The Ritchie Boys on AllMovie

An aging group of European refugees that was recruited to aid the Allied cause and fight the Nazis discuss their experiences both on and off the battlefield in director Christian Bauer's affectionate tribute to the unsung heroes of World War II. The year was 1941, and Europeans desperate to escape the horrors of fascism began flooding into the U.S. in unprecedented numbers. Though at first considered security risks by a skeptical U.S. government, a number of these newly arrived émigrés were eventually recruited by the military to help Allied forces loosen Hitler's tyrannical grip in Europe. Trained in everything from interrogation to assassination, these soldiers had the language skills and mentality needed to gain an advantage over the relentless Nazi death machine. Though they would play a key role in Normandy on D-Day and fight tenaciously in the Battle of the Bulge, these quiet heroes remained eternal outcasts in the American military thanks to their European heritage, and often choose to let their actions speak for themselves rather than boasting of their efforts. Despite their preference for silence there are times when the story needs to be told. Now, as these valiant souls peer into the twilight of their waning days, they can finally share their victory with the rest of the world.