Lieutenant Graham (Bogarde) leads a unit of ten men into Rhodes. The film focuses heavily on the psychological strain of the mission and the "delightfully British" stoicism of the soldiers.
Before the film brought the story to the public, the actual mission was carried out by the , a maritime-focused predecessor to the modern Special Boat Service. They Who Dare
Directed by Lewis Milestone (renowned for All Quiet on the Western Front ), the film attempted to bring a "gritty realism" to the "men-on-a-mission" genre. Lieutenant Graham (Bogarde) leads a unit of ten
Interestingly, the film portrays the mission as an SAS operation, despite the historical raid being conducted by the SBS. This change was likely made to capitalize on the growing legend of the SAS at the time. 4. Critical Reception and Modern Analysis They Who Dare (1954) - simonprior.com Directed by Lewis Milestone (renowned for All Quiet
To destroy two vital Axis airfields (Maritsa and Kalathos) on the occupied island of Rhodes that were threatening Allied supply lines to Egypt.
Although the team successfully destroyed three aircraft and several fuel dumps, the escape was catastrophic. Hunted by thousands of Italian and German troops, only two of the twelve men —Lieutenant David Sutherland and Marine John Duggan—successfully made it back to the pick-up submarine. 3. The 1954 Film: Artistic Interpretation