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<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|1957 film by Michael Carreras}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2014}}<br />
{{Use British English|date=November 2014}}<br />
{{Infobox film<br />
| image = File:The Steel Bayonet.jpg<br />
| name = The Steel Bayonet<br />
| director = [[Michael Carreras]]<br />
| producer = Michael Carreras<br>[[Anthony Nelson-Keys]]<ref>Johnson, Tom (1996). Hammer Films: An Exhaustive Filmography. North Carolina: McFarland. p. 119. ISBN 0-7864-0034-X.</ref><br />
| writer = [[Howard Clewes]]<br />
| starring = [[Leo Genn]] <br> [[Kieron Moore (Irish actor)|Kieron Moore]] <br> [[Michael Medwin]]<br>Michael Ripper<br />
| music = [[Leonard Salzedo]]<br>John Hollingsworth<br />
| cinematography = [[Jack Asher]]<br />
| editing = [[Bill Lenny]]<br />
| distributor = [[Hammer Film Productions]]<br />
| studio = [[United Artists]]<br />
| released = {{Film date|1957|06|03|df=yes}} (UK)<br>1958 (US)<ref>Johnson, Tom (1996). Hammer Films: An Exhaustive Filmography. North Carolina: McFarland. p. 119. ISBN 0-7864-0034-X.</ref><br />
| runtime = 85 minutes<br />
| country = United Kingdom<br />
| language = English<br />
}}<br />
'''''The Steel Bayonet''''' is a 1957 British [[war film]] directed by [[Michael Carreras]] and starring [[Leo Genn]], [[Kieron Moore (Irish actor)|Kieron Moore]] and [[Michael Medwin]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/52659|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090114110642/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/52659|url-status=dead|archive-date=2009-01-14|title=The Steel Bayonet (1957)|publisher=}}</ref> [[Michael Caine]] also had a small role in the film, early in his career. It is set during the [[Second World War]], in the [[Tunisia]]n desert when a small British observation force are surrounded in a farm by overwhelming forces of the German [[Afrika Korps]]. Filming took place on [[Salisbury Plain]], which doubled for North Africa. This was Michael Carreras' first film he directed for Hammer. Phil Leakey did Makeup and Sid Pearson did Special Effects. The film's original working title was ''Observation Post''. The German soldiers actually spoke German (with English subtitles) in the film, which was unusual for its time. Filming wrapped on Sept. 20, 1956, it was trade shown in London on May 14, 1957, and released on June 3, 1957. It was released in the US in 1958 on a double bill with a Forrest Tucker western called ''Fort Massacre''.<ref>Johnson, Tom (1996). Hammer Films: An Exhaustive Filmography. North Carolina: McFarland. p. 119. ISBN 0-7864-0034-X.</ref><br />
<br />
==Plot==<br />
<br />
''Tunisia 1943''<br />
<br />
As the [[North African Campaign]] draws to a close, and the [[Afrika Korps|German]] and [[Royal Italian Army during World War II|Italian]] forces are being pushed back on [[Tunis]], a company of British Infantry are tasked with holding a small Arab farm against an expected last-ditch counter-attack; the farm's water tower will be used as an observation point by a few [[Royal Artillery]] spotters. To defend the farm British Lt. Colonel Derry picks a company led by Major Alan Gerrard; these men have been in the thick of the fighting around Tunis and are greatly reduced in number (described by the narrator as down to barely two platoons). So Gerrard's company set out on foot for the farm; on the way they are joined by Royal Artillery Captain Dickie Mead and his signaller, Ames. Arriving at the farm, Gerrard's men expel the occupants and dig slit trenches in front of the farm. With the water tower and its ladder in clear view, Mead decides to wait until just before dawn to climb it. The following day Mead uses his position to target artillery fired on to the German forces. All goes well until the Germans send out a reconnaissance patrol to pinpoint the observation post, but Gerrard's men successfully repulse the attack.<br />
<br />
With the Germans now sure of the British troops’ position, it becomes a test of nerve for seasoned troops and new boys alike. All of them stick it out until they are finally ordered to retreat with their mission deemed successful. Mead decides to stay behind and cover their escape with artillery fire, leading to the death of Sergeant-Major Gill and Private Middleditch. When Mead finally succumbs to German fire, only the injured Gerrard is left. With the Germans in the farm and his surviving men well on their way to safety, the now mortally wounded Major radios for the artillery to totally destroy the farm, killing both Gerrard and the Germans' last chance of advancing further on this front.<br />
<br />
==Cast==<br />
{{div col}}<br />
* [[Leo Genn]] as Major Alan Gerrard<br />
* [[Kieron Moore (Irish actor)|Kieron Moore]] as Captain Dickie Mead, Royal Artillery<br />
* [[Michael Medwin]] as Lieutenant Vernon<br />
* [[Robert Brown (British actor)|Robert Brown]] as Company Sergeant Major Gill<br />
* [[Michael Ripper]] as Private Middleditch<br />
* [[John Paul (actor)|John Paul]] as Lieutenant Colonel Derry<br />
* [[Shay Gorman]] as Sergeant Gates<br />
* Tom Bowman as Sergeant Nicholls<br />
* [[Jack Stewart (actor)|Jack Stewart]] as Private Wentworth<br />
* [[Ian Whittaker]] as Private Wilson<br />
* [[Bernard Horsfall]] as Private Livingstone<br />
* John Watson as Corporal Bean<br />
* [[Arthur Lovegrove]] as Private Jarvis<br />
* [[Percy Herbert (actor)|Percy Herbert]] as Private Clark<br />
* [[Paddy Joyce]] as Corporal Ames, Capt. Meads signaller<br />
* [[Michael Balfour (actor)|Michael Balfour]] as Private Thomas<br />
* [[Raymond Francis]] as General<br />
* [[Garard Green]] as German Company Commander<br />
{{div col end}}<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
<references/><br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
* {{IMDb title|0051009}}<br />
<br />
{{Michael Carreras}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Steel Bayonet, The}}<br />
[[Category:1957 films]]<br />
[[Category:1957 war films]]<br />
[[Category:British war films]]<br />
[[Category:Films directed by Michael Carreras]]<br />
[[Category:North African campaign films]]<br />
[[Category:Films set in 1943]]<br />
[[Category:Hammer Film Productions films]]<br />
[[Category:1950s English-language films]]<br />
[[Category:1950s British films]]<br />
[[Category:United Artists films]]<br />
[[Category:English-language war films]]</div>imported>WikiCleanerBot