Review

  • This movie begins 40 days after the D-Day landing in Normandy with an element of the American 3rd Armored Division known as C Company preparing to engage German units near the vaunted Siegfried Line. Unfortunately, as the company advances one of the platoon sergeants named "SSG Joe Davis" (Michael Stelle) is seriously wounded and as a result another NCO by the name of "SSG F.A. Sullivan" (Steve Cochran) is selected to be his replacement. However, SSG Sullivan turns out to be nothing like his predecessor as he soon gains a reputation of being overly-ambitious, arrogant and reckless. And needless to say his penchant for taking dangerous risks doesn't sit well with the tank crews under him. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was a decent World War 2 film that featured some good, realistic combat action scenes. One particular example was the manner in which the Sherman tanks had to maneuver to take out the Panther tanks from the side as they were no match one-on-one. Likewise, the scenario of having soldiers escape from their burning tanks and subsequently acquiring another Sherman tank as a replacement was also quite accurate as well. On the flip side, however, I didn't particularly care for some of the scenarios involving the personal dynamics of the individual characters. The scene involving "PFC George 'Ike' Eisenhower" (James Dobson) and the division commander was especially hokey. Be that as it may, I thought that this was an adequate film all things considered and I have rated it accordingly. Average.