sightseeing in down town tobruk or whats left of it.
By 1941, theyre with the 9th division of the australian infantry force, fighting. 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. The rats of tobruk is a 1944 australian film directed by charles chauvel. It is slow to get going, but the story is a good one, and the acting is quite well done. The famous story of the rats of tobruk and the ships that supplied them in ww2, as told by the rats themselves. The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 james higgins 20091205. These men became famously known as the rats of tobruk. The siege of tobruk lasted 240 days but from august the australian were gradually relieved being evacuated by ship to alexandria. This is the films first real encounter in the desert and chauvel emphasises the immediacy and very personal nature of the fighting, as well as the comradeship of. The victorian state branch decided to form a pipe band as a living memorial to the soldiers who died at tobruk and to keep alive the proud name the rats of tobruk. Three australian friends end up fighting nazis in north africa in a clumsily executed action tale.
Identifying with authority, they obeyed rather than thought. One of very few australian features made during world war ii, this 1944 film memorializes a great triumph of the nations troops three years earlier. To prepare for that, rommel wasnt receiving the supplies and material he needed. This was an adf pr video extolling the values of the australian defence forces.
The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 the fighting rats of. Combined german and italian troops had sealed off all land approaches to tobruk on april 11. Buy online, pick up in store is currently unavailable, but this item may be available for in. In so doing, they achieved lasting fame as the rats of tobruk. Joanne klein is collecting photos and records of ww11 rats of to bruk 14,000 plus for the rota of victoria so they can preserve their history. The story follows a trio of characters as they head off to fight rommel on north africa. Together they serve in north africa, fighting against the forces of rommel in. Cast grant taylor as bluey donkin peter finch as peter linton chips rafferty as milo trent.
The 1941 siege of tobruk, birth of the rats of tobruk. Its members used all their bushcraft to avoid being discovered. The eight month long siege of tobruk in 1941, which saw the name rats of tobruk first coined by radio berlin as a contemptuous one take a proud place in australian history was one of the greatest stories of bravery and endurance against overwhelming odds in the history of modern warfare. Honestly i didnt think a lot of the fighting rats of tobruk as whilst not a bad war movie it does feel like a functionary one, working its way through the various scenes but never really feeling like there was an overall story to tell. However, one battalion, the 2th battalion remained in tobruk until the british offensive, operation crusader relived the town in december. After returning to australia, the tobruk siege servicemen looking for comradeship, established the rats of tobruk association. The rats of tobruk memorial pipes and drums was formed in 1960 as a living memorial to the military units involved in the siege of tobruk of wwii. Australian screen is part of the national film and sound archive of australia. It was planned that 70th division would break out from prezi. The rats of tobruk may not be charles chauvels best movie, but it deserves. For eight months at tobruk in 1941 fifteen thousand australians and eight thousand british and indian troops held a german army seven times their number and in seven time their armour. 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.
Watch rats of tobruk online vimeo on demand on vimeo. Fighting rats of tobruk movie quotes rotten tomatoes. Africa, fighting against the forces of rommel in what has now become one of australias greatest wartime legends the rats of tobruk. 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. Most of the fighting scenes were in the dark which did not translate well on. Fighting rats of tobruk desert war fight for available in dvd. The only libyan territory still in british hands was the cyrenaican port of tobruk. The siege started on 10 april 1941 and was finally relieved at the end of november.
I saw this and it is really an old movie and one i wouldnt have gotten if it didnt have robert carlyles name on it. This special anniversary exhibition is on display in the memorial until 16 november 2011. An abridged version was released in the united states in 1951 as the fighting rats of. Were off to see the wizard uncredited written by harold arlen and e. 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 of the garrison who held the libyan port of tobruk against the afrika corps, during the siege of tobruk in world war ii. In the context of wartime, the rats of tobruk is certainly meant as a tribute to the exploits and courage of the australian fighting forces, but it falls somewhat short of being a recruiting film.
Harburg sung by the soldiers and heard as a theme during the film. Following on the great tradition of forty thousand horsemen, charles chauvels 1944 cinematic account of the battle of rommel is. At pre sent they have collected over 10,000 names for. German radio started calling the australians poor desert rats of tobruk, which they took immense pride in, calling themselves the rats of tobruk. The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 photo gallery imdb. An interesting aussie film about three mates who join the army together and end up fighting the afrika korp at tobruk. Also they lived in very dirty conditions and were always dirty and muddy like a rat. One of very few australian features made during world war ii, the rats of tobruk memorializes a great triumph of the nations troops of defending a libyan port from axis forces three years earlier. The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Australian troops of the australian 9th division and the 18th brigade of the australian 7th division under lieutenant general leslie.
See the full list of the rats of tobruk cast and crew including actors, directors, producers and more. The rats of tobruk is a dated but watchable aussie ww2 movie, of which there arent too many in existence. The rats of tobruk 1944 clip 1 on aso australias audio and. This opened with an outflanking movement that brought eighth army to within 30 miles of the tobruk perimeter. Framed tribute rats of tobruk victorian collections. The garrison, commanded by lieutenant general leslie morshead, consisted of the 9th australian division 20th, 24th, and 26th brigades, the 18th brigade of the 7th australian division, four. An abridged version was released in the united states in 1951 as the fighting rats of tobruk. No quotes approved yet for fighting rats of tobruk. The defenders of tobruk and their besiegers were at a stalemate. I believe there should be more movies about the efforts of the aussie soldier in wwii and the great job that they did. It is also surrounded by steep escarpments, which make it easy to fortify against attack from the land there were some 14,000 australian troops and 12,000 british and indian troops in. Found these quotes about the 9th australian infantry division who defended tobruk for 242 days in 1941.
The fighting rats of tobruk 1944 dvd grant taylor peter finch. A captured veteran of the early european campaigns stated. Tobruk patrols were of two types fighting and reconnaissance. This film shows how troops spend most of their time. In the 1960s tobruk was the kind of film that inspired kids to play army. Adolf hitler had prepared for war by socially engineering his followers into the perfect fighting machines. The rats of tobruk simple english wikipedia, the free. The battle of tobruk, in which a small british force composing primarily of australians, nicknamed the rats of tobruk, held tobruk while surviving waves of axis forces, is the most significant to australia. Tobruk is the most important port in northern africa, because its deep water allows large ships to dock there.
Like stealthy shadows, they saw without being seen. The rats who returned to melbourne formed as association which has branches in every state as well as in the united kingdom. They tend to be overlooked in britain at least so here is what the germans thought of them. In poland, france, and belgium, once the tanks got through the soldiers took it for granted that they. I give this film such a high rating because it is one of only a handful of movies that tell the tale of the diggers at war. 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. Anzacs wage a long and courageous resistance to nazi invasion during world war ii. The target is a german fuel depot near the libyan port of tobruk. Grant taylor is the squarejawed lead, chips rafferty adds character, and peter finch is the uppercrust englishman. Watch the rats of tobruk, the australian classic war film by. 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. 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. A little less of the personal dramatics and more of the action. Tobruk was an allied defensive operation in an attempt to maintain a.
Winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. The germans, understanding machines, but not these men, flung an insult to them in a name the rats of tobruk. Around 1944, active branches and subbranches were started in every state. A lot of the fighting is done at night and it is very difficult to see what is going on because the film has gotten darker over the years. Rock hudson stars as a reluctant volunteer leading foray behind enemy lines.
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