Great Movie! Another great movie story line of a handful of men fighting against overwhelming odds

Rating: 9/10 (8 January 2007)

I remember my 6th grade friends and I getting 50 cents from our mothers to go see this movie at the Nostrund Theatre in Brooklyn, New York back in 1965. In those days you could sit through a movie a couple of times because no one came to kick you out. It was a great action movie. I love the type of movie a true story about a small group of men fighting against overwhelming odds. This is one of my favorites of this type, the others being "The Alalmo", and "Major Dundee". I believe this was Michael Caine's first movie and he along with the other cast members did a wonderful job. I would get to meet Michael Caine later on in life in the Philippines when he and Cliff Robertson made the movie "Too Late The Hero" on our base at Subic Bay, Philippines. I was in high school and got to be an extra for that movie playing a British Army solider in the camp. I agree with the gentleman from Scotland's comment about there not being enough of this kind of movie. In my historical readings I have come upon another story of this caliber. In fact I am confused that a movie hasn't been made about this battle already. I am referring to the Battle of Camerone in Mexico back in 1863, where a group of 60 French Foreign Legionaires fought against 2000 Mexican troops. After much fighting the Legionaires had been backed into a farmhouse and were down to just a few men left. The Mexican Army was going to let them surrender and go, but true to the Legion's code they were ready to fight to the last man. Captain Danjou, their leader went around and talked with each man and had them promise to fight to the last man. Captain Danjou had a wooden hand due to loosing his hand in battle in the Crimean War. Soon afterwards Danjou was killed and only 5 or 6 Legionaires were left. With no ammunition left, instead of surrendering, they fixed bayonets and charged the Mexican Army. The Mexican Army fought and wrestled the men to the ground. The Mexican leader was so impressed with the courage of the Legionaires he let them leave and gave into their demands to allow them to take their weapons with them. The Mexicans built a monument at the site of the battle honoring the French Legionaires. Captain Danjou's hand was found and returned to the Legion Headquarters. To this day it is considered a honor to be the Legionaire who is allowed to carry their most historic relic in parade, that being the wooden hand of Captain Jean Danjou.