Force 10 from Navarone (1978)

During World War II, several oddly assorted military experts are teamed in a mission to raid and destroy a bridge vital to enemy strategy.

Director:

Guy Hamilton

Writers:

Alistair MacLean (novel), Robin Chapman (screenplay)

Stars:

Harrison Ford, Robert Shaw, Edward Fox

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Shaw	...	Mallory
Harrison Ford	...	Barnsby
Barbara Bach	...	Maritza
Edward Fox	...	Miller
Franco Nero	...	Lescovar
Carl Weathers	...	Weaver
Richard Kiel	...	Drazak
Alan Badel	...	Petrovitch
Michael Byrne	...	Schroeder
Philip Latham	...	Jensen
Angus MacInnes	...	Reynolds
Michael Sheard	...	Sgt. Bauer
Petar Buntic	...	Marko
Leslie Schofield	...	Interrogation Officer 1
Anthony Langdon	...	Interrogation Officer 2 (as Antony Langdon)

Storyline

Mallory and Miller are back. It seems that there was traitor with them at Navarone, whom they thought was executed. But it seems that not only was he not executed, and he was not a traitor but a German spy. Intelligence believes he made it to Yugoslavia and is now with the Partisans. So, Mallory and Miller being the only ones who can positively identify him are sent along with a unit called Force 10, which is led by Colonel Barnsby, who objects to their presence. It seems that Force 10 has a mission of their own which Mallory and Miller know nothing about. When their plane is shot and most of the team is killed, they mistakenly believe that some of the locals they meet are Partisans but in reality are German Allies, so they are taken prisoner, and have to convince the German commander that they are not spies or else they will be killed.

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Plot Keywords:

partisan | german army | collapsing bridge | booby trap | prison guard | 

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Taglines:

Explosive high adventure! A mission more daring than silencing the "Guns".

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Genres:

Action | Drama | War

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Oswald Morris was asked to be the DOP, but declined because he had viable doubts about the film being made.

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Goofs

When Mallory is removing his harness after the parachute drop, he quite obviously has a wooden filler in his flap holster rather than a real pistol. In the next few scenes, when he and Barnsby are gathering the troop, he has nothing in his holster at all.

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Quotes

Barnsby: I did your job. Now help me do mine.

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits prologue: SOMEWHERE IN ENGLAND 1943

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Alternate Versions

Version available on Amazon Prime missing some random voiceover bits from the theatrical version. Examples: a comment from the Guns of Navarone flashback about thinking Mallory and Miller were still on Navarone, Barnsby saying "shag your butts" while infiltrating the airfield in Italy and Weaver taunting an MP during the fight.

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Connections

Referenced in Jenny's War (1985)

User Reviews

Rainy Day Favorite

I actually saw this movie before I saw "The Guns of Navarone", and I have to say, I prefer "Force 10". It seems like it always comes on TV on a rainy Saturday afternoon, and I'll always get sucked right in. I've probably seen it about 10 times. Despite some laughable special effects, and otherwise dated production value, this war movie packs a good action punch. Not many WW2 movies are set in Yugoslavia, and that's one of the interesting elements of the film. The story itself is a classic "Against the Odds" type affair, involving a covert Allied mission with a dual purpose. The great Robert Shaw is a standout, and a young Harrison Ford shows why he eventually became the superstar he is. Rousing music, tense action sequences, shootouts, knife fights, bombings,rescues,deceit and trickery make "Force 10" a lot of fun.

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English Croatian German Serbian

Release Date:

8 December 1978 (USA)

Also Known As:

Alistair MacLean's Force 10 from Navarone

Filming Locations:

Brigde on the River Tara near Djurdjevica Tara, Zabljak, Montenegro

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$7,230,000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$7,230,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Navarone Productions, American International Pictures (AIP)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min 126 min (restored)

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo

Color:

Black and White (archive photographs in opening credits) Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1