Commandos Strike at Dawn (1942)

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Reading the title, I'll bet you're waiting for a rip-roaring war picture, with fight scenes, explosions and guns blazing. But you would very mistaken, since this is a placid character study with a great deal of dialogue. There is a battle scene towards the end of the picture, but Director John Farrow was sorely in need of a competent second unit director. The battle has an artificial look to it and the explosions are small in scale. In one scene an allied soldier throws a Nazi to the ground, and plainly stabs the ground next to him, lending an amateurish quality to a heretofore passable film.The story itself is good and depicts the Nazi onslaught into Norway, in particular a small hamlet in a spot of strategic interest to the Nazis. The acting is top shelf, with Paul Muni, Anna Lee, Cedric Hardwicke and Robert Coote in prominent roles. There are a few instances of suspense and tension but none are sustained. It's a good movie - but not if you're looking for a conventional war picture. ****** 6 of 10

The title here is a bit of a come-on, as there is actually very little action and the script is inclined to be slow-moving. Also Paul Muni's character is not supplied with a direct motive for the commandant's murder. True, there is some tension, but less talk and more action would have helped. Fortunately, the movie starts well. The first ten minutes are really great. True, director John Farrow tries hard to keep building up suspense despite the handicaps of stilted dialog and miscasting in crucial roles - for instance, instead of playing the sadistic German commandant, George Macready plays the local schoolmaster! Actually, Alexander Knox would have been ideal in this role, but instead he is cast as the vicious German captain! This odd miscasting is shown up when it's Knox who says the chaplain's prayer before the commando raid, and Knox again who supplies the off-camera propaganda plug at the film's conclusion about corruption in high places.Paul Muni tends to overact and is often indulgently shown in close- up where his penchant for eye-rolling gets full rein. Sir Cedric Hardwicke is surprisingly stiff as the admiral and Anna Lee makes a rather colorless daughter. Despite making a strained attempt to speak and look like a hearty Norwegian, Ray Collins, comes across strongly as the tortured Bergerson, but Lillian Gish plays his wife with an over-theatrical technique that approaches caricature. Oddly enough, the most convincing performance comes from Flying Officer Robert Coote (though don't let this billing confuse you. Coote was a professional actor who had been making movies since 1931!)The script is inclined to be slow-moving. The title, for instance, is a misnomer as there is very little action apart from the climactic raid.

This movie has a strong story. It also provides a powerful and compelling dramatization of German aggression during World War Two. Paul Muni gives a strong performance as a man who decides to take action in response to the German aggression. What is most interesting about this movie, however, is how it depicts the war. The issues are framed plainly and starkly: it's either freedom or slavery. Paul Muni's character is a metaphor for every person who was struggling under the German yoke. Not only did the Germans invade, they plundered and terrorized the population. In the movie, their arrogance is boundless. Yet, it is not sensationalized; that is, it does not become the basis for showing gratuitous acts of violence. Rather, it is told plainly and with fanfare, thus driving home the point even more forcefully. Alexander Knox gives a chilling performance as the German Captain who is in charge of subduing the Norwegians. This is one of the better war movies and should be watched, not only for its value as a drama, but also for its historical content. Although not a documentary, it does portray a moment in history when Germany tried to impose its will on the rest of Europe.

Although another of the "common folk against Nazi invasion and occupation" films, this one is better than most. The acting on all levels ranges from good to superior. The plot is complete and dynamic, and the technical elements, like music and setting, are extremely good. Amazingly, the accomplishments of Norway's underground during World War Two are more dramatic than those portrayed in the film. In addition to sabotage, the underground was able to cross and recross the Swedish border, many times to save Nordic Jews. In this instance, reality exceeds the fictional world of the movie industry. This is a well written dramatic film, well worth seeing and preserving!