Introduction

Different factions in WWII-era Holland race to find a stash of Nazi gold.

It was a British-Romanian war film by Colin Teague that went Direct-to-video release.

Outline

The film is set against the backdrop of World War II, during Operation Market Garden, the largest full scale airborne invasion in history. Corporal Powell (Newbon), an undercover British Intelligence officer, has been given command of a small unit of men, code-named Matchbox. Their assignment is to retrieve a hoard of Dutch gold and art treasures, plundered by the Nazis, from a seemingly impregnable booby-trapped underground bunker. Simple enough, but when Matchbox is shot down short of the drop point their plan goes awry and Powell is forced to recruit the assistance of several colourful characters, including a smart-mouthed petty thief (Moran), a drunken bomb disposal expert (Flanagan), and a smooth talking pilot with a keen eye for smooth ladies (Zane).

As Powell and his roving band of misfits fight their way through German counterattack, members of the Dutch resistance (Gaskell and Beed) have managed to pinpoint the location of the stolen loot, where it is about to be moved to Berlin by the vile SS Major Kessler (Fox) and his troops. Risking their lives, they communicate this vital information to British Intelligence in a courageous attempt to liberate the occupied Netherlands. At the same time, renegade German forces race to get their hands on the loot as well. It’s a race against the clock, in the midst of a heated battle, ending with an enthralling climax.

Trivia & Goofs

• Laurence Fox’s uncle Edward Fox previously appeared in A Bridge Too Far (1977), which likewise depicted Operation Market Garden.
• The film takes place in September 1944.
• Some of the cars used are from the ARO IMS family, which were produced starting 1957.
• The patches on the American paratroopers sleeves are modern 50-star American flags.
• When the 2 Germans who were dress as Americans took the jeep, it was an M38 Jeep, but in the next scene it became a Willy’s.
• During the battle at the end, a US soldier fires a mortar at a jeep. It lands at the front, but the explosion is at the rear.
• The rank insignia worn by SS Major Klaus Kessler is that of Brigadeführer (Brigadier General) which was used on SS uniforms between 1940 and 1942, not that of Sturmbannführer (Major). The storyline is set during Operation Market Garden which was in 1944. Also because Kessler was an SS officer, the proper manner to which he would be addressed is “Herr Sturmbannführer”, not “Herr Major”.
• The registration plates on German vehicles are wrong. They would have had the prefix of WH for Wehrmacht vehicles or SS runes for those registered to the SS.

Production & Filming Details

• Director: Colin Teague.
• Producers: Hamish Skeggs and Andrei Boncea.
• Writers: Colin Teague and Gary Young.
• Music: David Julyan.
• Cinematography: Maxime Alexandre.
• Editor: Michael Ellis.
• Production: Carnaby International and Media Pro Pictures.
• Distributor: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (UK).
• Release Date: 08 March 2006 (UK).
• Running Time: 103 minutes.
• Country: UK and Romania.
• Language: English.

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