Attack on the Iron Coast ** (1968, Lloyd Bridges, Andrew Keir, Sue Lloyd) – Classic Movie Review 10,166

Director Paul Wendkos’s 1967 Attack on the Iron Coast stars Lloyd Bridges, who leads a cheaply-made, run-of-the-mill, British-made World War Two wartime action thriller as a Canadian commando called Major Jamie Wilson commanding a suicidal assault to put out of business a Nazi-held French navy HQ on the French coast.

First, he must overcome staunch opposition to get daring Operation Mad Dog approved by British military, as well as his own conscience about sending men to their deaths.

Attack on the Iron Coast is an old-fashioned film, a throwback to an earlier era, and is none too exciting. But it is good basic film-making, competently made, reasonably taut and focused. Bridges is typically stalwart in his star role.

Also in the mostly Brit cast are Andrew Keir, Mark Eden, Sue Lloyd, Maurice Denham, Glyn Owen, Simon Prebble, John Welsh, Ernest Clark, Walter Gotell and Robin Hawdon.

This movie and The Gift Horse (1952) are based on the same World War Two raid by British forces on the locks of the French port of Saint-Nazaire in 1942. The men who took part in this attack received more awards for bravery of any operation of its length, a total of 89 awards, including five Victoria Crosses.

Attack on the Iron Coast is directed by Paul Wendkos, runs 89 minutes, is made by Mirisch Films and Oakmont Productions, is released by United Artists, is written by Herman Hoffman, based on a story by John C Champion, is shot by Paul Beeson, is produced by Irving Temaner (executive producer) and John C Champion and is scored by Gerard Schurmann.

It cost a modest $1,000,000.

Gerard Schurmann, Film and Concert Composer, died at 96 in March 2020.

The World War Two Triple Feature Attack! (1956), Beach Red (1967) and Attack on the Iron Coast was released in August 2014.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,166

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