The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel

In November 1941 a British commando unit raids the headquarters of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. The attackers are unaware that Rommel is recovering from nasal diphtheria in Germany, which blindsides the Allies. The raid foreshadows Rommel's vulnerability and the increasing pressure on Axis leadership.

A phone call from Adolf Hitler prompts Rommel to abandon his forced stay in Germany and return to North Africa. He faces a tense strategic situation with inadequate resources and an order to 'hold fast' to the last man. Rommel resents the directive, suspecting it's a political trap.

The British Eighth Army under General Bernard Montgomery prepares to counterattack Axis forces at El Alamein. Rommel finds his manpower and matériel limited, forcing a defensive stance. The strategic map tightens as the Allied pressure grows.

Hitler persists in demanding a stubborn defense with dwindling reserves. Rommel privately curses the 'clowns' around Hitler, yet transmits the order and steels himself for a potentially doomed stand. The decision marks a turning point in Rommel's frontline leadership.

Rommel succumbs to illness again, leaving front-line duties behind. He is evacuated back to Germany, where his absence reshapes the Axis command dynamics. His withdrawal removes one of the most capable generals from the theater.

Dr. Karl Strölin, a longtime family friend and Stuttgart's Lord Mayor, visits Rommel in hospital to recruit him into anti-Hitler dissidents. Rommel resists, wary of the risks and the consequences for his family. The failed dissent solidifies Rommel's reluctant distance from any conspiracy.

Rommel is transferred to Western Europe to oversee the Atlantic Wall's completion, a project he yet regards as inadequate to thwart a major Allied invasion. He recognizes the defensive limitations and the impossible task ahead. His role shifts from frontline commander to a strategist worried about Germany's vulnerability.

With the successful Allied landings on D-Day, Rommel and his superior von Rundstedt are hampered by Hitler's belief that the invasion will strike Calais. Hitler refuses to release troops and tanks, preventing a decisive counter from forming a deep defensive line. The Axis response is too little, too late.

Rommel seeks to discuss the possibility of a coup with von Rundstedt, who declines to commit but wishes Rommel luck. The topic reveals Rommel's growing awareness of the regime's fragility and his own precarious position. The hesitation deepens the tension within the German high command.

Rommel is seriously injured when his staff car is strafed by an Allied plane. He returns home to recuperate, further isolating him from the front and from any potential influence over events. The injury accelerates the suspicion and the pressure around him.

A bomb explodes at Hitler's feet during a meeting at the Wolf's Lair, but the Führer survives. The purge follows, with thousands suspected of complicity hunted down and executed. This event cements Rommel as a possible threat in the eyes of the regime.

Evidence connects Rommel to the conspiracy, and General Burgdorf charges him with treason. Rommel is offered a choice between conviction and death, or suicide with a public implication that his wounds caused his end and his family would be protected. The ethical and personal cost of loyalty to Germany weighs heavily.

Rommel bids a stoic farewell to his wife, who agrees to explain the decision to their son. He climbs into a staff car to meet his fate, choosing suicide to spare his family and public disgrace. The moment closes the potential for a public trial and anchors his legacy.

A voiceover quotes Churchill praising Rommel's chivalry, tactical genius, and stance against Hitler, shaping the final impression of the film. The credits roll as the war continues beyond Rommel's life. This coda reframes Rommel's reputation in a heroic light.