Oakmont Productions' World of Action
Oakmont Productions was a company that specialized in WW2 action films, in the 1960s. Their formula was built around using a moderately priced American actor (usually a tv actor) as the star, and a script filled with action and daring. Quite often, the hero is troubled by some tragedy that has occurred in the recent past. The dramatic elements were often the weakest element in the films; but, they excelled at action! They also had a habit of reusing footage from other films, to save money.
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- DirectorPaul WendkosStarsLloyd BridgesAndrew KeirSue LloydDuring World War II, a commando leader named Major Jamie Wilson leads a group of soldiers on a suicide mission to destroy a Nazi naval stronghold on the French coast.Oakmont's debut production was this film, about a commando raid on a occupied French port. The raid itself was inspired by the St. Nazaire raid, carried out by British commandos. The plan is to sail an old destroyer into the German-held port, and destroy the drydock facilities, by packing the ship full of explosives. Meanwhile, the commandos will assault other targets within the port. Lloyd Bridges is the commander of the unit, who is haunted by the failure of a previous raid (alluded to be the Dieppe Raid) and the large number of casualties. He pushes himself and his men ruthlessly, to the point of incurring casualties during training. Meanwhile, his plan is opposed by the Navy, with the chief critic finding himself tasked with overseeing the naval portion of the operation.
The actors do a fine job, though the film overplays some of the emotional elements and conflict, which slows the early pace of the film. However, once the mission is underway, it races along (a feature of many Oakmont films). The film was done on a smaller budget, so the action is kept contained to a few set pieces, but is extremely well staged and exciting. - DirectorBoris SagalStarsDavid McCallumSuzanne NeveCharles GrayIn World War II, an RAF squadron leader mourns the death of a comrade and receives a bombing mission against a secret German V-2 rocket testing facility in France.David McCallum, who became a star on The Man From UNCLE, leads this film, as the squadron leader for a Mosquito bomber squadron. He must inform his family of the death of his "brother" (McCallum's character was adopted by the family) and his wife. Eventually, a romance blossoms between McCallum and the wife. Meanwhile, the Squadron is tasked to knock out a V-1 launching platform, staged next to a POW camp. They train to deliver their "bouncing bombs" to the entrance of the launch bunker. However, the receive intelligence of the presence of POWs, including the missing "brother." A plan is concocted to have the Maquis attack the prison, while the Mosquitos bomb the installation, as well as blow the prison wall.
McCallum isn't quite up to the lead role and makes for a less than interesting hero. The romantic angle is distracting and slows the pace of the film. The mission elemnts get to be a bit much, as each new wrinkle is uncovered; but, the attack is exciting and the footage of the Mosquitos (some taken from the film 633 Squadron) is excellent. The V-1 launch footage was recycled from Operation Crossbow. - DirectorWilliam A. GrahamStarsJames CaanDavid SumnerNorman BowlerDuring World War II, the British Royal Navy used experimental midget submarines to raid German warships in Norway.James Caan stars in this film, about a mission to destroy a German super battleship, using midget submarines. Caan is one of the few survivors of a submarine attack on the German battleship Lindendorf. He is exonerated of responsibility for the mission's failure (and death of most of the crew) and assigned to train the crews of X class submarines. However, some of the crew hold a grudge and he must earn their respect, while keeping their activities secret. The German's learn of the unitl and send a commando team to destroy the submarines. After defeating it, Caan and his men undertake their mission, to destroy the Lindendorf, in a Norwegian fjord.
The film is loosely based on the attack on the Tirpitz, though with many liberties taken and quite a few anachronisms (such as scuba equipment). Caan does a fine job though, like previous films, the early parts of the film have a slow pace. The German commando raid is a bit ludicrous, given the logistics involved, but makes for an exciting sequence. - DirectorBoris SagalStarsChristopher GeorgeLaraine StephensJ.D. CannonA U.S. Air Force colonel convinces the Allies during World War II that a daylight bombing raid of Germany will bring a quick end to the war.Christopher George (Rat Patrol) stars as an American colonel in the 8th Army Air Force. He has been futilely lobbying for a massive daylight bombing raid on Germany, to speed the end of the war. Eventually, he succeeds in persuading them to launch an attack on a German aircraft factory. meanwhile, as they prepare for the raid, he insists his crews keep flying current bombing missions, leading to further casualties. he finds himself at odds with an American pilot (Ben Murphy), who he feels is too cautious, and an RAF pilot (Gary Marshal) who is too bold. His plane crashes at the start of the raid, and he boards the plane piloted by his antagonists. There, he witnesses their professionalism and courage.
The film is based on the RAF raid on Cologne, though is transfers it to the US 8th Air Force (presumably to better sell the film to a US audience). It nearly erases the RAF role in the mission. It follows the same Oakmont formula of a commander with a checkered past, who must win over his superiors and men, then an exciting action-filled climax. Like the other films, the early stages move rather slowly and hurt the film, though they establish the characters. The film reuses footage from Memphis Belle (the 1944 documentary) and Twelve O'Clock High, plus actual B-17 bombers, for aerial shots. - DirectorPaul WendkosStarsJames FranciscusElizabeth ShepherdRonald AllenAn American commander, serving under the British Royal Navy in 1942, is assigned to blockade the island of Malta and told to formulate a plan to destroy the Nazi arsenal in Sicily.James Franciscus stars in this one, about a torpedo boat captain assigned to take out a German held base (former Italian Submarine pens, in Sicily), to stop the launching of Fritz X glide bombs, which are destroying British shipping. Franciscus must piece together 3 seaworthy craft, then carry out an on-site reconnaissance, which leads to the death of his Sicialian resistance fighter escort. He makes it back and concocts a scheme to capture a German E-Boat, then lead his small flotilla into the port, pass the German boom gate (which blocks the harbor). They then don scuba gear to set explosive charges in the pens.
The film also features a romance between Franciscus' character and a woman he meats on the beach, who is swimming in the nude. She turns out to be the philandering wife of the base CO and Franciscus' nemesis. Again, the early romance and character pieces start the film slowly and dominate the first act.
The best stuff is in the second and third act, where the action and suspense take over. The CO pilots one of the 3 vessels, to add further conflict with Franciscus' character. On the whole, the film is weaker than previous Oakmont offerings, showing that the formula is losing steam. - DirectorWalter GraumanStarsStuart WhitmanJohn CollinMartin JarvisDuring the final days of WW2, an Allied commando team races toward a German rocket base to abduct a Nazi scientist before the fast advancing Soviet troops could reach him.This final Oakmont film stars Stuart Whitman, as the leader of a commando mission to capture a German rocket scientist. They must penetrate deep into German territory, secure the scientist, and get him to the Allied lines. In so doing, they find themselves chased by the SS and the Soviets, who want the scientist for themselves. The film climaxes with the team racing away in a stolen panzer, chased by their enemies.
This is among the weakest of Oakmont's films and would prove to be their last. Whitman especially does not have the charisma to pull of the lead role (much like in the film Those Magnificent Men and Their Flying Machines). The action pieces are exciting, though, and help recover the film. The basic idea is drawn from Operation Paperclip, which spirited away Nazi scientists to the West, though more dramatically than in history.