Product Description

The story of British Intelligence using criminals to work behind enemy lines in Yugoslavia during World War II.System Requirements:Running Time: 95 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA/CLASSICS Rating: NR UPC: 883904106418 Manufacturer No: M110641

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #39852 in DVD
• Brand: TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENT
• Released on: 2008-05-13
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, German, Italian
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 98 minutes

Amazon.com
Roger Corman's 1964 The Secret Invasion is a variation on the theme of misfits pooling dark skills to help defeat the Nazi menace in World War II. A fun drama with many of Corman's shoestring-budget trademarks (stock film footage, creative if not always careful use of lighting to match shots), The Secret Invasion stars a number of familiar faces with eclectic star power. Stewart Granger plays a British officer who builds a team out of a handful of skilled criminals freed from various prisons, with the purpose of sending them on a dangerous, undercover mission. (The Secret Invasion was released three years before the similar-sounding The Dirty Dozen.) Among his shady underlings is an expert forger (Edd Byrnes, never a hair out of place), a demolitions expert (Mickey Rooney in a somewhat annoying, too-sprightly performance as an Irish kook), a moody assassin (Henry Silva), an ace impersonator (William Campbell, brother of the film's writer, R. Wright Campbell), and the story's most charismatic figure, a renaissance genius who quickly becomes the team's chief strategist (Raf Vallone).

The group's intent is to rescue an Italian general from the Germans in a very charming, coastal town. The effort forces the reluctant good guys to sustain much brutality from the enemy, and watching while psychological pressures turn some of their more self-centered members into heroes while more damaged participants become doomstruck zombies. Corman juggles the particulars of an extended, chaotic fight scene in the film's final minutes, demonstrating his prowess with no-fuss action shooting and cutting. But it’s the film's air of tragedy and irony that ultimately lingers, wiping away any self-congratulatory cleverness from the impossible-mission plot. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews

"THE SECRET INVASION" -(Color 1964)
I fully share Mr.Walter Goodseal's sentiments about this great film finally making it out of those Hollywood's possessive shelves. This great film features screen giants like Stewart Granger, Ralph Vallone, Mickey Rooney, Henry Silva, William Campbell, Spela Rozin and Enzo Fiermonte as the Italian General Quadri, to name a few of a great cast. As Fascist Italy is near collapse, this group of infiltrating allied commandoes is sent into Nazi occupied Yugoslavia to provoke an uprising of the Italian troops there against their German allies which would hopefully help the U.S.,Britain and their allies, the Yugoslav partisans in the liberation of Yugoslavia from Hitler. This is an unusual war film, brilliantly directed by Roger Corman. A great film which should've been released a long time ago and we, its fans, have been waiting for it for decades, but at long last we will finally have a copy of it on DVD and watch it with pleasure.

Prototype for The Dirty Dozen
Roger Corman was in the middle of his Edgar Allan Poe/Vincent Price cycle when he took time out to make this low budget but fascinating war movie which takes the same basic plot as The Dirty Dozen and which appeared in 1964 as opposed to the better known movie which was not made until 1967.

Stewart Granger plays Major Richard Mace ,a British army officer,who is tasked with a mission to rescue an Italian general (Enzo Fermonte)from captivity at the hands of the Germans.He has vital information which the enely must not find out .The mission involves landing behind enemy lines in Dubrovnik ,on the Adriatic sea,and snatching him from his captors

The mission members are all criminals undertaking the job for pardons .There is a sharpshooter (Henry Silva),a former gang leader(Raf Vallone),a dynamite expert (Mickey Rooney),a forger (Ed Byrnes) and an art faker (William Campbell).They are aided by two partisans -Peter Coe and Mia Massini.

There is a neatly executed twist ,revealed at the conclusion of the mission

This is quite a bleak movie and has some sharp dialogue courtesy of screenwriter R Wright Campbell and overall its an exciting B -Movie .It lacks the powerhouse cast and budget of The Dirty Dozen but it well acted by a cast of solid character actors and is worth the time of all war movie lovers .Roger Corman directs -as ever -with pace and panache

the sleeper of all war films have finally arrived..thanks roger corman
Iam so proud that this movie has finally made it DVD. It is the best war film before the dirty dozen was even made. Roger Corman's direction is crisp and clean and it clips along with intensity and suspense. I saw this many years ago and love it since then. Thank you MGM and Roger Corman..it's been a long time coming.. However, this film is not photographed in 1.33 aspect ratio, but in 2.35 I have recieved my copy and I was amazed. The dvd print is very crisp and clear, the color magnificent. It so good to see this film again after all these years. The performances are all top notch. My favorite charcters are Edd Byrnes as Simon Fell. It's good to see him almost steal the film, his performance is his best to date. Henry Silva is cool as ever, and Mickey Rooney shines as the demolition expert. With William Campbell and Raf Vallone bringing up the rear. Stewart Granger bring authority to his role then defeat. This movie as I said before moves very quickly so put it on pause when you need to take a break. Also this film makes me want to buy a ticket to Devornick...enjoy