The Last Blitzkrieg
Encyclopedia
The Last Blitzkrieg is a 1959
World War II
film produced by Sam Katzman
and filmed at the Cinetone Studios in Amsterdam
for a Columbia Pictures
release. Arthur Dreifuss directed Van Johnson
and Columbia contract stars Dick York
and Kerwin Mathews
in a fictional account on Operation Grief in the Battle of the Bulge
. Technical advisor
to the film was Major John W. McClain who was a company commander with the 23rd Infantry
.
for an unstated reason.
Von Kroner is sent to a German castle with others for Operation Grief, called "Operation OK Butch" in the film where they will dress in American uniforms and spearhead the Ardennes Offensive by committing sabotage, confusing enemy forces and seizing key objectives for the attacking German forces. Assisting in the training, Von Kroner is assigned a team of three other men with various skills including a Waffen SS Officer, Wilitz who regales his comrades with stories of his
exploits in terrorising unfortunates whilst a member of the Brown Shirts.
Von Kroner's team's activities and the initial German assault meet success but both soon run into unexpected difficulty. Von Kroner's forged orders are countermanded by a decimated American infantry company of the 23rd Infantry that forces them into being replacements whilst the bad weather making the German assault successful ends with American air power attacking the Germans. In their new unit Von Kroner meets his two fellow American prisoners Sgt Ludwig and Cpl Ennis who said they were the only survivors of their escape that the Germans knew about and ambushed.
Obtaining plans against the American attack against a strategic crossroads, Von Kroner warns the Germans by radio of the American attack but is ordered to stay with the Americans to ensure their attack fails. Von Kroner's team sabotage a jeep with a bomb killing the company commander, and attempt to destroy the unit's other vehicle, a weapons carrier that arouses Ludwig's suspicion.
The company attacks a German position with Wilitz using the opportunity to shoot their lieutenant in the back placing Ludwig in command. Several German prisoners are taken with Richardson/Von Kroner volunteering to take them to Battalion headquarters. He returns to tell his comrades that the prisoners didn't want to escape; they wanted to surrender to the Americans with Von Kroner taking them in. A furious Wilitiz insists that Von Kroner should have shot the lot of them.
With news of German infiltrators behind American lines spreading, Ludwig is further suspicious when Wilitz doesn't know what the American "hot foot
" is.
... Lt. Hans Von Kroner / Sgt. Leonard Richardson
Kerwin Mathews
... Wilitz
Dick York
... Plt. Sgt. Ludwig
Larry Storch
... Cpl. Ennis
Lise Bourdin ... Monique
Han Bentz van den Berg ... Colonel von Ruppel
Leon Askin
... Sgt. Steiner
Brett Halsey
(as Montgomery Ford) ... Capt. Levin
1959 in film
The year 1959 in film involved some significant events, with Ben-Hur winning a record 11 Academy Awards.-Events:* The Three Stooges make their 190th and last short film, Sappy Bull Fighters....
World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
film produced by Sam Katzman
Sam Katzman
Sam Katzman was an American film producer and director. Born into a poor Jewish family, Katzman went to work as a stage laborer at the age of 13 in the fledgling East Coast film industry...
and filmed at the Cinetone Studios in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
for a Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
release. Arthur Dreifuss directed Van Johnson
Van Johnson
Van Johnson was an American film and television actor and dancer who was a major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios during and after World War II....
and Columbia contract stars Dick York
Dick York
Richard Allen "Dick" York was an American actor. He is best remembered for his role as the first Darrin Stephens on the ABC television fantasy sitcom Bewitched...
and Kerwin Mathews
Kerwin Mathews
Kerwin Mathews was an American actor best known for playing the titular heroes in The 7th Voyage of Sinbad , The Three Worlds of Gulliver and Jack the Giant Killer .-Life and career:...
in a fictional account on Operation Grief in the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
. Technical advisor
Technical advisor
A technical advisor is an individual who is expert in a particular field of knowledge, hired to provide detailed information and advice to people working in that field...
to the film was Major John W. McClain who was a company commander with the 23rd Infantry
23rd Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 23rd Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment in the United States Army originally formed on June 26th 1812. The 23rd saw action in 14 battles during the War of 1812...
.
Plot
Several American GIs plan an escape from a German Prisoner of War camp. One of them, Sgt Richardson is actually a German named Lt Von Kroner who is working undercover spying on the prisoners and polishing up his American English. Reporting an imminent escape to the Camp Commandant to prevent their deaths, Von Kroner is told he is being removed from the camp as part of a top secret project gathering all fluent English speaking members of the WehrmachtWehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
for an unstated reason.
Von Kroner is sent to a German castle with others for Operation Grief, called "Operation OK Butch" in the film where they will dress in American uniforms and spearhead the Ardennes Offensive by committing sabotage, confusing enemy forces and seizing key objectives for the attacking German forces. Assisting in the training, Von Kroner is assigned a team of three other men with various skills including a Waffen SS Officer, Wilitz who regales his comrades with stories of his
exploits in terrorising unfortunates whilst a member of the Brown Shirts.
Von Kroner's team's activities and the initial German assault meet success but both soon run into unexpected difficulty. Von Kroner's forged orders are countermanded by a decimated American infantry company of the 23rd Infantry that forces them into being replacements whilst the bad weather making the German assault successful ends with American air power attacking the Germans. In their new unit Von Kroner meets his two fellow American prisoners Sgt Ludwig and Cpl Ennis who said they were the only survivors of their escape that the Germans knew about and ambushed.
Obtaining plans against the American attack against a strategic crossroads, Von Kroner warns the Germans by radio of the American attack but is ordered to stay with the Americans to ensure their attack fails. Von Kroner's team sabotage a jeep with a bomb killing the company commander, and attempt to destroy the unit's other vehicle, a weapons carrier that arouses Ludwig's suspicion.
The company attacks a German position with Wilitz using the opportunity to shoot their lieutenant in the back placing Ludwig in command. Several German prisoners are taken with Richardson/Von Kroner volunteering to take them to Battalion headquarters. He returns to tell his comrades that the prisoners didn't want to escape; they wanted to surrender to the Americans with Von Kroner taking them in. A furious Wilitiz insists that Von Kroner should have shot the lot of them.
With news of German infiltrators behind American lines spreading, Ludwig is further suspicious when Wilitz doesn't know what the American "hot foot
Hot foot
The hot foot is a prank where the prankster sets the victim's shoe laces on fire with a match or lighter. There are several other versions of the hot foot prank, but all involve using a source of flame near a victim's foot...
" is.
Cast
Van JohnsonVan Johnson
Van Johnson was an American film and television actor and dancer who was a major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios during and after World War II....
... Lt. Hans Von Kroner / Sgt. Leonard Richardson
Kerwin Mathews
Kerwin Mathews
Kerwin Mathews was an American actor best known for playing the titular heroes in The 7th Voyage of Sinbad , The Three Worlds of Gulliver and Jack the Giant Killer .-Life and career:...
... Wilitz
Dick York
Dick York
Richard Allen "Dick" York was an American actor. He is best remembered for his role as the first Darrin Stephens on the ABC television fantasy sitcom Bewitched...
... Plt. Sgt. Ludwig
Larry Storch
Larry Storch
Lawrence Samuel "Larry" Storch is an American actor best known for his comic television roles, including voice-over work for top cartoon shows, including Mr...
... Cpl. Ennis
Lise Bourdin ... Monique
Han Bentz van den Berg ... Colonel von Ruppel
Leon Askin
Leon Askin
Leon Askin was an Austrian actor best known for portraying the character "General Burkhalter" on the TV sitcom Hogan's Heroes.-Early life:...
... Sgt. Steiner
Brett Halsey
Brett Halsey
Brett Halsey , is an American film actor, sometimes credited as Montgomery Ford. He is best known as the original John Abbott on the soap opera The Young and the Restless, a role he held from May 1980 to March 1981, before being replaced by Jerry Douglas.-Career:Interested in acting since he was a...
(as Montgomery Ford) ... Capt. Levin