Play Dirty (1969) coming from MGM on August 29 - Blu-ray Forum

whiteberry · 07-19-2023, 04:42 PM

Quote:

They had no rules, no plan and no way out! This riveting adventure stars Michael Caine as a fuel expert hired to aid a renegade troop on a sure-fire suicide mission: Cross the unforgiving Sahara Desert and destroy a strategic Nazi oil reserve.

https://www.moviezyng.com/play-dirty...e/810134940468

Trailer:

moviemaker · 06-27-2025, 04:07 PM

I posted this in the Twilight Time edition of "Play Dirty" thread.

I finally picked this up used from a goodwill seller on Amazon for a very affordable price and I really enjoyed this.

Would make a great double feature with Friedkin's Sorcerer.

Both have thematic and tonal similarities:

Both films present a deeply pessimistic view of human nature and institutions. They're unflinching in their portrayal of moral compromise and the expendability of human life.

Each film centers on characters undertaking extremely dangerous assignments - in "Play Dirty," it's a band of fugitives as commandos working for the British (and a German prisoner) tasked with destroying Rommel's fuel depot in North Africa; in "Sorcerer," it's four fugitives transporting volatile nitroglycerin through treacherous South American terrain.

Both explore how extreme circumstances strip away civilized behavior and force characters into morally questionable decisions. The protagonists aren't traditional heroes but rather flawed individuals doing what they must to survive.

The desert setting in "Play Dirty" and the jungle/mountain terrain in "Sorcerer" function almost as additional antagonists, testing the characters' endurance and resolve.

Both films critique institutional authority - "Play Dirty" takes a dim view of military hierarchy and British command structure, while "Sorcerer" presents corporate exploitation and corrupt systems that force men into desperate situations.

Neither film offers much hope or redemption. They're studies in futility and the grinding nature of survival, where victory, if it comes at all, is pyrrhic.

Both directors crafted tense, atmospheric thrillers that prioritize psychological realism over conventional heroics, making them standout examples of cinema's more cynical sensibilities.

06-27-2025, 04:07 PM	#2
moviemaker Special Member Top contributor Member since:Sep 2009 Location:Hollywoodland 4K collection:317 Blu-ray collection:901 DVD collection:71 Blu-ray reviews:1	I posted this in the Twilight Time edition of "Play Dirty" thread. I finally picked this up used from a goodwill seller on Amazon for a very affordable price and I really enjoyed this. Would make a great double feature with Friedkin's Sorcerer. Both have thematic and tonal similarities: Both films present a deeply pessimistic view of human nature and institutions. They're unflinching in their portrayal of moral compromise and the expendability of human life. Each film centers on characters undertaking extremely dangerous assignments - in "Play Dirty," it's a band of fugitives as commandos working for the British (and a German prisoner) tasked with destroying Rommel's fuel depot in North Africa; in "Sorcerer," it's four fugitives transporting volatile nitroglycerin through treacherous South American terrain. Both explore how extreme circumstances strip away civilized behavior and force characters into morally questionable decisions. The protagonists aren't traditional heroes but rather flawed individuals doing what they must to survive. The desert setting in "Play Dirty" and the jungle/mountain terrain in "Sorcerer" function almost as additional antagonists, testing the characters' endurance and resolve. Both films critique institutional authority - "Play Dirty" takes a dim view of military hierarchy and British command structure, while "Sorcerer" presents corporate exploitation and corrupt systems that force men into desperate situations. Neither film offers much hope or redemption. They're studies in futility and the grinding nature of survival, where victory, if it comes at all, is pyrrhic. Both directors crafted tense, atmospheric thrillers that prioritize psychological realism over conventional heroics, making them standout examples of cinema's more cynical sensibilities.

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