So much average

Memorable, crazy movie

As Good As It Gets

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

A squad of U.S. Army commandos enter Nazi-occupied France under cover of darkness on the eve of the historic Normandy landings in 1944 in "Joe Dakota" director Richard Bartlett's "Silent Raiders," a low-budget, black & white, behind enemy lines, World War II combat thriller. Incidentally, "Silent Raiders" marked Bartlett's cinematic debut as a director. By and large, the action in Earle Lyon's screenplay follows our heroes as they cross the beach and then infiltrate the underbrush in search of a German army communication center that they must destroy before the Allies land. This is a serviceable, tolerably entertaining military actioneer that boasts a surprise or two, but nothing so utterly significant that it qualifies as a must-see movie for war movie aficionados. The way that movies were made back in 1954 when Bartlett helmed this minor item has changed so drastically compared to contemporary filmmaking that you have to understand why Bartlett staged some of the scenes the way that he did. The lighting capabilities of the latest Hollywood cameras would have compensated for scenes of American G.I.s strolling through the dark but spotlighted so that we could see them. These G.I.s should have been blown up before they reached the shore or mowed down after they came ashore because they present excellent targets in virtually every scene. Moreover, the threadbare budget inevitably meant that scenarist Earle Lyon had to drum up something to say because talk (dialogue) is cheaper compared with noisy battlefield fireworks. Our heroes are predictably whittled down before fade out when we learn that it was 'the end of the beginning.' Of course, only World War II armchair historians will appreciate this while lay spectators will have no idea what those end words mean. Some of "Silent Raiders" is okay, but other scenes with the G.I.s involved in horseplay are far from realistic. One G.I. coughs and apologizes that he couldn't have helped it. Two G.I.s escorting a tethered goat back to their camp is ridiculous. The biggest surprise occurs with the lieutenant dies first and command is juggled between one sergeant who doesn't want it and another who begrudging takes it on. In a sense, this is like the death of Janet Leigh in Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho." All too often, however, some of these G.I.s take things too easy. Sergeant Malloy (Earle Lyon), who gets busted down to buck private for sneaking a drink with his companions, storms a house, stabs a German officer, and then leaves his guard down long enough for the officer to recover and plug him with his Luger. Were that any imbecilic enough, the new top sergeant (Richard Bartlett) dispatches a G.I. to check out the shack and see what is taking doing. Actually, Malloy was kissing the French girl (Jeanette Bordeaux) who the German officer had been with earlier before Malloy barged in and knifed him. Eventually, during the last five minutes, our heroes shoot up the communications center, but they take casualties. One of the kill happy G.I.s, Pepy (Earl Hansen) dies because he cannot keep his helmet on and pays the price by getting shot in the back. This tears up Sergeant Jack. Altogether, despite its loquacity, "Silent Raiders" reminded me of a cross-between of "A Walk in the Sun" and an episode of the vintage television series "Combat." Bartlett makes interesting use of apparent G.I. newsreel photography lensed under fire at Normandy.

Shot for what was less than my annual salary when I was last employed and even less than my New York state pension, The Silent Raiders has the look of cheapness that Sam Katzman pioneered at Monogram and that Lippert Pictures did its best to uphold. A cast of people you will not know are in this World War II film about Commandos raiding into France to blow up a communication station 24 hours before D-Day.Even at that they were wrong at the beginning of The Silent Raiders as the opening credits say that this took place in SOUTHERN France. With that I thought this was about the landings that took place a few months after D-Day on the Riviera. The only movie I recall ever being made about that operation or the aftermath thereof is the Frank Sinatra/Tony Curtis classic Kings Go Forth.And of course it bothered me that the term Commando was used. In the American army I thought the proper term was Ranger. Slightly over an hour in running time, The Silent Raiders is mostly preoccupied with the two sergeants on the mission and a subdued rivalry between the two of them. But what totally through me for a loop was the fact that when they got to their objective one of the men sees a German soldier being entertained by some cute French mam'selle and decides to cut himself in on the action. I mean really.Films like this killed Lippert Pictures.

True, you won't see many familiar faces in this cast, however, they do turn out some first-rate performances. Bartlett is the career sergeant, and Lyon the "Hollywood-type" just in for the duration, but both are driven, in the end to do their duty and serve their country. The low-key, downbeat ending is chilling, but realistic.

A gritty, low-budget, WWII drama high-lighted by fine performances from a cast of virtual unknowns. Commando team lands on the beach just prior to D-Day to knock out Nazi communications center. Stars Lyon and Bartlett turn-out great drama. Lyon wrote and performed the haunting title song. This is obviously a quickie production, hence the plot isn't as well developed as it could have been, however, for a first entry by the film makers it remains respectable. Also of note is the score by "newcomer" Elmer Berstein. Sadly, this film is over-looked and seldom available for viewing. NO, this was NOT one of Lippert's 'overseas endeavors' but was directed and produced by Bartlett and Lyon, released by Lippert, and filmed in Malibu California. In a recent interview, producer Lyon revealed that the picture was made for a measly $27000! Lyon and Bartlett also worked on the Lippert produced "Silver Star" and "Lonesome Trail."