The Guns of Navarone (1961)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

J. Lee Thompson

Writers:

Alistair MacLean (novel)
Carl Foreman (written by)

Release Date:

22 June 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | War | Adventure

Tagline:

Still! The Greatest High Adventure Ever Filmed! [re-issue]

Plot:

A British team is sent to cross occupied Greek territory and destroy the massive German gun emplacement that commands a key sea channel.

Plot Keywords:

Island | Commando | Greek Resistance | Mountaineer | Traitor

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Gregory Peck	...	Capt. Keith Mallory
David Niven	...	Cpl. Miller
Anthony Quinn	...	Col. Andrea Stavros
Stanley Baker	...	Pvt. 'Butcher' Brown
Anthony Quayle	...	Maj. Roy Franklin
James Darren	...	Pvt. Spyros Pappadimos
Irene Papas	...	Maria Pappadimos
Gia Scala	...	Anna
James Robertson Justice	...	Commodore Jensen / Prologue Narrator
Richard Harris	...	Squadron Leader Howard Barnsby RAAF
Bryan Forbes	...	Cohn
Allan Cuthbertson	...	Maj. Baker
Michael Trubshawe	...	Weaver
Percy Herbert	...	Sgt. Grogan
George Mikell	...	Sessler

Runtime:

158 min | Sweden:156 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Greek | German

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) (Westrex Recording System) | Mono (35 mm optical prints) | Dolby (Restored version)

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Portugal:M/12 | West Germany:16 (nf) | USA:Approved | USA:Not Rated (DVD release) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Ireland:G | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:U (original rating) (cut) | UK:PG (video rating) (1986) (uncut)

Filming Locations:

Associated British Elstree Studios, Shenley Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

For the scene where the commandos scale the near-vertical cliff, the rockface was a painted backdrop laid out on the ground, so the actors were actually climbing over the studio floor and then the image was tilted in camera.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the fight scene where Pappadimos is shooting at a German officer, the officer is using a Sten SMG which is British made with the magazine on the left side. German MP_38/40 magazines were located on the bottom.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Prologue Narrator: Greece and the islands of the Aegean Sea have given birth to many myths and legends of war and adventure. And these once-proud stones, these ruined and shattered temples bear witness to the civilization that flourished and then died here and to the demigods and heroes who inspired those legends on this sea and these islands...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Canadian Bacon (1995)

A great WWII film

The Guns of Navarone is a classic WWII film. The movie is about a group of Allied soldiers (Gregory Peck, David Niven, Anthony Quinn, Stanley Baker, James Darren, and Anthony Quayle) whose mission is to destroy the Nazis most powerful weapon which is the guns on Navarone. Will they be able to make it without being caught? This movie is great. The acting by Peck, Niven, and Quinn is A+. The special effects were great and they still amazed me. I recommend this movie to all.

10/10