IMDb > The Blue Max (1966)
The Blue Max
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The Blue Max (1966) More at IMDbPro »

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The Blue Max -- Trailer for this wartime drama about fighter pilots

Overview

User Rating:
6.8/10   3,667 votes »
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Up 35% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Jack Hunter (novel)
Ben Barzman (adaptation) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Blue Max on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
21 June 1966 (USA) See more »
Genre:
Tagline:
MIRACLES IN THE AIR! See more »
Plot:
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. Full summary » | Add synopsis »
Awards:
Won BAFTA Film Award. Another 4 nominations See more »
NewsDesk:
(6 articles)
Five Forgotten Gems From Five Great Movie Music Composers
 (From SoundOnSight. 14 January 2013, 11:19 AM, PST)

10 greatest flying movies
 (From Den of Geek. 21 June 2011, 4:04 AM, PDT)

An Uneasy Peace: The Disappearing War Film
 (From SoundOnSight. 21 May 2011, 11:57 PM, PDT)

User Reviews:
A Terrific WWI Air War Movie With Real Planes & No CGI See more (73 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

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
Roger Ostime ... The Crown Prince
Ray Browne ... Pilot
Timothy Parkes ... Pilot
Ian Kingsley ... Pilot
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Warren Crosby ... (uncredited)
Nikki Van der Zyl ... Countess Kaeti von Klugermann (voice) (uncredited)
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Directed by
John Guillermin 
 
Writing credits
Jack Hunter (novel)

Ben Barzman (adaptation) and
Basilio Franchina (adaptation)

David Pursall (screenplay) &
Jack Seddon (screenplay) and
Gerald Hanley (screenplay)

Produced by
Christian Ferry .... producer
Elmo Williams .... executive producer
 
Original Music by
Jerry Goldsmith 
 
Cinematography by
Douglas Slocombe 
 
Film Editing by
Max Benedict 
 
Casting by
Stuart Lyons 
 
Production Design by
Wilfred Shingleton  (as Wilfrid Shingleton)
 
Art Direction by
Fred Carter 
 
Makeup Department
Patricia McDermott .... hairdresser (as Pat McDermott)
John O'Gorman .... makeup artist: Ursula Andress
Charles E. Parker .... head makeup artist (as Charles Parker)
Tony Sforzini .... makeup artist: George Peppard (as Tony Sfortzini)
Jay Sebring .... hair designer: George Peppard (uncredited)
 
Production Management
René Dupont .... production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jack Causey .... assistant director
Derek Cracknell .... assistant director
Anthony Squire .... director: aerial unit
 
Art Department
Brian Doyle .... plasterer
Joseph Musso .... production illustrator (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
Richard Best Jr. .... assistant sound editor
John Cox .... sound
Chris Greenham .... sound editor
Claude Hitchcock .... sound
Bob Jones .... sound
 
Special Effects by
Maurice Ayers .... special effects
Ron Ballanger .... special effects
Karl Baumgartner .... special effects
 
Stunts
Ken Byrne .... aerial stunts
Tim Clutterbuck .... aerial stunts
Pat Cranfield .... aerial stunts
Tim Healey .... aerial stunts
Peter Hillwood .... aerial stunts
Joan Hughes .... aerial stunts
Darby Kennedy .... aerial stunts
Darby Kennedy .... stunt coordinator
Roger Kennedy .... aerial stunts
Liam Mulligan .... aerial stunts
Derek Piggott .... aerial stunts
Taffy Rich .... aerial stunts
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Skeets Kelly .... aerial photographer
Skeets Kelly .... camera operator
Skeets Kelly .... photographer: second unit
Donald C. Rogers .... photographer: second unit
Chic Waterson .... camera operator
Mike Fox .... focus puller: second unit (uncredited)
Ginger Gemmel .... camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Elsa Fennell .... wardrobe supervisor
John Furniss .... wardrobe creator: Miss Andress
 
Editorial Department
Norman Cohen .... assembly editor
Elizabeth Thoyts .... assistant editor
 
Music Department
Jerry Goldsmith .... conductor
 
Transportation Department
Arthur Dunne .... transportation captain (uncredited)
 
Other crew
Johnny Maher .... air engineer
William O'Kelly .... production liaison: Ireland
Willy Roe .... runner
Allen Wheeler .... air supervisor
Helen Whitson .... continuity
 

Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Runtime:
156 min | USA:153 min (FMC Library Print)
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.20 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
6-Track Stereo | 4-Track Stereo (magnetic prints) (Westrex Recording System) | Mono (optical prints) (Westrex Recording System)

Did You Know?

Trivia:
Stunt pilot, Derek Piggott, flew both Stachel's and Von Klugermann's planes for the bridge storming scene. With multiple camera angles (including one from a trailing helicopter) Piggott actually flew under the bridge over twenty times. To prove that the sequence was real, sheep were placed in the field next to the bridge so that they would scatter as the plane approached. However, as can be seen in the continuity, by the 20th take the sheep had become blasé and didn't scatter any more.See more »
Goofs:
Factual errors: The Fokker aircraft were correctly shown with replicas of the 8mm-caliber Maxim LMG08/15 air-cooled machine guns, designed to fire between the propeller blades via a cam assembly that synchronized the guns with the engine's RPMs. However, these were belt-fed weapons and neither ammo belts nor drum magazines were ever shown mounted on them; thus, the guns were not charged.See more »
Quotes:
Bruno Stachel:Do you think I came all this way to run off to Switzerland with you?
Countess Kaeti von Klugermann:You gambled your life for me once with Willy.
Bruno Stachel:That was about flying, Kaeti, not about you!
See more »
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Yellow Submarine (1968)See more »
Soundtrack:
DeutschlandliedSee more »

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
18 out of 18 people found the following review useful.
A Terrific WWI Air War Movie With Real Planes & No CGI, 4 November 2006
Author: dublin9 from Brooklyn, New York

What a refreshing movie to watch.

I saw this movie with my father in 1966. He always loved the bi-planes of World War I and they thrill me to this day.

The title, though central to the theme of the movie is really a misnomer to the enjoyment of this film. You actually get to see r-e-a-l aircraft in combat without the cartoon effects of CGI.

This is movie making in the school of the other Cinamascope greats: Somewhat weak on plot, but so absolutely cool in visual execution, that you overlook the script's lack of depth.

I'm not saying that this movie doesn't have a plot. It's a solid story with somewhat shallow character development. But in the end, the characters were secondary to a story of bravery, early air war history and tactics and the wearing away of chivalry in an era of a nation fighting for survival in the end of hours.

Acting was good, direction was fine and choreography using actual aircraft was among the last of it's kind.

I give this an 8 out of 10 for displaying concrete reality in an era of cartoon gimmicks.

Was the above review useful to you?
See more (73 total) »

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Fall of the Old Order anneandwalt-1
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Inaccurate projection of WWI air combat dockbillin
Karl Michael Vogler as 'Colonel' Otto Heidemann Raid24
The Crash of the Invisible Plane lanlguy
Saw the Blue Max last night....(spoilers) fistjedi
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