The War Lover (1962)

Buzz Rickson is a dare-devil World War II bomber pilot with a death wish. Failing at everything not involving flying, Rickson lives for the most dangerous missions. His crew lives with this... See full summary »

Director:

Philip Leacock

Writers:

Howard Koch (screenplay), John Hersey (novel)

Stars:

Steve McQueen, Robert Wagner, Shirley Anne Field

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Steve McQueen	...	'Buzz' / Buzz Rickson
Robert Wagner	...	'Bo' / Ed Bolland
Shirley Anne Field	...	Daphne
Gary Cockrell	...	Lynch: Crew of 'The Body'
Michael Crawford	...	Junior' / Junior Sailen: Crew of 'The Body
Bill Edwards	...	Brindt: Crew of 'The Body'
Chuck Julian	...	Lamb: Crew of 'The Body'
Robert Easton	...	Handown: Crew of 'The Body'
Al Waxman	...	Prien: Crew of 'The Body'
Tom Busby	...	Farr: Crew of 'The Body'
George Sperdakos	...	Bragliani: Crew of 'The Body'
Bob Kanter	...	Haverstraw: Crew of 'The Body'
Jerry Stovin	...	Emmet
Ed Bishop	...	Vogt (as Edward Bishop)
Richard Leech	...	Murika

Storyline

Buzz Rickson is a dare-devil World War II bomber pilot with a death wish. Failing at everything not involving flying, Rickson lives for the most dangerous missions. His crew lives with this aspect of his personality only because they know he always brings them back alive.

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Plot Keywords:

bomber | pilot | bomber pilot | airplane crash | bomber aircraft | 

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Taglines:

Some men love war the way others love women. This is the story of both kinds!

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 October 1962 (USA)

Also Known As:

A háború szerelmese

Filming Locations:

Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Columbia British Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The scene where the B-17 pilot Woodman brings his aircraft in for a wheels-up landing, and navigator Marty Lynch is killed, comes from the film Twelve O'Clock High.

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Goofs

The short life vests the bomber crews wear are clearly post-war issue, not World War II-era "Mae Wests."

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Quotes

Daphne Caldwell: Have you ever been in love, Captain? I'm serious, have you?
Captain Buzz Rickson: In wartime you don't fall in love, you make love. You know what I mean?

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Connections

Referenced in Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing and Charm School (1990)

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Soundtracks

"Je vous aime"
(uncredited)
Written by Henri Bataille, René Mercier and Charles Potier

User Reviews

An excellent novel that translated into a so-so motion picture.

War is a wrenching experience. Whether experienced in far off foreign lands on the battlefield or at home in the living room gathered around the radio to hear the latest news, those who experience it are often moved to put their physical and emotional experiences down on paper. Later, others are moved to attempt to turn those writings into motion pictures. The process just doesn't always work perfectly. More often than not the emotions that can be expressed beautifully in words by an excellent writer like John Hersey just cannot be caught on screen.

It is really hard to define exactly what kept "The War Lover" from becoming a first rate film. The production effort was definitely first rate, and the casting was excellent. The framework of this move is all there. It is well filmed, well acted, well directed and well produced. Even the use of the black and white format works. It not only allowed the use of actual combat air footage, but also provided a gritty quality that fits the material nicely. The adaptation of the dialog is good. It may just be that the emotions which Mr. Hersey put into his novel just can't be translated onto the screen, no matter who tries to do it.

I like this movie despite its shortcomings. I occasionally watch it when a nostalgia for the "bad old, good old days" of WW II gets hold of me, usually on a dreary winter evening when it gets dark around 4:30 in the afternoon, and I enjoy it. Watch this one for the realism of its depiction of the air war over Europe from 1942 to 1945.