The Tanks Are Coming (1951)

Information from IMDb

Plot Summary
An American tank crew fights its way into Germany in World War II.
During World War II in 1944, Saint-Lô, France,
five tanks of the 3rd Armored Division
attempt to pierce the Siegfried Line.
The story is set after the breakout from Normandy.

Full Cast
Steve Cochran ... Francis Aloysius 'Sully' Sullivan
Philip Carey ... Lieutenant Rawson
Mari Aldon ... Patricia Kane
Paul Picerni ... Danny Kolowicz
Harry Bellaver ... Sergeant Lemchek
James Dobson ... PFC George 'Ike' Eisenhower
George O'Hanlon ... Sergeant Tucker
John McGuire ... Colonel Matthews
Geneviève Aumont ... Belgian Girl (uncredited)
Eugene Baxter ... Private Jerry Marconi Whitehouse (uncredited)
Robert Boon ... Heinrich 'Heinie' Weinburger (uncredited)
Tony Christian ... General Oberon von Kolber (uncredited)
Art Gilmore ... Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Lisa Golm ... Heinie's Grandmother (uncredited)
Robert Horton ... Captain Bob Horner (uncredited)
Ray Hyke ... Kemp (uncredited)
Gary Kettler ... German Non-Com (uncredited)
Roy Roberts ... Major General (uncredited)
Gabrielle Rossillon ... Belgian Girl (uncredited)
Michael Steele ... Sergeant Joe Davis (uncredited)
Bernard Szold ... Heinie's Grandfather (uncredited)

Writing Credits
Robert Hardy Andrews (screenplay)
Samuel Fuller (story)

Original Music
William Lava

Cinematography
Edwin B. DuPar

Trivia
In all of his films, Samuel Fuller--who wrote the story for this film, but not the screenplay--
has a character named "Lemcheck".
In this film it's a sergeant, played by Harry Bellaver.

Goofs
Anachronisms
The main characters are assigned to crew an M26 Pershing tank armed with a 90 millimeter gun,
with which they breach the Siegfried Line in Germany sometime in the Fall of 1944.
In actuality, the M26 Pershing did not become operational until February 1945.
Furthermore, the actual tank used in the movie was an M46 Patton,
a post-World War II upgrade of the M26 which did not enter service until 1949.

Filming Location
Fort Knox, Kentucky, USA

The Tanks Are Coming is a 1951 War film directed by D. Ross Lederman,
starring Steve Cochran and Philip Carey.

During World War II in 1944, Saint-Lô, France, five tanks of the 3rd Armored Division
attempt to pierce the Siegfried Line.[1][2] The story is set after the breakout from Normandy.

User Review

Quote

I'd Rather Have Their Equipment...
14 August 2007 | by xerses13 (United States)

THE TANKS ARE COMING (1951) covered our (U.S. Army) Armored SpearHead and its problems during the war in Europe (WWII). The main problem being our Tanks were just not as good as our opponents the Nazi Germans. A captured German Tank Commander once commented "One (1) of our tanks are better then twelve (12) of yours, but you always have a thirteenth (13th)". True, we could (and the Russians) out produce by a factor of ten (10) to one (1) or more. That did not help the crews inside these coffins when inadequate armor (and firepower) gave little or no protection at all.

The movie starts off clearly showing these inadequacies. As our Tank Platoon with Shermans takes on a German Panther (a disguised M36 sitting in). Our shells bounce off, theirs go right through. The film illustrates this well with the guns sound effects. Our guns sound like cap pistols the Germans like thunder. The story goes on from there as determination and guts have to overcome technological limitations. Toward the end our hero's get a M26 Pershing which had both the Armor and Gun to take on their opponents in a equitable manner. A little late for those who already had made the supreme sacrifice.

It took awhile but lessons were learned and are reflected in the current equipment of the U.S. ARMY. The M1A2 Abrams and the other Armored Vehicles are World Class and second to none. Their only equivalents are also made/used by our allies (for the most part). One (1) further note this film should not be confused with the Warner Brothers Short of the same name made in 1941, also reviewed.

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Quote from The Ringo Kid

Hey Keith can you make a thread in the Classics War Movies area about the movie: The Tanks Are Coming w/ Steve Cochran, George O'Hanlon, Paul Picerni, & Phil Carey.

I just bought a complete lobby card set for the movie.

Will post asap

Quote from The Ringo Kid

Hey Keith can you make a thread

Done!