Review of The Guns of Navarone (1961) by David G — 20 Jul 2008
Kickass WWII spy/commando movie which sees 100% pure alpha-male Gregory Peck lead a team of saboteurs to Nazi-occupied Navarone with the aim of destroying two great guns which will otherwise put six British destroyers at the bottom of the sea during an operation to rescue 2000 trapped soldiers.
Peck may be the least convincing Englishman since Dick Van Dyke but he dominates the screen with his manliness. During the scene where he's going nuts at David Niven I was just staring at the TV like O_O.
Peck's team includes Anthony Quinn, Anthony Quayle as Major Roy "Lucky" Franklin (who is in fact not that lucky at all, do you see what they did there?), the aforementioned David Niven as probably the most cheeky NCO in the British Army and Stanley "Lt. Chard from Zulu" Baker (I almost didn't recognise him without the mutton chops).
Pretty damn cool espionage movie altogether really with all the boo-hiss Jerries, capture-and-escape, deception, silenced pistols, booby-traps and creeping-up-behind-and-knifing-the-sentries you could ask for. I believe this was the first of the Alistair MacLean war novels to be adapted into a big time movie and while it's not as awesome as Where Eagles Dare it's one of the best.
This review of The Guns of Navarone (1961) was written by David G on 20 Jul 2008.
The Guns of Navarone has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
