"The Guns of Navarone" Topic

I just saw The Guns of Navarone (dir. J. Lee Thompson, 1961) for the first time. Starring Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, David Niven, et al. The plot is an old standby for war films, a small band of commandoes called upon to perform a seemingly impossible mission: in this case, disabling a German battery on the island of Navarone so that an Allied fleet can rescue 2,000 British soldiers stranded on the nearby island of Keros. They face unforeseen hardships, interpersonal conflicts, and the nagging possibility that their mission has been compromised. Great characterization and strong performances lift this one above other World War II films. The movie was adapted from the novel by Alistair MacLean. I really enjoyed this one, and give it my highest recommendation.

Ron

For the first time?!?! Lucky man!

I saw it in the theater way back when, and at least a dozen times since. One of my favorite WWII movies. Great actors, and a fantastic payoff at the end. I still get chills when I hear the ships' sirens cycling up at the end. "Woop, woop, woooooooop!"

I've seen it once, years ago, and liked in a lot. I'd see it again….

I also first saw it in the theater.

Nice treat as that meant color – TV was black&white.

One of thre greatest war movies ever made.

The plot is an old standby because so many films and tv shows copied this film!

Great movie, and still one of my favorites.

Yes it was on TCM last night. I first saw it in theaters when it came out, but I was just a kid. Seen it many times since then and it is one of the greats. As noted, the plot was not an old standby back then, but it is now--because of The Guns of Navarone.

And it's always a treat seeing David Niven since he actually served with the Royal Commandos during WWII.

I always loved the novel.

Great book and one of the best WWII movies.

Saw it in theaters and have watched it every time I could since.

Got the DVD,and watched it a fair number of times on TV.

"You got me in the mood to use this thing, and by God, if you don't think of something, I'll use it on you! I mean it."

I agree with the recommendation of the book, too. Then again, just about all of Alistair MacLean's books are well worth reading.

Blatantly ripped off by Battlestar Galactica in the 1970's.

I'd say that was the least of the sins of Star Wars for TV, I mean, Battlestar Galactica.

Great flick. Saw it when it was first released. Really liked Anthony Quinn in it.

A true classic.

All Star cast, great lines.

link

Great film on DVD watch it many time . One of the destroyers in the film is the USS Slater ( last wwII DE afloat) is on display here in Albany NY .

Some rivet counters noted that almost all of the ships are US post war and not even British at all. "Ming" confirms this.

I am amused, since ALL warships to my untutored eyes look alike. This must be the ship equivalent of "all airplanes look alike to me", that my wife and so many others echo over the years, whenever I point out the changes to the "same airplane" (e.g. "Midway") that take place as the producers splice in footage from different films, both war footage and cribbed/stolen (again, "Midway") from other movies….

It's free for the next 3 days on Xfinity free movies under TCM's network. That and the weird, unrelated sequal, "Force 10" with Han Solo and Robert Shaw.

If you have Comcast, PM OFM for info

Great War Ace, I would imagine they have a legitimate excuse for using post WWII ships in a 1961 movie. An excuse Patton, Battle of the Bulge, Saving private Ryan, ad nauseum DON'T have. :)

Great movie and suprisinglig brutal for the period, remember the one sceene when they off one of the germans on the patrolship, you actualy see the bullet hits, not only that but he gets hit with quite a few of the. No blood. But still violent for the time, when most movies don't show any bullet hits on people

Gregory Peck and David Niven – a great team….