The Rats of Tobruk
Three friends enlist in the Australian Army and serve in North Africa, holding the city of Tobruk against Rommel's forces.
Top Cast
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Grant Taylor
Bluey Donkin
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Peter Finch
Peter Linton
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Chips Rafferty
Milo Trent
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Pauline Garrick
Kate Carmody
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Pat Twohill
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George Wallace
Barber of Tobruk
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Joe Valli
Northumberland Fusilier
Overview
Three friends enlist in the Australian Army and serve in North Africa, holding the city of Tobruk against Rommel's forces.
Rating
6.4
/ 10
6 Reviews 0 Popular
1 Reviews
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CinemaSerf6 Mar 27, 2025In the real world, WWII was starting to show signs of ending and this morale-booster serves to urge that final push from the Allies to sustain that effort for just a little longer. That message is condensed into the story of three friends from Australia who have found themselves posted to fight in the desert defending Tobruk from the unstoppable Afrika Korps of Rommel. It plays a little to stereotype with the two Aussies - “Bluey” (Grant Taylor) and “Milo” (Chips Rafferty) being the typical lively, irreverent and feisty personalities whilst the plucky Brit amongst their trio is the more reserved and intellectual “Peter” (Peter Finch) and it’s their differences that both entertain us and compel them to sportingly work together to endure and to thwart the encroaching forces that significantly outnumber and outgun them. Luckily, given they have to hold their positions for as long as possible to protect Egypt, their general has a plan to lure the enemy tanks into an awaiting artillery barrage whilst these men, and hundreds like them, take care of the supporting infantry using machine guns, rifles and miles of barbed wire. I thought there was a fine degree of chemistry between the three here and once the wartime photography takes over the story towards the last fifteen minutes, we get a sense of the grimness of desert warfare with shortages of food, water, ammunition and personell all weighing down in these battle-weary and disorientated soldiers. The message of perseverance is clear, but so is one of collaboration and all being in it together as the history unfolds. There are plenty of stories around about Tobruk and it’s siege, and this one brings an Australian perspective to remind us that those from what was still the last vestiges of Empire were strenuously doing their bit, too.
Trailers & Clips
Recommendations
In North Africa, German Field Marshal Rommel and his troops have successfully fended off British forces, and now intend to take Tobruk, an important port city. A ramshackle group of Australian reinforcements sent to combat the Germans is put under the command of British Captain MacRoberts. The unruly Aussies immediately clash with MacRoberts, a gruff, strict disciplinarian, however this unorthodox team must band together to protect Tobruk from the German forces.
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