''Tarnished Heroes'' is a 1961 British

war film War film is a film genre concerned with warfare, typically about navy, naval, air force, air, or army, land battles, with combat scenes central to the drama. It has been strongly associated with the 20th century. The fateful nature of battle s ...

directed by

Ernest Morris Ernest Morris (1913–1987) was an English film director. Selected filmography * '' Three Crooked Men'' (1958) * ''Night Train for Inverness'' (1960) * ''The Court Martial of Major Keller'' (1961) * '' Three Spare Wives'' (1962) * '' What Every ...

and starring Dermot Walsh and

Anton Rodgers Anthony "Anton" Rodgers (10 January 1933 – 1 December 2007) was an English actor and occasional director. He performed on stage, in film, in television dramas and sitcoms. He starred in several sitcoms, including ''Fresh Fields'' (ITV, ...

. It was produced by

Danziger Productions Edward J. Danziger (1909–1999) and Harry Lee Danziger (1913–2005) were American-born brothers who produced many British films and TV shows in the 1950s and 1960s. According to one profile "throughout the 1950s and early 1960s, their second fea ...

. The film is set in France during World War II, and concerns a British major who destroys a Nazi convoy. The plot of the film bears similarities to ''

The Dirty Dozen ''The Dirty Dozen'' is a 1967 American war film directed by Robert Aldrich and starring Lee Marvin with an ensemble supporting cast including Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, Jim Brown, John Cassavetes, Richard Jaeckel, George Kennedy ...

'', although it was made five years before Robert Aldrich's film, and three years before the novel on which it is based. However, it is possible that ''Tarnished Heroes'' was inspired by the success of ''

The Magnificent Seven ''The Magnificent Seven'' is a 1960 American Western film directed by John Sturges. The screenplay by William Roberts is a remake – in an Old West–style – of Akira Kurosawa's 1954 Japanese film ''Seven Samurai'' (itself initially relea ...

'', released in 1960, as the concept seems close: the recruitment of a band of renegades to fight a difficult fight for the common good.

Plot

When Major Roy Bell (Walsh) and his company are trapped by the advancing German army, Bell decides to embark on a suicide mission to blow up a bridge which is of strategic importance to the enemy. However, the only resource available to him is a group of rag-tag army failures, made up of drunks, thieves and deserters. According to the officer's handbook, 'an officer will perform whatever task confronts him with whatever men are available'. Under Bell's guidance, these men must now rise to the challenge and prove themselves as heroes if they are to fulfil the mission and come back alive.

Cast

*Major Roy Bell - Dermot Walsh *Private Donald Conyers -

*Private Timothy Reilly -

Patrick McAlinney Patrick Andrew McAlinney (9 November 1913 – 22 August 1990) was an Irish character actor who starred in many British dramas and sitcoms. His most memorable roles included a brother on the hit sitcom '' Oh, Brother!'', which starred Derek Nimmo ...

*Private Frederick Burton - Richard Carpenter *Private Thomas Mason -

Maurice Kaufmann Maurice Harington Kaufmann (29 June 1927 – 21 September 1997) was a British actor of stage, film and television, who specialised in whodunits and horror films, from 1954 to 1981, when he retired. Personal life He was married to Honor Blackm ...

*Private Anthony Burton - Max Butterfield *Private Bernard White - Brian Peck *Private Walter Hoyt -

Hugh David Hugh David (17 July 1925 – 11 September 1987) was a British actor turned television director. David was born in Aberystwyth, Wales. His directorial credits include ''Compact'', ''Z-Cars'', '' The Pallisers'' and ''Doctor Who ''Doct ...

*Corporal - Graham Stewart *Col. Moreton - John Scott *Capt. Mead - Stuart Hillier *Josette - Sheila Whittingham *Flamoun - Andreas Malandrinos *Trench Officer -

Frank Thornton Frank Thornton Ball (15 January 192116 March 2013), professionally known as Frank Thornton, was an English actor. He was known for playing Captain Peacock in ''Are You Being Served?'' and its sequel ''Grace & Favour'' (''Are You Being Served? ...

*Officer - Richard Bennett *Officer - Eric Corrie *Stunt Coordinator - Ray Austin

Critical reception

Tortillafilms wrote, "

makes a good little film." Sky Movies noted, " things are reassuringly in their place with Dermot Walsh, hero of a fistful of `B' movies, at the head of the cast. In a small role as a trench officer, you may spot

, later well-known on television for his long-running role in

Are You Being Served? ''Are You Being Served?'' is a British sitcom created and written by executive producer David Croft (Croft also directed some episodes) and Jeremy Lloyd, with contributions from Michael Knowles and John Chapman, for the BBC. Set in London ...

References

External links

* {{The Danzigers 1961 films Films set in France British World War II films 1960s English-language films Films directed by Ernest Morris 1960s British films