THE SHOWDOWN

"The Showdown" is a 1974 documentary style propaganda film showing the Egypt-Israel War known as the Yom Kippur War, launched by Anwar Sadat on October 6, 1973, to reclaim territory lost in the 1967 Six Day War. As this film shows, Egyptian forces successfully executed a surprise assault on Israeli positions across the Suez Canal. The meticulously planned operation involved deceptive maneuvers, coordinated air and ground attacks, and massive artillery bombardments. Egyptian troops stormed the Bar-Lev Line and established multiple bridgeheads within hours. Combat engineers played a critical role in enabling the crossing by rapidly constructing pontoon bridges and clearing obstacles. As tanks rolled in under full air cover, the Israelis launched desperate counterattacks, leading to some of the largest tank battles in history. Towns like Qantara East were liberated, and the myth of Israeli military invincibility was shattered. In the end, Egypt restored its military honor, with the October War hailed as a landmark in modern warfare and strategic planning. (Note: The war contributed to the 1978 Camp David Accords, when Israel returned the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt, and the Egypt–Israel peace treaty, the first time an Arab country recognized Israel.) 0:20 – The narrator sets the historical context: Egypt, a nation with ancient roots, endures six years of humiliation after the 1967 Six-Day War, awaiting the right moment for redemption. 1:26 – The Yom Kippur War begins on October 6, 1973, with Egyptian troops prepared and undergoing final training. 2:09 – In the operations room, commanders conduct final briefings for a highly coordinated attack involving all branches of the military. 2:37 – Egypt's aerial defenses are placed on full alert; rockets are ready to repel Israeli air attacks. 3:28 – Armored units receive last-minute instructions before the launch of the offensive. 4:10 – Months of deception and decoy maneuvers precede the assault, including the hidden movement of pontoons to prepare for the canal crossing. 5:15 – The Egyptian Navy (referred to as "the silent service") patrols the Mediterranean, Gulf of Suez, and Red Sea, awaiting further orders. 5:54 – Egypt faces the challenge of Israel’s air superiority; anticipation builds for the artillery bombardment. 6:17 – Over 1,000 artillery pieces await the signal to open fire on Israeli positions. 7:43 – President Anwar Sadat, supreme commander, takes his place in the operations room as the attack nears. 9:07 – Units move toward the Suez Canal, ready to strike. 11:01 – Zero hour: the assault begins with massive artillery fire. 13:50 – The first wave of infantry crosses the canal under intense fire, beginning the storming of enemy fortifications. 15:42 – Egyptian troops raise their flag after scaling the 40-meter embankment and overwhelming Israeli defenses. 17:47 – Troops cross the canal, establishing bridgeheads and penetrating the Bar-Lev Line. 18:21 – Officers are praised for their bravery during the crossing. 19:04 – Egyptian combat engineers blast openings in the embankment and construct pontoon bridges. 20:38 – Months of training culminate in real combat success; heavy tanks begin crossing on completed bridges under air cover. 22:03 – Israel attempts to block reinforcements but fails; the Egyptian plan proves to be a strategic masterstroke. 23:14 – As Israel intensifies its attacks, it faces strong Egyptian rocket fire; Egyptian forces continue advancing and entrenching. 25:03 – Massive tank battles erupt in the Sinai; both sides commit all available forces in fierce confrontations. 27:28 – The town of Qantara East is retaken. 28:23 – Israel’s military reputation is shattered: its defensive lines overrun, air power weakened, and soldiers surrendering in large numbers. 29:10 – Egyptian flags are raised across Sinai; military honor is restored, and the war is recognized as a historic military achievement.

Billy Massey and Chuck Jarvis go in opposite directions after Chuck ends up married to Billy's former sweetheart. Billy becomes a bank robber, Chuck a lawman. But they end up joining forces against common enemies in a final showdown. Billy and Chuck end up fighting common enemies against each other.

Credits

Cast: Dean Martin, Rock Hudson, Susan Clark

Copyright

Registered 23May73 · LP46394 (Jul-Dec 1976) Copyright holder: Universal Pictures

Complete catalog record

"The Showdown" is a 1974 documentary style propaganda film showing the Egypt-Israel War known as the Yom Kippur War, launched by Anwar Sadat on October 6, 1973, to reclaim territory lost in the 1967 Six Day War. As this film shows, Egyptian forces successfully executed a surprise assault on Israeli positions across the Suez Canal. The meticulously planned operation involved deceptive maneuvers, coordinated air and ground attacks, and massive artillery bombardments. Egyptian troops stormed the Bar-Lev Line and established multiple bridgeheads within hours. Combat engineers played a critical role in enabling the crossing by rapidly constructing pontoon bridges and clearing obstacles. As tanks rolled in under full air cover, the Israelis launched desperate counterattacks, leading to some of the largest tank battles in history. Towns like Qantara East were liberated, and the myth of Israeli military invincibility was shattered. In the end, Egypt restored its military honor, with the October War hailed as a landmark in modern warfare and strategic planning. (Note: The war contributed to the 1978 Camp David Accords, when Israel returned the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt, and the Egypt–Israel peace treaty, the first time an Arab country recognized Israel.)

0:20 – The narrator sets the historical context: Egypt, a nation with ancient roots, endures six years of humiliation after the 1967 Six-Day War, awaiting the right moment for redemption.

1:26 – The Yom Kippur War begins on October 6, 1973, with Egyptian troops prepared and undergoing final training.

2:09 – In the operations room, commanders conduct final briefings for a highly coordinated attack involving all branches of the military.

2:37 – Egypt's aerial defenses are placed on full alert; rockets are ready to repel Israeli air attacks.

3:28 – Armored units receive last-minute instructions before the launch of the offensive.

4:10 – Months of deception and decoy maneuvers precede the assault, including the hidden movement of pontoons to prepare for the canal crossing.

5:15 – The Egyptian Navy (referred to as "the silent service") patrols the Mediterranean, Gulf of Suez, and Red Sea, awaiting further orders.

5:54 – Egypt faces the challenge of Israel’s air superiority; anticipation builds for the artillery bombardment.

6:17 – Over 1,000 artillery pieces await the signal to open fire on Israeli positions.

7:43 – President Anwar Sadat, supreme commander, takes his place in the operations room as the attack nears.

9:07 – Units move toward the Suez Canal, ready to strike.

11:01 – Zero hour: the assault begins with massive artillery fire. 13:50 – The first wave of infantry crosses the canal under intense fire, beginning the storming of enemy fortifications.

15:42 – Egyptian troops raise their flag after scaling the 40-meter embankment and overwhelming Israeli defenses.

17:47 – Troops cross the canal, establishing bridgeheads and penetrating the Bar-Lev Line.

18:21 – Officers are praised for their bravery during the crossing.

19:04 – Egyptian combat engineers blast openings in the embankment and construct pontoon bridges.

20:38 – Months of training culminate in real combat success; heavy tanks begin crossing on completed bridges under air cover.

22:03 – Israel attempts to block reinforcements but fails; the Egyptian plan proves to be a strategic masterstroke.

23:14 – As Israel intensifies its attacks, it faces strong Egyptian rocket fire; Egyptian forces continue advancing and entrenching.

25:03 – Massive tank battles erupt in the Sinai; both sides commit all available forces in fierce confrontations.

27:28 – The town of Qantara East is retaken.

28:23 – Israel’s military reputation is shattered: its defensive lines overrun, air power weakened, and soldiers surrendering in large numbers.

29:10 – Egyptian flags are raised across Sinai; military honor is restored, and the war is recognized as a historic military achievement.

Transcription

[Music] When a nation can boast of a history that's as old as the pyramids and of traditions that are as deep rooted as the eternal Nile, six years in the life of such a nation are but as short passing phase. The Egyptians emerged from the six- day war a defeated people. Their lands overrun and occupied by a tenacious enemy. For six years they endured humility, knowing from day to day that the ordeal could not last forever. Someday somehow the stigma had to be removed. Unbeknown except to a handful of leaders, the decision was taken and a date was set for a showdown. [Music] born broke out on Saturday, October 6th, 1973 on a handful of commander troops vigorously training for the task ahead of them that same day. [Applause] [Applause] In the operations room of the field command, lastminute briefing was taking place. The plan called for perfect coordination between all branches of the armed forces. [Applause] [Music] Full alert by the aerial defenses, radar stations scan the airspace over the battlefield. Rockets stand poised, ready to provide air cover and to repel any countered attack. [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Men of the armored divisions get their last minute instructions. [Music] [Music] The element of surprise was the keystone of the whole operation. For months, these pontoon carrying trucks were dispatched to all parts of the country on a mass decoy maneuver intended to confuse the enemy. Each time over a long period, a few pontoon trucks would flip unobtrusively into hiding behind the high embankment, shielding the Egyptian positions along the canal. These dingies will f the first batches of men across the canal. [Music] [Music] [Music] The silent service patrolling Egypt's long coasts along the mid Mediterranean, the Gulf of Sewers, and the Red Sea. [Music] [Music] Theirs [Music] was perhaps the greatest of tests. The Israeli Air Force was reputed to be the strongest in the Middle East. How will the Egyptian Air Force fair against an enemy numerically superior and better equipped? Over [Applause] 1,000 pieces of artillery along the entire front waiting for the order. Fire. [Music] [Music] All along the 100m long front, lastm minute checking and rechecking are being made by field commanders While a close watch is being kept on enemy movement. As zero hour draws close, the supreme commander of the Egyptian armed forces, President Israat, takes up his post in the main operations room. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] All eyes are now to the east. Quietly the net is closing in as all units perfectly camouflaged edge slowly towards the canal. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Zero hour and all hell was let loose. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] Under a heavy artillery barrage, advanced units of the storm troops paddled energetically across the canal in order to paralyze enemy tanks and defenses. In the first minute of softening up bombardment, 10,500 shells were fired at the rate of 175 shells per second. [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Over [Music] [Applause] the top and the first wave of infantry men to keep the cross under a hail of fire. [Applause] Oh [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] my god. Heat. Heat. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Applause] Having scaled the 40 m high enemy embankment, they raised Egypt colors on site. Caught by complete surprise, the Israeli defenders were stunned. They were no match for the Egyptian attackers who stormed and captured their fortifications. One Israeli strong point after another fell. Heat. Heat. [Laughter] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] The Egyptians continued to pour in more troops across the canal. Wave after wave they came. In 6 hours they were in full control, having established dozens of firm bridge heads and planned out to overrun the whole of the bar line. [Music] [Applause] The successful crossing of the canal was attributed largely to the bravery and doggedness of the commanding officers who were with their men at every minute of the crossing. [Music] [Music] [Applause] The part played by the engineering core was perhaps one of the most outstanding. Every technique was used to blast openings through the embankment. The first passage was opened in less than an hour. Other engineering units, meanwhile, were getting the pontoon bridges ready. [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] Months and months of hard training and perfecting new techniques are now showing their results. This at last is the real thing. On it defends the success of the crossing. [Music] [Applause] [Applause] The bridge is laid. Heavy tanks roll across the water barrier under full aerial cover. [Applause] [Applause] Desperately, the Israelis tried to stem the flow of reinforcements, but in vain. The canal crossing was no picnic by any means, nor was it expected to be so. But the battle's plan had been masterfully worked out, a feat of military strategy. [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] Nothing was left to charm. As the Israelis intensify their raids on the bridge heads, they are met with a wall of rocket fire. [Applause] Tanks continued to roll eastward. In a few days, two complete Egyptian armies were solidly entrenched along the entire eastern bank. [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] Waves of Israeli counteratt attacks were beaten back. In the days to follow, the Sinai battlefield was to witness fierce tank battles of such magnitude unparalleled in history. Both sides were throwing in all they had. [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Applause] Heat. Heat. [Applause] [Laughter] [Applause] [Applause] at the town of Canara East. The Israelis met with one of their worst defeats. The local residents took up arms in street to street fighting as the advanced Egyptian forces were storming the outskirts. By the evening of the second day of the war, Canara East was recaptured. [Applause] [Applause] Israel's myth of invincibility was once and for all shattered. Their impregnable Marlev line was overrun in ours. Their tanks and air force were all but wiped out and their soldiers presented a pathetic sight after they surrendered in their hundreds. [Music] Flags of the victorious Egyptian forces fluttered over all parts of liberated Sinai. Here on the battlefield of Sinai, Egyptian military honor was vindicated. For a long time to come, military academicians would regard the October war as an outstanding achievement. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music]

Sources

YouTube channel: PeriscopeFilm · video ↗ — title, year, creator, genre, description, credits, catalog record, video
U.S. Copyright Office, Catalog of Copyright Entries (renewals, 1970–1978) — copyright

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