Chetniks!
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Louis King
Philip Dorn
Anna Sten
John Shepperd
Virginia Gilmore
Martin Kosleck
Photos & Videos
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
After the Germans overrun Yugoslavia in 1941, Serbian army colonel Draja Mihailovitch leads a small but fierce band of guerrillas known as the Chetniks. Mihailovitch's men succeed in wreaking havoc on the German forces, which have been joined by their Italian allies, and force seven divisions of the enemy to combat the Chetniks instead of fighting at the front. One day, the Chetniks capture an Italian supply convoy, and Mihailovitch radios German headquarters in the nearby town of Kotor and impudently offers to exchange his Italian prisoners for gasoline. Infuriated, General Von Bauer refuses, but when Mihailovitch threatens to notify the Italian High Command of his decision, Gestapo colonel Wilhelm Brockner orders Von Bauer to comply. Brockner, who has been frustrated in his attempts to find Mihailovitch, is convinced that the Yugoslavian leader's wife Lubitca and their two children, Nada and Mirko, are hiding in Kotor, and that he can use them to obtain Mihailovitch's surrender. Brockner warns the townspeople that anyone caught aiding the Mihailovitch family will be executed, and prepares for the transport of two thousand men from Kotor to Germany. Unknown to Brockner, his secretary Natalia is a spy for the Chetniks and is the sweetheart of Alexa, one of Mihailovitch's aides. Armed with Natalia's information, the Chetniks attack the train transporting the two thousand prisoners and free them. In retaliation, Brockner decrees that no food will be distributed to the citizens of Kotor until Lubitca and her children are turned over to the Germans. Lubitca tries to surrender to Brockner but is stopped by Natalia, after which Mihailovitch asks to meet with Von Bauer and Brockner. When Mihailovitch arrives at German headquarters, however, Von Bauer declares that, because the official Yugoslavian government capitulated to the Germans, international law does not prevent him from killing Mihailovitch, even though they are meeting under a flag of truce. Mihailovitch calmly informs the general that the Chetniks are holding his wife and daughter as hostages, as well as Brockner's mistress, and that they will be killed if the citizens of Kotor are not fed. The general angrily releases Mihailovitch and provides rations for Kotor, but regains the upper hand when Mirko's patriotism betrays his true identity to his German schoolteacher. After taking Mirko into custody, Von Bauer and Brockner escort Lubitca to Mihailovitch's mountain stronghold and there inform him that every man, woman and child in Kotor will be executed unless the Chetniks surrender within eighteen hours. After Mihailovitch sadly tells Lubitca that he cannot submit, she returns to Kotor to comfort their children. Mihailovitch immediately organizes a plan of attack and sends some of his men to the mountain pass to Kotor, where they will trick the Germans into thinking that they are surrendering, while the rest of the Chetniks attack the town via the mountains on the other side. Despite the capture of Alexa, who was assigned to infiltrate the German artillery, Mihailovitch's plan succeeds. After a bloody battle, the Chetniks gain control of Kotor and free all of the hostages, including Mihailovitch's family. Soon after, Mihailovitch broadcasts a radio message to his fellow Yugoslavs that the guerrillas will continue to fight until they have regained complete freedom for their people.
Director
Louis King
Cast
Philip Dorn
Anna Sten
John Shepperd
Virginia Gilmore
Martin Kosleck
Felix Basch
Frank Lackteen
Patricia Prest
Merrill Rodin
Leroy Mason
Henry Guttman
John Banner
Hans Moebus
Nick Vehr
Lisa Golm
Arno Frey
Sigurd Tor
Edith Evanson
Giselle Werbiseck
Sven-hugo Borg
Carl Ekberg
Otto Reichow
Hans Schumm
Davis Roberts
Ernst Hausman
Louis Arco
William Vaughn
Steve Darrell
Gino Corrado
Nestor Paiva
Harry Cording
Trevor Bardette
Constant Franke
Albert D'arno
Paul Burns
George Neise
Hans Von Morhart
Victor Kendall
Lester Sharpe
Richard Ryen
Jack Mylong
William Yetter
Christian Rub
Peter Michael
Egon Brecher
Charles Peck
Crew
Jack Andrews
Jack Andrews
James B. Clark
Alfred Day
Richard Day
Bryan Foy
Hugo W. Friedhofer
William Goetz
Charles Henderson
Albert Hogsett
Michel Jacoby
Arthur Von Kirbach
Serge Krizman
Paul Le Pere
Harry M. Leonard
Thomas Little
Billy Livingston
Glen Macwilliams
Major Milivoj Mishovich
Emil Newman
Edward E. Paramore
Maurice Ransford
Sam Schneider
Walter M. Scott
Noel Smith
Horst Wessel
Sol M. Wurtzel
Photo Collections
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working titles of this film were Seventh Column and Chetnik! The picture's title card reads, "Twentieth Century-Fox presents Chetniks! (The Fighting Guerrillas)." After the opening credits, an onscreen dedication reads, "This picture is respectfully dedicated to Draja Mihailovitch and his fighting Chetniks-those fearless guerrillas who have dedicated their lives with a grim determination that no rest shall prevail until the final allied victory, and the liberation and resurrection of their beloved fatherland-Yugoslavia-has been achieved." Although contemporary sources refer to John Shepperd's character as "Alexis," he is called "Alexa" in the film.
Chetniks! is based on the exploits of Draza Mihajlovic (1893-1946; spelled Draja Mihailovitch in contemporary sources), who led the Chetnik guerrilla forces against the German and Italian forces occupying Yugoslavia during World War II. Mihajlovic, a Serbian national, was promoted to general and appointed War Minister by the Yugoslav Government-in-exile in London, in 1942, and was supported by the Allies with supplies and troops. Mihajlovic clashed with the Partisans, another Yugslavian faction led by Tito, whose Communist doctrine was antithetical to Mihajlovic's beliefs. According to some modern sources, Mihajlovic collaborated with the Germans in order to minimize civilian losses and thwart his rival, Tito. In 1944, Allied support was officially withdrawn from Mihajlovic's cause, and after the war, he was captured by the Yugoslavian Communist forces, which had taken control of the country, and executed for collaborating with the Axis.
According to studio publicity and contemporary news items, Twentieth Century-Fox obtained permission from Mihajlovic to film his life story, as well as details of his campaigns, with the help of his half-sister, who contacted him from her home in the United States. The studio also received the support and approval of the Yugo-Slav Legation in Washington, D.C., which supplied technical advisors Major Milivoj Mishovich and Serge Krizman. The following information comes from Hollywood Reporter news items: In May 1942, Francis Lederer was to be tested for the role of Mihajlovic, while in August 1942, Hollywood Reporter noted that Jean Gabin was "the top prospect" for the role. In September 1942, Philip Dorn was borrowed from M-G-M for the part. In August 1942, Luise Rainer and Lenore Aubert were under consideration for the part of "Lubitca." On November 6, 1942, Hollywood Reporter announced that the studio, "confident it has an important property" in the film, was "building up some of the sequences" and would shoot added scenes at the Iverson Ranch in Chatsworth, CA. The film received many positive reviews praising its timely action and effective acting. The Hollywood Reporter reviewer proclaimed: "Seldom has Hollywood given attention to a motion picture that offered more stirring material than this first feature about a living military hero of World War II." For more information about the Tito-led Partisan forces' fight with the Chetniks, see the entry above for the 1972 film The Battle of Neretva.
