The Tanks Are Coming (1951 film)

The Tanks Are Coming is a 1951 war film directed by Lewis Seiler and starring Steve Cochran and Philip Carey. The story is set during World War II in 1944 France. The film chronicles the U.S. 3rd Armored Division's advance across northern France and its attempt to pierce the Siegfried Line.[1][2]

The Tanks Are Coming
Original film poster
Directed byLewis Seiler
Written bySamuel Fuller (story)
Robert Hardy Andrews
Produced byBryan Foy
StarringSteve Cochran
Philip Carey
Mari Aldon
CinematographyEdwin B. DuPar
Warren Lynch
Edited byJames Moore
Music byWilliam Lava
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures
Release date
  • October 31, 1951 (1951-10-31)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Not to be confused with the 20-minute educational film of the same name from 1941.[3]

Plot

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Normandy, 1944, post-D-Day. A tank commander, Sgt. Joe Davis, is very popular with his men. So much so, that when he is killed during a brief skirmish with the enemy, his crew fall into despondency. That is, until Davis's replacement, Sgt. Sullivan, shows up. To the men, his arrival is like a splash of ice water. "Sully" rouses their anger by ordering the immediate discard of Davis's personal effects. He replaces their popular tank driver with a known drunkard. Sully doesn't stop there. He challenges the loyalty of a German-American crew member named "Heinie." He bullies another man, Kolowicz, into fisticuffs.

In short, Sully transforms a crew of emotional zombies, bemoaning their probable fate, into an over-achieving squad of efficient killers. All of this, despite their hatred of Sully. But in the following months, as they fight their way to the Siegfried Line, both Sullivan and his men begin to share a mutual respect.

Cast

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References

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  1. ^ "The Tanks Are Coming". Turner Classic Movies.
  2. ^ "The Tanks Are Coming - Trailers, Reviews, Synopsis, Showtimes and Cast - AllMovie". Archived from the original on 2012-07-20. Retrieved 2011-05-30.
  3. ^ Eason, B. Reeves (4 October 1941). "The Tanks Are Coming". Warner Bros., U.S. Army. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
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