Alicia I love this movie so much

ThiefHott Too much of everything

Griff Lees Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

Brenda The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Artless_Dodger SS General Reinhard Heydrich (Anton Diffring) was assassinated by Czech members of the British forces in 1942 and this well made film seeks to convey their story.Well crafted, Lewis Gilbert's film takes an understated approach allowing the story to tell itself. It's a powerful story and doesn't need embellishing, so the film benefits accordingly. However, certain touches do add to the emotion of the piece, such as a younger sister searching for her brother at a time of danger, but being unable to find him. It's a moving scene in a moving film.The cast are universally excellent. Timothy Bottoms and Anthony Andrews do well in straight forward roles, and Martin Shaw impresses in his more challenging role as Karel Curda. Anton Diffring does his Nazi impression to perfection. There may be one or two small changes to the story but this is a film, and not a documentary. Highly recommended.

ma-cortes Film based on the true story of the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich in Prague and was adapted from the book Seven Men at Daybreak by Alan Burgess . During World War 2 , in 1942 Czechoslovakia, SS-General Reinhard Heydrich (he was 38 when he was shot but Anton Diffring who was in his late fifties) is appointed by Hitler (George Sewell plays two parts in this movie; he is a German officer, seen at the film's climax and also, briefly he plays Hitler) to become the Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia , he is known as "The Butcher of Prague". As a squad of Czech expatriates formed by three soldiers : Jan Kubis (Timothy Bottoms) , Karel Curda , (Martin Shaw) and Jozef Gabcík (Anthony Andrews) are parachuted into Czechoslovakia in order to assassinate the German governor Reinhard Heydrich . The group is assigned a dangerous mission called Operation Daybreak ; it was designed by the Allies to eliminate a high-ranking Nazi (it is believed that Admiral Canaris passed crucial information to Allies for organizing the attack) . They are helped by partisans as Janák (Joss Ackland) , Anna (Nicola Pagett) and Pyotr (Vernon Dobtcheff) .On 27 May 1942, Heydrich proceeded on his daily commute from his home to Prague Castle. Gabčík and Kubiš waited at the tram stop at a tight curve . The spot was chosen because the curve would force the car to slow down . As Heydrich's open-topped Mercedes-Benz reached the curve, Gabčík stepped in front of the vehicle, trying to open fire, but his Sten gun jammed. Heydrich ordered his driver, SS-Oberscharführer Klein, to stop the car. When Heydrich stood up to try to shoot Gabčík, Kubiš threw a modified anti-tank grenade at the vehicle, and its fragments ripped through the car's right-rear fender, embedding shrapnel and fibres from the upholstery into Heydrich's body, even though the grenade failed to enter the car . The assailants initially hid with two Prague families and later took refuge in an Orthodox church dedicated to Saints Cyril and Methodius in Prague. The Germans were unable to locate the attackers until Karel Čurda of the "Out Distance" sabotage group was arrested by the Gestapo and gave the names of the team's local contacts for a bounty .The assassination of Heydrich was one of the most significant moments in the history of the resistance in Czechoslovakia and is considered to be the strongest act of defiance throughout occupied Europe. The act had such an impact that it led to the immediate dissolution of the Munich Agreement as signed by Great Britain and France, as well as Germany's ally Italy. Britain and France agreed that after the Nazis were defeated the annexed territory (Sudetenland) would be restored to Czechoslovakia. As Heydrich was one of the most important Nazi leaders, two large funeral ceremonies were conducted. The first one was in Prague, where the way to Prague Castle was lined by thousands of SS men with torches. The second was in Berlin attended by all leading Nazi figures, including Hitler, who placed the German Order and Blood Order medals on the funeral pillow. The betrayer Karel Čurda, after attempting suicide, was hanged in 1947 for high treason .It is based on the novel by Alan Burgess and on a true story that also was adapted by Fritz Lang, in 1943 'Hangmen Also Die' , Hitler's Madman (1943) and Atentat (1964). It explores the preparations, execution, and aftermath of this operation and the bloody revenge on the Lidice village . Operation Daybreak shows the operation leading up to Heydrich's death as well as the massive German reprisals that followed it . This movie was one of the few productions who took the time and the effort of duplicating WW2 German Tiger tanks, and since the film was set in the Czech republic, the filmmakers made use of Czech army equipment .One of the best things about this interesting film results to be its excellent recreation , shot in Prague and authentic scenarios, we have the full details of the events, the arrival of the command, the plan of attack, the realization of it, the Nazis retaliated with physical elimination of Lidice, and as they surrounded the Church of St. Cyril by the treachery of one of the components of the command . The picture contains an intriguing but inappropriate original music by David Hentschel composed by means of synthesizer . Furthermore a functional and atmospheric Cinematography by magnificent French director of photography Henri Decaë . The motion picture was professionally directed by Lewis Gilbert . Lewis was a craftsman and expert on all kind of genres such as comedy : ¨Shirley Valentine , Educating Rita , The admirable Chricton¨ ; Adventure : ¨The seventh dawn , The adventurers ¨ ; James Bond movies as as : ¨Moonraker , The spy who loved me , You only live twice¨ ; Drama : ¨Alfie , A cry from the streets¨ and wartime : ¨Damn the Defiant , Sink the Bismark¨ .

caviar_sand This movie was released in India round 1976 and I remember being stunned at that time. I of course have this in VCD - and there are many stunning moments in this film which I have watched repeatedly and recommended heavily to one and all. I also have an illustrated book titled 'Lidice: Sacrificial Village" published as part of a series on WW2 by Purnell/ Imperial War Museum in the early 1970s and judging by the photographs in the book, it is TOTALLY AMAZING in the way the producers have taken great pains to select the locations - the film was after all shot in Czechoslovakia - and the actors, the props, etc This is a True Story. Though the romance between Kubis and Anna is highly suspect - and a bit of a drag - the rest of the movie is taut and tense. This is one of the few films that brings out the fact that in war there are no heroes no villains - only victims. Though the Czech Resistance 'scored" a "hit" , the German reprisals were so devastating that the Czech Resistance almost ceased to exist for the next three years.I call this as a 'small" film because none of the cast are well known - except for a very young Joss Ackland . Anton Difring had been playing Nazis for years together but his resemblance to Reinhard Heydrich is startling - right down to the broad forehead, aquiline nose.And he is chilling as Heydrich. Overall the thematic content, visuals, performances, story telling - I would go far to say that this film is far superior to most other "grand" war films. The moody sombre music creates great atmosphere.And what is war but a test of all human emotions - friendship, betrayal, sacrifice, greed, cunning , bravery - all this and more is present in abundance in this filmTHOROUGHLY RECOMMENDED . SEE IT . GET IT .

Kieran Green 'Operation Daybreak' Which is based on a true story Is a criminally and largely Un-Seen ClassicOperation Daybreak, tells about the assassination of SS general Reinhard Heydrich,who was the inhumane,Reich protector assigned to Prague and Bohemia , Circa 1942,British intellegance informs The two men assigned to this perilous mission, that should Hitler die Heydrich, will Assume Hitler's place,The two men who carry out this deadly mission are The Last Picture Show's(Timothy Bottoms, And Martin Shaw (Tv's Judge john deed) The two who are Czech commandos's, are swiftly parachuted into Prague, Where they set about their plan which gets underway in no time,The mission unfortunately has it's unseen setbacks, Which sees Their target fatally wounded,and then come the massive reprisals, and the thrilling climax that has a bloody shootout in the church where the Partisans, are stationed, the film culminate's in the Churches's catacomb's to an excepitonally and emotionally driven end, Directed by Lewis Gilbert, (The Spy Who Loved Me, Educating Rita, Is a largely excellent production filmed on location in Prague itself, The film which is increasingly HARD to find Really does require a DVD,Urgently!!!