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** The Italians composed at least half the Axis force in North Africa at all times, and fought very bravely to great effect. Italy's status as a Cold-War ally of the USA and UK against the USSR meant that this fact had to be downplayed.
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** The Italians composed at least half the Axis force in North Africa at all times, and fought very bravely to great effect. Italy's status as a Cold-War Cold War ally of the USA and UK against the USSR meant that this fact had to be downplayed.
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* CreatorProvincialism: Bayerlein says "10 o'clock last night," even though Germany uses 24-hour time, and says that they have not had a single pint of petrol, when he should have said liter.
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* IGotYouCovered: A commando shouts, "Cover me!" while he throws a grenade. Then he runs off allowing the man who was covering him to get shot dead.
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* IGotYouCovered: A commando shouts, "Cover me!" while he throws a grenade. Then he runs off [[HollywoodTactics allowing the man who was covering him to get shot dead.]]
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* IGotYouCovered: A commando shouts, "Cover me!" while he throws a grenade. Then he runs off allowing the man who was covering him to get shot dead.
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Has a pseudo-sequel or companion film in ''Film/TheDesertRats'', in which Rommel (Mason again) is a lot less sympathetic.
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The film shows the downfall of his career between fall 1942 and October 1944, from the Second Battle of El Alamein to his involvement in the July 20 Plot, resulting in his suicide. Typically for an English-language film released just six years after WorldWarII, the film is incredibly sympathetic to Rommel and other German officers - portraying them as non-Nazi or even ''[[RefugeInAudacity anti-Nazi]]'' professionals who are ''only'' [[MyCountryRightOrWrong serving the Nazis because they love and want to defend their country from Communism]]. AsYouKnow, this portrayal could not have been further from the truth.
to:
The film shows the downfall of his career between fall 1942 and October 1944, from the Second Battle of El Alamein to his involvement in the July 20 Plot, resulting in his suicide. Typically for an English-language film released just six years after WorldWarII, UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, the film is incredibly sympathetic to Rommel and other German officers - portraying them as non-Nazi or even ''[[RefugeInAudacity anti-Nazi]]'' professionals who are ''only'' [[MyCountryRightOrWrong serving the Nazis because they love and want to defend their country from Communism]]. AsYouKnow, this portrayal could not have been further from the truth.
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* VillainousBreakdown: Not as spectacular as the scene from ''Film/{{Downfall}}'', but Hitler's SanitySlippage is something to behold.
-->'''Hitler:''' I have designs that will change warfare for centuries to come!
-->'''Rommel:''' But what about ''today'', sir? What are we to do ''tomorrow morning''!
-->'''Hitler:''' I have designs that will change warfare for centuries to come!
-->'''Rommel:''' But what about ''today'', sir? What are we to do ''tomorrow morning''!
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''The Desert Fox'' is a 1951 FilmOfTheBook (''The Desert Fox'') starring JamesMason as Field Marshal UsefulNotes/ErwinRommel. These codified the 'Rommel myth' of the late German officer as an 'honourable 'martial genius' in the Anglosphere.
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''The Desert Fox'' is a 1951 FilmOfTheBook (''The Desert Fox'') starring JamesMason as Field Marshal UsefulNotes/ErwinRommel. These codified the 'Rommel myth' of the late German officer as an 'honourable 'martial martial genius' in the Anglosphere.
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Changed line(s) 3,6 (click to see context) from:
''The Desert Fox'' is a 1951 FilmOfTheBook (''The Desert Fox'') starring JamesMason as Field Marshal UsefulNotes/ErwinRommel. These codified the 'Rommel myth' of the late German officer as an 'honourable' 'martial genius' in the anglosphere.
The film shows the downfall of his career between fall 1942 and October 1944, from the Second Battle of El Alamein to his involvement in the July 20 Plot, resulting in his suicide. Typically for an english-language film released just six years after WorldWarII, the film is incredibly sympathetic to Rommel and other German officers - portraying them as non-Nazi or even ''[[RefugeInAudacity anti-Nazi]]'' professionals who are ''only'' [[MyCountryRightOrWrong serving the Nazis because they love and want to defend their country from Communism]]. AsYouKnow, this portrayal could not have been further from the truth.
The film shows the downfall of his career between fall 1942 and October 1944, from the Second Battle of El Alamein to his involvement in the July 20 Plot, resulting in his suicide. Typically for an english-language film released just six years after WorldWarII, the film is incredibly sympathetic to Rommel and other German officers - portraying them as non-Nazi or even ''[[RefugeInAudacity anti-Nazi]]'' professionals who are ''only'' [[MyCountryRightOrWrong serving the Nazis because they love and want to defend their country from Communism]]. AsYouKnow, this portrayal could not have been further from the truth.
to:
''The Desert Fox'' is a 1951 FilmOfTheBook (''The Desert Fox'') starring JamesMason as Field Marshal UsefulNotes/ErwinRommel. These codified the 'Rommel myth' of the late German officer as an 'honourable' 'honourable 'martial genius' in the anglosphere.Anglosphere.
The film shows the downfall of his career between fall 1942 and October 1944, from the Second Battle of El Alamein to his involvement in the July 20 Plot, resulting in his suicide. Typically for anenglish-language English-language film released just six years after WorldWarII, the film is incredibly sympathetic to Rommel and other German officers - portraying them as non-Nazi or even ''[[RefugeInAudacity anti-Nazi]]'' professionals who are ''only'' [[MyCountryRightOrWrong serving the Nazis because they love and want to defend their country from Communism]]. AsYouKnow, this portrayal could not have been further from the truth.
The film shows the downfall of his career between fall 1942 and October 1944, from the Second Battle of El Alamein to his involvement in the July 20 Plot, resulting in his suicide. Typically for an
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* MyCountryRightOrWrong: A key theme of the book and film. Rommel could not be portrayed as wanting genocidal racist maniacs to successfully conquer Europe ''and'' retain the sympathy of most of the english-speaking audience, so the obvious solution was to elide the German military's 'political' activities and Rommel's own non-nationalistic motivations.
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* MyCountryRightOrWrong: A key theme of the book and film. Rommel could not be portrayed as wanting genocidal racist maniacs to successfully conquer Europe ''and'' retain the sympathy of most of the english-speaking English-speaking audience, so the obvious solution was to elide the German military's 'political' activities and Rommel's own non-nationalistic motivations.
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** In this period, a Tactical commander who was a FrontlineGeneral was just doing their job. But an Operational commander who was a FrontlineGeneral ''was not''. If they were away from a command post, they were unable to understand the overall situation or command their men effectively as this required multiple high-power radios and a typing pool.
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** In real life, Manfred (who was 15 when his father killed himself) was eager to join the Waffen-SS, but his father refused to allow him. He did ended up manning an AA gun, and flak was indeed the Luftwaffe's business.
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** In real life, Manfred (who was 15 when his father killed himself) was eager to join the Waffen-SS, but his father refused to allow him. He him - the turnover of officers in ground-combat units was high, and the Soviets had a bad habit of not taking SS troops alive (as revenge for all that 'anti-partisan' business that the ''Wehrmacht'' and ''SS''had been getting up to in the occupied Soviet Union). Manfred did ended end up manning an AA gun, and flak was indeed the Luftwaffe's business.
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* MyCountryRightOrWrong
* OldSoldier: Gerd von Rundstedt is accurately shown as this, with a comment that he is 70 now and too old to take part in a revolution.
* OldSoldier: Gerd von Rundstedt is accurately shown as this, with a comment that he is 70 now and too old to take part in a revolution.
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* MyCountryRightOrWrong
MyCountryRightOrWrong: A key theme of the book and film. Rommel could not be portrayed as wanting genocidal racist maniacs to successfully conquer Europe ''and'' retain the sympathy of most of the english-speaking audience, so the obvious solution was to elide the German military's 'political' activities and Rommel's own non-nationalistic motivations.
* OldSoldier: Gerd von Rundstedt is accurately shown as this, with a comment that he is 70 now andtoo 'too old to take part in a revolution.revolution'. Similarly, the real Gerd von Rundstedt was more of a murderously antisemitic, rabidly anti-Communist xenophobe than he was a 'true' Nazi revolutionary.
* OldSoldier: Gerd von Rundstedt is accurately shown as this, with a comment that he is 70 now and
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''The Desert Fox'' is a 1951 film starring JamesMason as Field Marshal UsefulNotes/ErwinRommel. The film shows the downfall of his career between fall 1942 and October 1944, from the Second Battle of El Alamein to his involvement in the July 20 Plot, resulting in his suicide. Unusual for a film released only six years after WorldWarII, the film is incredibly sympathetic to Rommel and other German officers, portraying them as professional soldiers who believe in their nation no matter who is in charge.
to:
''The Desert Fox'' is a 1951 film FilmOfTheBook (''The Desert Fox'') starring JamesMason as Field Marshal UsefulNotes/ErwinRommel. These codified the 'Rommel myth' of the late German officer as an 'honourable' 'martial genius' in the anglosphere.
The film shows the downfall of his career between fall 1942 and October 1944, from the Second Battle of El Alamein to his involvement in the July 20 Plot, resulting in his suicide.Unusual Typically for a an english-language film released only just six years after WorldWarII, the film is incredibly sympathetic to Rommel and other German officers, officers - portraying them as professional soldiers non-Nazi or even ''[[RefugeInAudacity anti-Nazi]]'' professionals who believe in are ''only'' [[MyCountryRightOrWrong serving the Nazis because they love and want to defend their nation no matter who is in charge.
country from Communism]]. AsYouKnow, this portrayal could not have been further from the truth.
The film shows the downfall of his career between fall 1942 and October 1944, from the Second Battle of El Alamein to his involvement in the July 20 Plot, resulting in his suicide.
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** Rommel did not understand Operations or logistics, making him a poor commander above the tactical level of warfare - yet "the Desert Fox" is portrayed as a martial genius. This is consistent with wartime Allied propaganda, which talked up Rommel's abilities to explain their repeated defeats against Rommel's smaller forces - these defeats being the product of poor (but improving) Allied understand of Operations and Tactics.
** The Italians composed at least half the Axis force in North Africa at all times, and fought very bravely to great effect. Italy's status as a Cold-War ally of the USA and UK against the USSR meant that this fact had to be downplayed.
** The Italians composed at least half the Axis force in North Africa at all times, and fought very bravely to great effect. Italy's status as a Cold-War ally of the USA and UK against the USSR meant that this fact had to be downplayed.
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* HistoricalHeroUpgrade: Rommel's veneration as a WorthyOpponent for the Western Allies is debatable. Though he had disagreements with Hitler's tactics and brutality he remained on good terms with Hitler personally. Further, most modern historians doubt that he was actually involved in the 20 July plot. In fairness, Rommel ''was'' more chivalrous and fair-minded than pretty much any of his peers, and he did end up believing that Hitler needed to be removed from office.
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* HistoricalHeroUpgrade: Rommel's veneration as a WorthyOpponent for the Western Allies is debatable. Though he had disagreements with Hitler's tactics and brutality he remained on good terms with Hitler personally. Further, most modern historians doubt that he was actually involved in the 20 July plot. In fairness, Rommel ''was'' more chivalrous and fair-minded than pretty much any of his peers, and he did end up believing that Hitler needed to be removed from office. Though, he was against any assassination out of the belief that Hitler would become a martyr and thus make it impossible to remove his image.
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* BadassBoast: Rundstedt tells Rommel that, were he not handicapped by Hitler's short-sighted orders, he would make the Allies pay.
--> "I'd make them pay such a price in blood they'd wish they'd never heard of Germany. I may not be able to stop them all, but they'd know they fought an army, not a series of stationary targets."
--> "I'd make them pay such a price in blood they'd wish they'd never heard of Germany. I may not be able to stop them all, but they'd know they fought an army, not a series of stationary targets."
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* UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler: Makes an appearance, one of the best performances of the role. Ironically, he's played by a Jewish actor, Luther Adler.
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'''''The Desert Fox''''' is a 1951 film starring JamesMason as Field Marshal UsefulNotes/ErwinRommel. The film shows the downfall of his career between fall 1942 and October 1944, from the Second Battle of El Alamein to his involvement in the July 20 Plot, resulting in his suicide. Unusual for a film released only six years after WorldWarII, the film is incredibly sympathetic to Rommel and other German officers, portraying them as professional soldiers who believe in their nation no matter who is in charge.
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''The Desert
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* ArtisticLicenseHistory: Colonel-Count Claus von Stauffenberg wears an eyepatch on his right eye. However, he actually lost his left eye.
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* ArtisticLicenseHistory: ArtisticLicenseHistory:
** Colonel-Count Claus von Stauffenberg wears an eyepatch on his right eye. However, he actually lost his lefteye.eye.
** On July 20, the day of the attempted assassination, Hitler asks where Göring is, being told that he's on his way. ''Reichsmarschall'' Göring was nowhere near the Wolf's Lair bunker that day.
** Colonel-Count Claus von Stauffenberg wears an eyepatch on his right eye. However, he actually lost his left
** On July 20, the day of the attempted assassination, Hitler asks where Göring is, being told that he's on his way. ''Reichsmarschall'' Göring was nowhere near the Wolf's Lair bunker that day.
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* FatBastard: While Goering does not appear, Hitler does make a fat joke about him.
-->'''Hitler:''' Where's Goering?
-->'''Hitler:''' Where's Goering?
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* FatBastard: While Goering Göring does not appear, Hitler does make a fat joke about him.
-->'''Hitler:''' Where'sGoering?Göring?
-->'''Hitler:''' Where's
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* JustFollowingOrders: Averted. Rommel refuses to simply follow orders that would see his troops slaughtered.
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* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: After receiving confirmation that the Afrika Korps is to stand their ground in the face of superior British firepower, Rommel rips up the message and orders Bayerlein to pull their troops out.
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* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: After receiving confirmation from the Führer that the Afrika Korps is to stand their ground in the face of superior British firepower, Rommel rips up the message and orders Bayerlein to pull their troops out.
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-->'''Bayerlein:''' And what are you going to do? Double the insanity by obeying it? We've got the best soldiers in the German Army here. They may just be hanging on, but they're still a force! They're still fighting! If they pull out now, they can fight again tomorrow. But this? This is shear madness. It's out of the Middle Ages! No one's said "victory or death" since people fought with bows and arrows! Why, this is an order to throw away an entire army!
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-->'''Bayerlein:''' And what are you going to do? Double the insanity by obeying it? We've got the best soldiers in the German Army here. They may just be hanging on, but they're still a force! They're still fighting! If they pull out now, they can fight again tomorrow. But this? This is shear sheer madness. It's out of the Middle Ages! No one's said "victory or death" since people fought with bows and arrows! Why, this is an order to throw away an entire army!
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* ActionPrologue: Begins with a British commando raid on Rommel's headquarters.
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* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: After receiving confirmation that the Afrika Korps is to stand their ground in the face of superior British firepower, Rommel rips up the message and orders Bayerlein to pull their troops out.
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* VillainProtagonist: Rommel is a field marshal of the German Army and is the central character.
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* SurroundedByIdiots: Just as the Battle of El Alamein is coming to a head, Rommel thinks that Hitler is surrounded by incompetent generals who've persuaded him to hold their ground rather than retreat. However, a confirmation causes Rommel to realize that the Führer is not the military genius he appears to be.
* VillainProtagonist: Rommel is a field marshal of the German Army and is the centralcharacter.character.
* WeHaveReserves: Defied by the Afrika Korps.
-->'''Rommel:''' It's an order, Bayerlein. A military order from general headquarters. A clear, straight, stupid, criminal military order from general headquarters!
-->'''Bayerlein:''' And what are you going to do? Double the insanity by obeying it? We've got the best soldiers in the German Army here. They may just be hanging on, but they're still a force! They're still fighting! If they pull out now, they can fight again tomorrow. But this? This is shear madness. It's out of the Middle Ages! No one's said "victory or death" since people fought with bows and arrows! Why, this is an order to throw away an entire army!
* VillainProtagonist: Rommel is a field marshal of the German Army and is the central
* WeHaveReserves: Defied by the Afrika Korps.
-->'''Rommel:''' It's an order, Bayerlein. A military order from general headquarters. A clear, straight, stupid, criminal military order from general headquarters!
-->'''Bayerlein:''' And what are you going to do? Double the insanity by obeying it? We've got the best soldiers in the German Army here. They may just be hanging on, but they're still a force! They're still fighting! If they pull out now, they can fight again tomorrow. But this? This is shear madness. It's out of the Middle Ages! No one's said "victory or death" since people fought with bows and arrows! Why, this is an order to throw away an entire army!
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* PetTheDog: At the beginning of the film, Lt. Colonel Desmond Young is ordered by a German officer to approach a British artillery battery under a flag of truce and claim that they're killing [=POWs=]. Young refuses, as he is a POW and thus cannot be given any such order. Rommel quickly hears about this and puts a stop to the officer's plan. Young thanks the Field Marshal by saluting, which Rommel returns.
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* StaffOfAuthority: Just as in real life, Rommel gets one.
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* StaffOfAuthority: Just as in real life, Rommel gets one.one.
* VillainProtagonist: Rommel is a field marshal of the German Army and is the central character.
* VillainProtagonist: Rommel is a field marshal of the German Army and is the central character.
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* GentlemanSnarker: Gerd von Rundstedt, professional soldier and BlueBlood aristocrat, has a touch of this.
-->'''Wilhelm Keitel:''' How can I report such news to the Führer?
-->'''Gerd von Rundstedt:''' You've reported misfortune to him before. Why should this present such a problem to you?
-->'''Wilhelm Keitel:''' How can I report such news to the Führer?
-->'''Gerd von Rundstedt:''' You've reported misfortune to him before. Why should this present such a problem to you?
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* ArtisticLicenseHistory: Colonel-Count Claus von Stauffenberg wears an eyepatch on his right eye. However, he actually lost his left eye.
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* AdolfHitler: Makes an appearance, one of the best performances of the role. Ironically, he's played by a Jewish actor, Luther Adler.
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* AdolfHitler: UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler: Makes an appearance, one of the best performances of the role. Ironically, he's played by a Jewish actor, Luther Adler.
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'''''The Desert Fox''''' is a 1951 film starring JamesMason as Field Marshal ErwinRommel. The film shows the downfall of his career between fall 1942 and October 1944, from the Second Battle of El Alamein to his involvement in the July 20 Plot, resulting in his suicide. Unusual for a film released only six years after WorldWarII, the film is incredibly sympathetic to Rommel and other German officers, portraying them as professional soldiers who believe in their nation no matter who is in charge.
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'''''The Desert Fox''''' is a 1951 film starring JamesMason as Field Marshal ErwinRommel.UsefulNotes/ErwinRommel. The film shows the downfall of his career between fall 1942 and October 1944, from the Second Battle of El Alamein to his involvement in the July 20 Plot, resulting in his suicide. Unusual for a film released only six years after WorldWarII, the film is incredibly sympathetic to Rommel and other German officers, portraying them as professional soldiers who believe in their nation no matter who is in charge.
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* FrontlineGeneral: Rommel loves to get up close to the front, often to the annoyance of his staff.
-->'''Colonel Fritz Bayerlein:''' I wouldn't mind having a commander-in-chief with a touch of cowardice about him, have him report to his headquarters every now and then.
-->'''Colonel Fritz Bayerlein:''' I wouldn't mind having a commander-in-chief with a touch of cowardice about him, have him report to his headquarters every now and then.
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* HeyItsThatGuy: Wilhelm Keitel is played by the rich bastard in ''Film/WhenWorldsCollide''.
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* HistoricalHeroUpgrade: Rommel's veneration as a WorthyOpponent for the Western Allies is debatable. Though he had disagreements with Hitler's tactics and brutality he remained on good terms with Hitler personally. Further, most modern historians doubt that he was actually involved in the 20 July plot. In fairness, Rommel ''was'' more chivalrous and fair-minded than pretty much any of his peers.
to:
* HistoricalHeroUpgrade: Rommel's veneration as a WorthyOpponent for the Western Allies is debatable. Though he had disagreements with Hitler's tactics and brutality he remained on good terms with Hitler personally. Further, most modern historians doubt that he was actually involved in the 20 July plot. In fairness, Rommel ''was'' more chivalrous and fair-minded than pretty much any of his peers. peers, and he did end up believing that Hitler needed to be removed from office.
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** In real life, Manfred (who was 15 when his father killed himself) was eager to join the Waffen-SS, but his father refused to allow him.
to:
** In real life, Manfred (who was 15 when his father killed himself) was eager to join the Waffen-SS, but his father refused to allow him. He did ended up manning an AA gun, and flak was indeed the Luftwaffe's business.
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* AFatherToHisMen: When Rommel arrives back in North Africa, he has a sneezing fit and when it's done, several officers offer up their handkerchiefs.
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* StaffOfAuthority: Just as in real life, Rommel gets one.
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* StaffOfAuthority: Just as in real life, Rommel gets one.
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'''''The Desert Fox''''' is a 1951 film starring JamesMason as Field Marshal ErwinRommel. The film shows the downfall of his career between fall 1942 and October 1944, from the Second Battle of El Alamein to his involvement in the July 20 Plot, resulting in his suicide. Unusual for a film released only six years after WorldWarII, the film is incredibly sympathetic to Rommel and other German officers, portraying them as professional soldiers who believe in their nation no matter who is in charge.
----
!!Tropes in this film include:
* AdolfHitler: Makes an appearance, one of the best performances of the role. Ironically, he's played by a Jewish actor, Luther Adler.
* AsHimself: Desmond Young, who wrote the book the film is based on, plays himself in the scene in which he is captured in North Africa and meets Rommel, along with the scenes of him interviewing Rommel's family, and former German and British soldiers.
* BadassGrandpa: Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt. While too old to join in the July 20 plot, he has the audacity to say to Keitel over the phone "Make peace, you idiot!"
* ChildSoldiers: Halfway through the film, Rommel's teenage son Manfred joins the Luftwaffe.
** In real life, Manfred (who was 15 when his father killed himself) was eager to join the Waffen-SS, but his father refused to allow him.
* DrivenToSuicide: Rommel himself, who initially opts to be tried in the People's Court but reconsiders because it could end badly for his wife and son.
* FatBastard: While Goering does not appear, Hitler does make a fat joke about him.
-->'''Hitler:''' Where's Goering?
-->'''Officer:''' On his way now, sir.
-->'''Hitler:''' Oh, well, when you're fat, you don't move so fast.
-->''[Officers laugh]''
* HeyItsThatGuy: Wilhelm Keitel is played by the rich bastard in ''Film/WhenWorldsCollide''.
* HistoricalHeroUpgrade: Rommel's veneration as a WorthyOpponent for the Western Allies is debatable. Though he had disagreements with Hitler's tactics and brutality he remained on good terms with Hitler personally. Further, most modern historians doubt that he was actually involved in the 20 July plot. In fairness, Rommel ''was'' more chivalrous and fair-minded than pretty much any of his peers.
** Perhaps even more with Von Rundstedt. He and Rommel had at best a contentious personal relationship, and Rundstedt had no sympathy at all for the 20 July plotters, calling their efforts "base, bare-faced treachery." His disagreements with Hitler were purely tactical.
* MyCountryRightOrWrong
* OldSoldier: Gerd von Rundstedt is accurately shown as this, with a comment that he is 70 now and too old to take part in a revolution.
* ReassignedToAntarctica: While not entirely unpleasant, there were a few better places for Rommel to be than supervising the construction of coastal fortifications he knew would not halt the Allied invasion.
* StaffOfAuthority: Just as in real life, Rommel gets one.
----
!!Tropes in this film include:
* AdolfHitler: Makes an appearance, one of the best performances of the role. Ironically, he's played by a Jewish actor, Luther Adler.
* AsHimself: Desmond Young, who wrote the book the film is based on, plays himself in the scene in which he is captured in North Africa and meets Rommel, along with the scenes of him interviewing Rommel's family, and former German and British soldiers.
* BadassGrandpa: Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt. While too old to join in the July 20 plot, he has the audacity to say to Keitel over the phone "Make peace, you idiot!"
* ChildSoldiers: Halfway through the film, Rommel's teenage son Manfred joins the Luftwaffe.
** In real life, Manfred (who was 15 when his father killed himself) was eager to join the Waffen-SS, but his father refused to allow him.
* DrivenToSuicide: Rommel himself, who initially opts to be tried in the People's Court but reconsiders because it could end badly for his wife and son.
* FatBastard: While Goering does not appear, Hitler does make a fat joke about him.
-->'''Hitler:''' Where's Goering?
-->'''Officer:''' On his way now, sir.
-->'''Hitler:''' Oh, well, when you're fat, you don't move so fast.
-->''[Officers laugh]''
* HeyItsThatGuy: Wilhelm Keitel is played by the rich bastard in ''Film/WhenWorldsCollide''.
* HistoricalHeroUpgrade: Rommel's veneration as a WorthyOpponent for the Western Allies is debatable. Though he had disagreements with Hitler's tactics and brutality he remained on good terms with Hitler personally. Further, most modern historians doubt that he was actually involved in the 20 July plot. In fairness, Rommel ''was'' more chivalrous and fair-minded than pretty much any of his peers.
** Perhaps even more with Von Rundstedt. He and Rommel had at best a contentious personal relationship, and Rundstedt had no sympathy at all for the 20 July plotters, calling their efforts "base, bare-faced treachery." His disagreements with Hitler were purely tactical.
* MyCountryRightOrWrong
* OldSoldier: Gerd von Rundstedt is accurately shown as this, with a comment that he is 70 now and too old to take part in a revolution.
* ReassignedToAntarctica: While not entirely unpleasant, there were a few better places for Rommel to be than supervising the construction of coastal fortifications he knew would not halt the Allied invasion.
* StaffOfAuthority: Just as in real life, Rommel gets one.
