Von Richthofen and Brown (1971)

The story of Manfred von Richthofen, the German air ace during World War I and his struggle with the enemy aces and some jealous German officers.

Director:

Roger Corman

Writers:

John William Corrington, Joyce Hooper Corrington (as Joyce H. Corrington)

Stars:

John Phillip Law, Don Stroud, Barry Primus

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Phillip Law	...	Baron Manfred von Richthofen
Don Stroud	...	Roy Brown
Barry Primus	...	Hermann Goering
Corin Redgrave	...	Major Lanoe Hawker VC
Karen Ericson	...	Ilse (as Karen Huston)
Hurd Hatfield	...	Anthony Fokker
Stephen McHattie	...	Werner Voss
Brian Foley	...	Lothar von Richthofen
Robert La Tourneaux	...	Ernest Udet
Peter Masterson	...	Major Oswald Boelke
Clint Kimbrough	...	Major von Höppner
Tom Adams	...	Owen
Ferdy Mayne	...	Richthofen's father
David Weston	...	Murphy
John Flanagan	...	Thompson

Storyline

World War I: an allied squadron and a German squadron face off daily in the skies. Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron, leads one, and, although one of his decisions cost the life of his predecessor, he expects his men to honor codes of conduct. The allied squad has similar class divisions: its colonel, an aristocrat, laments that men he considers peasants are now fliers, including a cynical and ruthless Canadian, Roy Brown, the squad's ace. As the tactics of both sides break more rules and become more destructive, the Baron must decide if he is a soldier first or part of the ruling class. He and Brown have two aerial battles, trivial in the larger scheme yet tragic.

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Plot Keywords:

character names as title | surnames as title | four word title | based on real people | based on real person | 

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Taglines:

On April 21, 1918 they met in the skies of France. For the last time.

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Genres:

Action | Biography | Drama | History | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for war action violence

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 September 1971 (Finland)

Also Known As:

The Red Baron

Filming Locations:

Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland

Box Office

Budget:

$900,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Corman Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Nicky Henson was interviewed for a part.

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Goofs

When Hawker was shot down by Richthofen, he flew an Airco D.H.2.

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Quotes

Reporter: You started the war as a cavalry officer, yeah?
Baron Manfred von Richthofen: Yeah.
Reporter: So, now, how does it feel to fly? To fight in the sky?
Baron Manfred von Richthofen: My ancestors were Teutonic knights; I've merely exchanged my horse for an airplane.
Reporter: [laughing] I see, so the flying is just a means to an end?
Baron Manfred von Richthofen: The flying is wonderful! But it's the hunt that I find most satisfying: the stalking, the chase, and finally the kill. The climax.
Reporter: Oh, so you enjoy it sir?
Baron Manfred von Richthofen: What should I say? War is the father of nations. It makes them slaves or it makes them free....
[...]

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Crazy Credits

The name of the German ace that brought Richthofen into his squadron at the beginning of the film was spelled wrongly as "Boelke" in the credits. His name was Oswald BOELCKE.

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Connections

Referenced in The Directors: The Films of Roger Corman (1999)

User Reviews

World War 1 Aviation Films in Comparison

The flying sequences in this film are authentic, which is the best thing going here, we see real men in the aircraft in the AIR and not on a blue screen set, as in THE BLUE MAX from which this film has it's roots and where most of the aircraft came from. Since the aircraft were available from the latter, the complaints about vintage aircraft being out of time-sync are valid, but given the budget ... you make do with what you have. Case closed here.

THE BLUE MAX had decent dogfights, but blue screen as above so here the combat sequences are better. THE GREAT WALDO PEPPER also had real IN THE AIR footage of both pilots and aircraft, certain a fine pseudo-dogfight at the end of it.

DARLING LILI I have never seen much of so I will refrain, though more BLUE MAX aircraft once again.

Now we have the CGI films such as THE RED BARON and FLYBOYS, both of which show great action, totally faked and also totally way too fast. Watch the speed and action of these earlier films and you sense that these old planes did not move THAT FAST as these two films show them. Great stuff, but totally fake.

Give me real any day of the week. For this film and THE BLUE MAX, Enjoy the dogfights, tolerate the acting and have good time.