Customer Reviews

Operation Daybreak [VHS]

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Sometimes films that follow a true story often get misinterpreted, and add extra scenes to make the screenplay more watchable, but this film ofters true fact and hardly anything here is not true to the book (Or the documentary for that matter). A truly riveting piece of cinema, vastly underrated by critics at the time of theatrical release, this picture has it all. A Stirring soundtrack (David Henschel) also adds the to the epic tale of the assasination of Heydrich, and the depths to which the German Army go to to catch the infiltraiters in Prague in 1942. Nice acting for Tim Bottoms and his close friend Antony Andrews. We now await a widescreen remastered print on DVD please. But for now, settle for the VHS, as It is too good to miss. The last 15 minutes is cinema tension at it's best. Will they get out of that crypt or won't they?

Contrary to what the earlier review says, the film does NOT centre on Heydrich as such, but on the plot for his assassaination, and the various intrigues, stresses and strains involved in secret resistance. It does this VERY well, in a very down-to-earth way. It also is as faithful as possible to the facts, even down to the minutiae of Heydrich's actual behaviour during the attack.

This is an interesting film. It centers on the activities of Reinhard Heydrich, the Reich Protector of Czechoslovakia. It will grab, hold, and retain your interest. The Prague location shots will only add to your appreciation of the story. The actors play their parts well. Scenary and costumes are very accurate. However, I was disappointed in two aspects of the VHS. First, it does not come with closed captions. Second, hardly surprising, the German characters speak German. The problem is that the listener has no idea what they are saying because there are no captions. Leaves you in the dark as to what is going on. The value of the film results from the accurate coverage of Heydrich as the Devil incarnate. Cold blooded, calculating, he is accurately portrayed as ruthless and vain. Once he is assassinated, the search for his killers will have you fully engaged in the film. See it. Well worth the time.

This a gripping tale of the assassination of Heydrich. The only problem is that there are no subtitles for the German being spoken so those who are new to the movie will miss some vital lines. One of the main faults with the accuracy has to do with the convoy that Heydrich had in the movie. He was so vain and self-assured that he never used guards or a convoy. He believed that his Czech's would never do anything against him. In the end his cockiness killed him. This movie deserves to be made into a DVD as the characters are gripping and tragic, and the story well worth the telling.

Operation Daybreak is a truly emotional and gripping tale of the assasination of the leading Nazi Reinhard Heydrich, in Prague. The assasians were all Czech paratroopers trained by British intelligence at the start of WWII. The film is authentically set in Prague and includes stirring music to accompany fine performances from all! Sit back and enjoy this film, but remember the Kleenex for the last fifteen minutes. A classic....

This is one of my favorite WWII films, not least because it's based on true events. One of the reviewers here mentioned that they should have provided subtitles when the Germans were speaking. I agree wholeheartedly and I can't imagine why they didn't. But at least the Germans speak German (though the Czechs speak English). It would be helpful to know what the Germans were saying but it doesn't seem to be all that necessary. I'm also looking forward to the DVD edition, though since this film didn't get wide release (as I recall) I wonder if they will even bother to produce a DVD edition. It will be a shame, however, if they don't.

An accurate portrayal of the assassination of Adolf Hitler's deputy.

Reprisals for the assassination are shocking in their magnitude and brutality

Gripping last scene in the basement.

The film is accompanied by excerpts from Schubert's Serenade which is an appropriate match for mood of the film.

MY WIFE AND I WENT TO PRAGUE IN THE SUMMER OF 98. I ALWAYS KNEW ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED THERE EARLY IN 1940 OR 41. IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I WILL REMEMBER FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. I VISIT THE CHURCH WERE THEY WERE ASSENITATED, SAW THE HOLES IN THE BASEMENT, PICTURES FROM THA DAY AND A SAT ACROSS THE STREET LOKING A THE SMALL WINDOW THA GOES INTO THE BASEMENT. I CRY WHILE MY MIND WAS TRYNG TO REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY. BENITO FILOMIA

Simply suberb dramatization of the events surrounding the assassination of much feared Nazi SS-Obergruppenfhrer and Acting Reichsprotector of Bohemia and Moravia, Reinhard Heydrich in May 1942. The raid was carried out by Czech resistance fighters, trained by the Britsh Army, who parachuted back into Czechoslovakia, and were further assisted by undercover members of local Czech resistance networks.

A strong cast of predominantly English actors, with the exception of American Timothy Bottoms as the Czech commando Jan Kubis, and German Anton Diffring as the ice cold, emotionless Reinhard Heydrich all contribute intelligent and believable performances. The film is based on the best selling book "Seven Men at Daybreak" by Alan Burgess, and directed by UK director Lewis Gilbert who had previously demonstrated his flair for directing solid WWII drama with films such as "Sink the Bismarck" and "Carve Her Name With Pride". ( Gilbert was also a key director of three of the James Bond series of films ) Although the film was obviously made on a modest budget, it in no way detracts from the strength of the story and the manner in which the actors effectively recreate the atmosphere of fear and terror that the Nazi's brought to occupied countries.

The film's final half hour is particulary moving and heart breaking as the Czech commando's realise they have been betrayed and the hordes of Nazi soldiers close in on their hiding place in the crypt of an old church. My only small gripe about the film, is that in several sequences there is German being spoken by the actors ( most notably by Anton Diffring ), however no subtitles are provided for the audience ?

Definitely, a lesser known "sleeper" amongst WWII movies, "Operation Daybreak" is well worth seeking out for fans of intense, character driven drama.

Nicely done film, and great location shots (although you can see the burlap sacks covering the modern street signs in some shots). I am a bit confused about the reference to the ice cave in the video description though--its a film about the assasination of Heydrich in Prague, 1942.