The Blue Max (1966)

A young pilot in the German air force of 1918, disliked as lower-class and unchivalrous, tries ambitiously to earn the medal offered for 20 kills.

Director:

John Guillermin

Writers:

Jack Hunter (novel), Ben Barzman (adaptation),

Stars:

George Peppard, James Mason, Ursula Andress

Won 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
George Peppard	...	Lt. Bruno Stachel
James Mason	...	General Count von Klugermann
Ursula Andress	...	Countess Kaeti von Klugermann
Jeremy Kemp	...	Willi von Klugermann
Karl Michael Vogler	...	Colonel Otto Heidemann
Anton Diffring	...	Holbach
Harry Towb	...	Kettering
Peter Woodthorpe	...	Corporal Rupp
Derek Newark	...	Ziegel
Derren Nesbitt	...	Fabian
Loni von Friedl	...	Elfi Heidemann (as Loni Von Friedl)
Friedrich von Ledebur	...	Feldmarschall von Lenndorf (as Friedrich Ledebur)
Carl Schell	...	Von Richthofen aka The Red Baron
Hugo Schuster	...	Hans. Elderly Servant
Alex Scott	...	The Orator

Storyline

The tactics of a German fighter pilot offend his aristocratic comrades but win him his country's most honored medal, the Blue Max. The General finds him useful as a hero even though his wife also finds him useful as a love object. In the end the General arranges for him to test-fly an untried fighter.

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Plot Keywords:

ambition | aerial combat | acrobatic flight | biplane | airplane crash | 

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Taglines:

The raiding squadrons of the Red Baron...

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | War | Action

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 June 1966 (USA)

Also Known As:

El crepúsculo de las aguilas

Filming Locations:

Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

156 min 153 min (FMC Library Print)

Sound Mix:

6-Track Stereo 4-Track Stereo (magnetic prints) (Westrex Recording System) Mono (optical prints) (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

With the exception of the two-seater recon-plane, all the British aircraft featured in the movie, were of the "Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5" model, or "S.E.5" in short. It was introduced in early 1917 and proved to be an excellent fighter that helped the Allies regaining air superiority in the summer of 1917. It remained in production throughout the war.

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Goofs

German single-seat fighter aircraft in WW1 did not carry bombs.

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Quotes

Bruno Stachel: [resignedly] Well, I suppose I might as well say it.
Countess Kaeti von Klugermann: Say what?
Bruno Stachel: You're beautiful.

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Connections

Referenced in Yellow Submarine (1968)

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Soundtracks

"Deutschlandlied"
(uncredited)
Music by Joseph Haydn
Lyrics by August Heinrich Hoffman von Fallersleben
Played at Stachel's medal presentation

User Reviews

Possibly Best Flying Film Ever

I would rate this a 10, but didn't like the soundtrack enough.

Since the release of "Flyboys" it seems amazing that a movie made forty years ago has a more polished, advanced, and contemporary look than one made today. This will amaze people who compare films of the twentieth century one hundred years from now."The Blue Max" has better cinematography, special effects, acting, storyline, etc. In the end its a disappointing fact that today's films have taken giant steps backwards compared to those of the '60s.

The flying sequences and scenes of aerial combat in "The Blue Max" have never been surpassed or equaled. Even in "Flyboys" with millions of dollars of CGI effects no movie has ever captured the feel of flying and aerial fighting like this one. The planes all look authentic, too.

The big scope of World War One does not swallow up the intense personal stories here either. This is one of the only films that explores the psyche of successful fighting men. The arrogance they need to maintain their bravery and aggression can also be their downfall. Here we also can see the politics behind the combat, both on a personal and national level. This is a very thrilling history lesson.

The actors are so good, and the characters so complex I forgot they were supposed to be my (supposed) enemy. Peppard does a good job of acting, playing a guy who is meant to be both likable, admirable, irritating and repulsive at the same time. The only problem is he looks too American for the role. Imagine if Brando had done it, but he had a hard time choosing really good parts. My favorite is James Mason, who played German generals better than they could play themselves off-screen. If you like flying, history, or personal drama you can't miss this one.