Overview
Attack on the Iron Coast is a 1967 British-American Oakmont Productions international co-production war film directed by Paul Wendkos in the first of his five picture contract with Mirisch Productions, and starring Lloyd Bridges, Andrew Keir, Sue Lloyd, Mark Eden and Maurice Denham. The film depicts an account of Allied Combined Operations Headquarters commandos executing a daring raid on the German-occupied French coast during the Second World War. The film is based on the commando raid on the French port of St. Nazaire and is reminiscent of the film The Gift Horse. In the United States it was released as a double feature with Danger Route.
Reviews
**_Cinematic account of Operation Chariot, aka the St Nazaire Raid_**
In late March, 1942, the Brits concoct an audacious operation to destroy the Normandie dry dock at St Nazaire in German-occupied France, which would involve 611 Royal Naval personnel & commandos in a surprise attack against an embedded German force of 5000. Lloyd Bridges and Andrew Keir star as the key officers in the raid.
"Attack on the Iron Coast" (1968) tackles what has been called ‘The Greatest Raid of All’ and is worthwhile if you don’t mind ‘B’ productions with unconvincing miniatures. I liked how the flick establishes that an operation like this is 78% planning, training, traveling and anticipation and 22% dynamic execution. I’m going by the fact that the actual raid in the movie involves only the final 18 minutes of runtime.
While it can’t compete with WW2 greats from the 60’s like “The Dirty Dozen” and “Where Eagles Dare,” or even quality ones such as “The Devil’s Brigade” or “Anzio,” it nevertheless gives you a good idea on what went down, not to mention keeps the memory of the bold raid alive.
It runs 1 hour, 27 minutes, and was shot at Millwall Dock, St Katharine Docks, and the London Docklands, along with studio work done at MGM British Studios in Borehamwood, northwest of London.
GRADE: B-