As far as pro-war, anti-war or any philosophical conflicts are concerned, J. Lee Thompsons "Guns of Navarone" is certainly no "Bridge on the River Kwai". This comparison doesn't intend to diminish its impact but it's surprising that the two movies share one name in the credits that happens to be Carl Foreman, the screenwriter. In its own right, it is a pretty straightforward, conventional but efficient war movie that delivers its premise; it just happens to lack that little something that could have made it one of the greats.
But this is still an entertaining spectacle typical of the early 60's productions, a muscled picture whose power and charisma rest on the broad and heavy shoulders of one of the best macho cast since "The Magnificent Seven": Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, his namesake Quayle, David Niven and a few other rigged faces, all forming a British secret unit assigned to blow German guns located in the Greek island of Navarone, on an impregnable fortress threatening a British convoy coming to rescue thousands of Allied prisoners stranded on Greek islands. So many lives at stakes and so little time left.
The film belongs to the tradition of epic-adventure-action movies with one mission for many different men as the focal point, it was made seven years after the seminal "Seven Samurai" and six years before "The Dirty Dozen", the film that pushed the concept to its anti-heroic level. In 1961, people were still seeking for regular thrills and the film provided the whole package with competent acting, directing and editing, not to mention a decent story with a captivating mission, interesting "sub-missions" and subsequent interactions. But take "Kwai" again, the climactic explosion is one of the most mind-blowing moments from any war movie, and not just for the spectacular effect but the whole psychological escalation that lead to that moment, it wasn't about the bridge, but the madness that made it explode. But in the case of "Navarone", the guns' explosion (this is no spoiler) simply indicates the success of the mission but we're always more interested by the outbursts of 'madness'.
And while Gregory Peck plays as usual the tough and heroic leader, I was glad he could pass as a relatively ambiguous protagonist, enough to be confronted by his officers and questioned about the way he exploited the injury of a comrade. David Niven is the impertinent British explosives expert who makes war while secretly despising it, Quinn is the brutal but reassuring presence. As the Greek Andreas, he steals the show and carries one unexpected moment of 'pathos' that suggests a predisposition for richer and more multi-layered characters, the presence of Irene Papas as the tough resistant plays like an interesting omen of their future collaborations in "Zorba the Greek", "The Message" and "Lion of the Desert". All these actors do justice to their part and besides the action, there's not one moment of dullness or where we feel that it's getting slow.
There's not much left to say, except that it's a film with many shootouts, one set in the boat where they act like fishermen and less exciting than the firing itself is its anticipation, there's a heart-pounding mountain climbing of Hitchcockian effect, many ruses and disguises and a traitor's unmasking contributing to the one very powerful moment, all of these allow "Guns of Navarone" to move rather swiftly despite its run of two-hour and half. It also raises a few questions about war ethics and tortures, but overall, like a movie lead by no-nonsense Gregory Peck, the film isn't an anti-war movie, it doesn't amplify the heroism of the protagonists nor that it demonize the Germans. As a war movie, it belongs to the likes of "The Longest Day" or "Battle of the Bulge" it is old-fashioned in a respectable way.
Not too subtle or sophisticated, this is a tough movie about tough guys and you spend a good time watching it.
But this is still an entertaining spectacle typical of the early 60's productions, a muscled picture whose power and charisma rest on the broad and heavy shoulders of one of the best macho cast since "The Magnificent Seven": Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, his namesake Quayle, David Niven and a few other rigged faces, all forming a British secret unit assigned to blow German guns located in the Greek island of Navarone, on an impregnable fortress threatening a British convoy coming to rescue thousands of Allied prisoners stranded on Greek islands. So many lives at stakes and so little time left.
The film belongs to the tradition of epic-adventure-action movies with one mission for many different men as the focal point, it was made seven years after the seminal "Seven Samurai" and six years before "The Dirty Dozen", the film that pushed the concept to its anti-heroic level. In 1961, people were still seeking for regular thrills and the film provided the whole package with competent acting, directing and editing, not to mention a decent story with a captivating mission, interesting "sub-missions" and subsequent interactions. But take "Kwai" again, the climactic explosion is one of the most mind-blowing moments from any war movie, and not just for the spectacular effect but the whole psychological escalation that lead to that moment, it wasn't about the bridge, but the madness that made it explode. But in the case of "Navarone", the guns' explosion (this is no spoiler) simply indicates the success of the mission but we're always more interested by the outbursts of 'madness'.
And while Gregory Peck plays as usual the tough and heroic leader, I was glad he could pass as a relatively ambiguous protagonist, enough to be confronted by his officers and questioned about the way he exploited the injury of a comrade. David Niven is the impertinent British explosives expert who makes war while secretly despising it, Quinn is the brutal but reassuring presence. As the Greek Andreas, he steals the show and carries one unexpected moment of 'pathos' that suggests a predisposition for richer and more multi-layered characters, the presence of Irene Papas as the tough resistant plays like an interesting omen of their future collaborations in "Zorba the Greek", "The Message" and "Lion of the Desert". All these actors do justice to their part and besides the action, there's not one moment of dullness or where we feel that it's getting slow.
There's not much left to say, except that it's a film with many shootouts, one set in the boat where they act like fishermen and less exciting than the firing itself is its anticipation, there's a heart-pounding mountain climbing of Hitchcockian effect, many ruses and disguises and a traitor's unmasking contributing to the one very powerful moment, all of these allow "Guns of Navarone" to move rather swiftly despite its run of two-hour and half. It also raises a few questions about war ethics and tortures, but overall, like a movie lead by no-nonsense Gregory Peck, the film isn't an anti-war movie, it doesn't amplify the heroism of the protagonists nor that it demonize the Germans. As a war movie, it belongs to the likes of "The Longest Day" or "Battle of the Bulge" it is old-fashioned in a respectable way.
Not too subtle or sophisticated, this is a tough movie about tough guys and you spend a good time watching it.