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Play Dirty

Play Dirty

War · Adventure · Drama · 1969

During World War II in North Africa, a group of British commandos disguised as Italian soldiers must travel behind enemy lines and destroy a vital Nazi oil depot.

Movie details

Play Dirty

“Forget the medals, throw away the rule book, if you want to survive… Play Dirty”

1969 War · Adventure · Drama 1h 58m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.3 / 10

Community rating

During World War II in North Africa, a group of British commandos disguised as Italian soldiers must travel behind enemy lines and destroy a vital Nazi oil depot.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Play Dirty?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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The Great War

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

André de Toth

Written by

Lotte Colin · Melvyn Bragg · André de Toth · George Marton

Michael Caine

Michael Caine

Capt. Douglas

Nigel Davenport

Nigel Davenport

Capt. Cyril Leech

Nigel Green

Nigel Green

Col. Masters

Harry Andrews

Harry Andrews

Brig. Blore

Patrick Jordan

Patrick Jordan

Maj. Alan Watkins

Daniel Pilon

Daniel Pilon

Capt. Attwood (Blore's adjutant at Special Forces HQ)

Bernard Archard

Bernard Archard

Col. Homerton

Court is in session

Put Play Dirty on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.