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They Who Dare
They Who Dare “During the Second World War,
  German aircraft based on Axis-held
  Rhodes posed a very real threat to
  Allied troops in Egypt and a group
  of Commandos were sent to the
  Dodecanese Islands to put them out
  of action, an operation featured in
  the remarkable classic 1953 movie
  They Who Dare...”

BASED ON THE TRUE STORY of Operation Anglo, the planned SBS destruction of two German airfields on Rhodes in order to protect Allied troops in Egypt from the threat of bombing by the Luftwaffe, the WW2 drama They Who Dare stars the talented late actor Dirk Bogarde (Death In Venice; The Night Porter; Ill Met By Moonlight).

The ultra-reliable Dirk Bogarde plays Lt Graham, who commands a company of six Special Forces, two Greek officers and two local guides sent by submarine to carry out the sabotage mission. It is a mission fraught with danger from thousands of Axis troops and terrified islanders who may be too afraid to help them.

“The chemistry between
Bogarde and Elliott
is palpable.
They Who Dare is set
in 1942 and is filmed
mainly on location in
Malta and Cyprus.
Watch out for the original
wartime aircraft.
Former SBS officer
Walter Milner Barry acted
as technical advisor
and the film benefits
from the fact that both
Dirk Bogarde and
Denholm Elliott saw
action in the Second
World War...”
Lt Graham and Sergeant Corcoran (a perfectly cast Denholm Elliott: A Room With A View; Indiana Jones and The Raiders of the Lost Ark) suffer an uncomfortable relationship. The dynamics between the two is captured perfectly by the two actors, who have carried this off in other films in which they have starred together.

When Lt Graham finally reveals the full extent of the seemingly impossible mission, to blow up the two airfields simultaneously under the nose of Axis troops, a glass of wine is spilled over the map; ominously predicting the precarious situation in which the group will find themselves.

Coming ashore on a deserted beach after dark, the men have first to navigate the tricky mountain terrain before they reach a place where they can split up to tackle the two Axis airfields and destroy as many aircraft as possible. It is a mission that will be fraught with danger and from which none of them could return.

With a lack of supplies and not knowing who to trust among the fearful population, Lt Graham and his men have their work cut out for them as they argue amongst themselves and finally achieve their life or death mission. But can they evade capture by the Axis troops who are now out to hunt them down?

Something of a slow-burner peppered with moments of tension, but the action comes in fast and furious as the raiders attempt to escape from an island overrun with Nazis and their Italian allies.

Enemy patrol boats will also pose a risk to any of the group who can escape back to the beach to meet the submarine at the designated pick-up point. At any moment the men could be spotted by the enemy or betrayed.

The chemistry between Bogarde and Elliott is palpable. They Who Dare is set in 1942 and is filmed mainly on location in Malta and Cyprus. Watch out for the original wartime aircraft. Former SBS officer Walter Milner Barry acted as technical advisor and the film benefits from the fact that both Dirk Bogarde and Denholm Elliott saw action in the Second World War.

They Who Dare was released by British Lion Films and in the US by Allied Artists. The SAS motto 'Who Dares Wins' was the inspiration for the title of the film.

They Who Dare also features: Akim Tamiroff (Touch of Evil; The Trial) as Captain George One; Gérard Oury as Captain George Two; Eric Pohlmann as Captain Nikolides Papadapoulos; Alec Mango as Patroklis; David Peel as Sgt Evans; Sam Kyd as Marine Boyd; William Rusell as Lt Poole (as Russell Enoch); Peter Burton as Marine Barrett; Harry Siddons (The Dam Busters; A Night To Remember) as Lt Stevens, R.N; Michael Mellinger as Toplis; Anthea Leigh as Marika; Kay Callard as Nightclub Singer; Lisa Gastoni as George Two's girlfriend; Eileen Way as Greek Woman; Ernest Bale as Submarine Executive Officer; and Christopher Rhodes as German Officer.

Music is by Robert Gill; Cinematography is by Wilkie Cooper. Producers: Aubrey Baring and Maxwell Seton; Written by (Screenplay) Robert Westerby; and Directed by Lewis Milestone (All Is Quiet On The Western Front; Mutiny on the Bounty).

* STUDIOCANAL announces the release of the newly restored 1953 classic British WW2 drama They Who Dare, available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital from 5 September 2022.

Certificate: PG | Running Time: 107 Minutes | Extras: New Interview with military historian Saul David | Stills | Lobby Card Gallery. Featuring brand-new bonus material and benefiting from a new look, They Who Dare is a welcome addition to the ever-expanding Vintage Classics Collection.

"A credible cast led by old hands Dirk Bogarde and Denholm Elliott add to the attraction of this ultimately tense, enjoyable film that is based on an important historic event of World War 2" — Maggie Woods, MotorBar
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