SKU 307
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DUNKIRK (1958) & SEA OF SAND (1958)

DUNKIRK:

The film relates the story of Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of surrounded English and French troops from the beaches ofDunkirk.  It does so principally from the viewpoints of two people: a newspaper reporter and a soldier.  "Tubby" Bins, a Britishcorporal (Mills) is trying to get his men to Dunkirk, where they, the rest of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and thousands ofFrench soldiers hope to be evacuated.  After their officer is killed in a bomber attack, it is up to Tubby to keep his demoralized charges motivated.  They eventually get a lift in a RAF lorry and make it to the beaches.  Parallel to this action is the story of Charles Foreman (Lee), a cynical journalist who is trying to raise morale amongst his depressed readers.  When the Admiralty commandeers his motorboat to aid the evacuation from Dunkirk, Foreman is inspired to volunteer his services and take the boat across the Channel himself, despite warnings of the danger.  A friend, Holden (Attenborough), a motor engineer and successful businessman does the same, albeit reluctantly.  Taking part in the rescue are ships of the Royal Navy and hundreds of civilian vessels of all shapes and sizes - "The Little Ships".  On the beaches of Dunkirk, Foreman and Tubby meet, but Foreman is fatally wounded in an attack by German aeroplanes. Although Foreman's boat is wrecked, Holden's Heron makes it safely to Britain.  (130 minutes; in English.  Very good quality).

SEA OF SAND:

Directed by Guy Green and written by Robert Westerby, the film is set in North Africa during World War II and tells the story of a patrol of the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG), commandos who drove long distances behind enemy lines in the fight againstRommel's Afrika Korps. The film's technical advisor was Bill Kennedy Shaw, who served as the group's intelligence officer during the desert campaign.  The score was by Clifton Parker and was performed by the Sinfonia of London under the musical direction of Muir Mathieson.  Many consider it to be a fairly accurate description of a typical LRDG patrol.  One glaring mistake however is the troops' use of Sten guns which were never issued to or used by LRDG, who used either the SMLE .303 or the Thompson submachine gunIt was filmed entirely in Tripolitania, Libya (95 minutes; in English.  Very good quality.)



DVD-R IS IN ENGLISH.  Approximately 225 minutes.  Can be played in any DVD player (zero region).

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