The film is full of feats , suspense , battles , excitement and thrills . A French Foreign Legion commander , Captain Le Blanc (Stewart Granger) is assigned to assemble an unit and capture an Algerian rebel leader (Carlos Casaravilla) . The captain leads a group of expert soldiers (Leo Anchoriz , Maurizio Arena , Peter Carsten , Hans Von Borsody , Riccardo Garrone..) on a risked as well as hard assignment and along the way meet a beautiful prostitute (Dorian Gray) . The relentless assignment is submitted to strong sufferings , risked assaults and hazardous feats . They then execute the mission , but are unable to complete it , being besieged by a rebel patrol at an old church . Thirteen Hours to Live And Nothing To Do But Love .With DANGER or a DAME they go where the action is HOTTEST!
This moving film packs frantic thrills , perilous adventures , relentless feats , buck-loads of explosive action and violence . There is also brief character studio about some peculiar roles , most of whom are no longer in top form, as one is having nightmares of past indiscretions , another is an abuser and rapist , another is a drunken , and another is on the edge of a breakdown . The frantic action is uniformly well-made , especially deserving of mention the rip-roaring final scenes in which the motley , wayward squadron is really caughtly , including some spectacular shootouts and bombing . The flick takes parts here and there of other warfare movies as ¨Green Berets¨ by John Wayne regarding the relationship between an officer and a kid , ¨Objective Burma¨ by Raoul Walsh about a platoon stranded behind enemy lines and ¨Lost Command¨ by Mark Robson concerning about Algeria war along with the classic ¨Battle of Algeria¨ by Gino Pontecorvo deemed to be the best one . Furthermore , it follows the traditional style of the American wartime superproductions as Guns of Navarone by J. Lee Thompson , Dirty Dozen by Robert Aldrich , When the eagles dare by Brian G Hutton , Tobruk by Arthur Hiller , dealing with special ops in suicide missions . The first half of the film allows the colorful cast of character actors to have their fun as they get their tails whipped into shape and developing a particular relationship with their leader . The final part in which the squadron is trapped , unless they can getaway before their water runs out , results to be all action , as the team harassed and relentessly chased by rebellious soldiers and then run for their lives . Apart from the values of team spirit , the film has a peculiar protagonists , far fom the uni-dimensional characters , as the captain results to be a tough hero who will stop at nothing to exact the rigis orders , while other roles are disturbing soldiers , with doubts , nightmares and cowardice . Stewart Granger assumes the character of commando leader gathering his old unit in this pretty good wartime movie professionally directed . However , Stewart was in his fall , and he was already a tarnished star , performing mostly in Europe B movies as Mission in Hong Kong , Tanger 67 , The crooked road , Secret invasion , The swordsman of Siena , with exception for Winnetou series , in which he outstanded playing Old Surehand . Being a Spanish/German/Italian co-production here shows up Spanish actors : Carlos Casaravilla , Leo Anchoriz , Alfredo Mayo ; German : Peter Carsten , Hans von Borsody , Schönherr and Italian : Fausto Tozzi , Maurizio Arena , Ivo Garrani , Riccardo Garrone .
It packs a moving and thrilling musical score by prolific Angelo Francesco Lavagnino . Being shot on locations in La Pedriza , Madrid , Pulpí , Cuevas del Almanzora, Almería, Andalucía, Mojácar, Almería, Andalucía, Spain . As well as atmospheric cinematography in black and white by Cecilio Paniagua , including a charming and catching leitmotif that subsequently adapted by composer Ken Thorne achieved a big hit in the charts . The motion picture was well directed by Frank Wisbar . He was a fine craftsman , directing even in the US . He made all kinds of genres, giving acceptable films as Darkness fell on Gotenhagen , Fahrmann Mary , The praier , Wet asphalt , Strangler of the swamp , Devil bat's daughter, Lighthouse , Barbara , Secrets of a sorority girl and his greatest success : Stalingrade . Rating : 7/10 . Decent and notable warlike movie . The yarn will appeal to Stewart Granger fans .
