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 | |
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Brian Foley | ... | Lothar von Richthofen |
Robert La Tourneaux | ... | Ernest Udet | |
Peter Masterson | ... | Major Oswald Boelke | |
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Clint Kimbrough | ... | Major von Höppner |
Tom Adams | ... | Owen | |
Ferdy Mayne | ... | Richthofen's father | |
David Weston | ... | Murphy | |
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John Flanagan | ... | Thompson |
Manfred von Richthofen (John Phillip Law) arrives from the Cavalry, at a squadron in the German air force under the command of Oswald Boelcke. He quickly becomes an ace. Meanwhile, a Canadian pilot named Roy Brown arrives at a British squadron, where the top scoring pilot is Victoria Cross winner, Major Lanoe Hawker. Brown ruffles the feathers of his squadron mates by refusing to drink a toast to von Richthofen. Von Richthofen and fellow squadron pilot, Hermann Goering clash when squadron commander Boelcke is killed after a mid air collision( Boelcke's upper left wing struck the undercarriage of Böhme's Albatros ). von Richthofen is given command of the squadron. Outraged when he is ordered to have his aircraft camouflaged, von Richthofen has the squadron's aircraft painted in bright conspicuous colors, claiming that gentlemen should not hide from their enemies. Later, von Richthofen is wounded during an aerial battle; meanwhile Lanoe Hawker is killed. Brown and his squadron decide to... Written by H W Thorn
Roger Corman leaps beyond crab monsters and biker chicks to the skies over World War1 France. The film takes right off with flying sequences, which are surprisingly good. Characters are introduced at an overwhelming rate with little or no development. Both John Philip Law and Don Stroud appear uncomfortable in their flying ace roles. In their "spaghetti westerns" they look and act like they belong, but here they seem lost and out of their element. Romantic female characters are introduced, only to never be seen again. The air battles are definitely the strong point of "Von Richthofen and Brown", but even they become redundant. - MERK