Thestoryisfreshandoriginal, andpresentedwithuniquetwistsfrombeginningtoend.FiveGermansoldiersareparachutedintoNorthAfrica, andwilltrektoCasablancatoassassinateaconferenceofChurchill, RooseveltandDeGaulle.Lenzi’sfilmisatrueexampleofcharacter-drivendramaatitsbest.KenClarkisCaptainSchoeller, leaderoftheunit, andhe’sneverlessthantotallyconvincingasadie-hardadvocateofHitlerandNazism.HorstFrank("ThunderfromtheWest")playsLt.Wolfwithgustoandconviction.Wolf’smotherisAmericanandhisbestfriendisaJew, soheandSchoellerdon’tseeeye-to-eye.HeandSchoellerclashoveropposingidealsseveraltimes.Despitetheirdissension, botharededicatedsoldierswhohaveajobtogetdone, andgrudginglyworktogethertoaccomplishthemission.Lenzineverstraysfarfromthiscentralconflictofideals, alwayskeepinghismessageclearlyinfocus.ThesupportingcastoffamiliarEuropeanactorsisexcellentall-around.CarloHintermann, HardyReycheltandHowardRossroundouttheGermanteam.Hintermannmakesthemostofhislittleroleasatough, dedicatedGermanSergeant, acareersoldierwho’lldowhathe’stoldwhenhe’stold, noquestionsasked.JeanneValerieandFabienneDaliaretwofemalecharacters, whosemotivesareneverclearlydefineduntilthefilm’sthirdact–andthat’swhenyourealizewhosesideeachisreallyon.GianniRizzohasafewbriefscenesasaFrenchinformer, workingwiththeGermans, andgetstodoblastawayatAmericansoldierswithamachineguninoneofthefilm’snail-bitingactionscenes.BesuretowatchforTomFelleghy("TheGreatestBattle"), JohnStacy("BattleoftheCommandos"), andFrancoFantasia("Adios, Sabata")insmall, yetkeyrolesasAlliedofficers.Thoughtheaction-packedfootageisscant, what’shereisbrilliantlyeditedanddirected.Thethirdactistenseandfast-paced, astheGerman"heroes"dodgebulletsacrossrooftopsandduckthroughalleywaysasAmericanMPsareinhotpursuit.ThefinalinfiltrationofChurchill’sbanquetinghallisexcellentlysetup, withfrustratinglydeliberatepacing, whichwillleaveyouontheedgeofyourseat.Thisclimaxendsabruptlywithagreatsurprise, causingyourjawtodropasyouwonder"Whatjusthappened…?"Twoaspectsoffilm-makingthatLenziandhiscrewseemtoemphasizearethesetsandlandscapes.Thereisnotoneshotinthismoviethatlooksoutofplace.WhentheGermanofficerstalkinheadquarters, theinteriorlookslikeanofficeinaGermanheadquarters.Thefilmissetinthedesert, andthereareconstantwideshotsasactorsspeakandwalkwhichrevealthatthesesceneswereactuallyshotinthevastEgyptiansanddunes.TheoasisofKuffranlooksespeciallybustling, andtheessenceoftheatmosphereofCasablancaduringwartimeissuperblycaptured.Duringthistimeperiod, manydirectorsfellbackonshabbyinteriorsandshotinoutdoorlocationswhichlookedcompletelywrong.Forexample, "CommandoAttack", alsoshotin1967, waslensedinSpainandexteriorswerepassedoffas"southernFrance", yetit’sclearlyvisibletheactionwasnotoccurringintheFrenchcountryside.Finally, thereareanumberofotherlittledetailswhichcontributetothisfilm’ssuccess:fineeditingandcamera-workgivethismovieaveryprofessionallookandfeel;italwayslooksprofessional.Lenziisjuststartingtodevelophisstyle, andhissignatureclose-upsareusedinmoderation, butmeanallthemorewhentheyareused.Therearesomegreatcraneshotsandwideshotsusedtoestablishthescopeofthesets, mostnotablyinthescenessetinCasablanca.Thisisdefinitelyagreatfilm, withsomestronglydevelopedinternalconflictsandfleshed-outcharacters.ThequalityofLenzi’sfilmswoulddegenerateastheyearspassed, but"DesertCommando"iseasilyoneofthebestwarfilmstocomeoutof1967, rankingrightuptherewith"TheDirtyDozen".