At least so it is considered by many, and has been for the last 40+ years. It sure has a well-constructed story and director J. Lee Thompson never looses sight of the characters amidst all the first-rate action-scenes. Personally however, I still rank it behind another Alistair MacLean-based film: "Where Eagles Dare".
That said, "The Guns of Navarone" is and will always remain one of the greatest examples of it's genre. Surprisingly enough; when I saw it as a kid I thought of it "only" as an adventure movie, but when I see it as an adult it comes of more as a serious war-picture, because despite the light comedy of David Niven (in one of his most memorable roles) this is a brutal picture, at times almost hard to swallow.
(MILD SPOILER, not regarding the ending)
The Germans come of quite sympathetic, especially compared to the "heroes" after they assassinate the films true victim-of-war because the person (with a background as a school-teacher) buckled under torture. When you have seen the scene you might say there was no other way, I say they could have used the same way on this person as they did to some Germans they tied up and gagged earlier in the film. When the people we are supposed to root for executes this person in cold blood it puts a damper on the rest of the movie. Sure, war IS Hell, and tough choices like this works in a number of movies, but here it is almost too much, and hits you straight in the face like a wet towel, at least in the manner it is told.
On top of this scene, Gregory Peck - the most sympathetic guy in Hollywood - even comes off as almost unsympathetic at times! At one key moment in the film Niven has had it and yells "to hell with the job! I've been on a hundred jobs and not one of them has altered the course of the war! I don't care about the war anymore, I care about Roy!" These feelings should hit close to home with most audience-members, as they have rarely been put in a life-or-death situation where you have to put all human emotions aside like Peck demands of his men. So when Niven later in the film actually apologizes to Peck for not being the cold-blooded killer he apparently wants him to be, it just feels entirely wrong! You should have told him to shove it where the sun don't shine, David.
(END OF SPOILER)
These points adds somewhat of a damper on an otherwise solid picture I really loved as a kid, but find harder to truly enjoy as I grow older. Go figure.
This was supposed to be a user comment filled with praise, but given that this is one of the most praised-about and popular films from the 1960's I think it would have no problems withstanding my remarks, as it has stood the test of time and still is one of the greatest World War 2-movies ever made.
That said, "The Guns of Navarone" is and will always remain one of the greatest examples of it's genre. Surprisingly enough; when I saw it as a kid I thought of it "only" as an adventure movie, but when I see it as an adult it comes of more as a serious war-picture, because despite the light comedy of David Niven (in one of his most memorable roles) this is a brutal picture, at times almost hard to swallow.
(MILD SPOILER, not regarding the ending)
The Germans come of quite sympathetic, especially compared to the "heroes" after they assassinate the films true victim-of-war because the person (with a background as a school-teacher) buckled under torture. When you have seen the scene you might say there was no other way, I say they could have used the same way on this person as they did to some Germans they tied up and gagged earlier in the film. When the people we are supposed to root for executes this person in cold blood it puts a damper on the rest of the movie. Sure, war IS Hell, and tough choices like this works in a number of movies, but here it is almost too much, and hits you straight in the face like a wet towel, at least in the manner it is told.
On top of this scene, Gregory Peck - the most sympathetic guy in Hollywood - even comes off as almost unsympathetic at times! At one key moment in the film Niven has had it and yells "to hell with the job! I've been on a hundred jobs and not one of them has altered the course of the war! I don't care about the war anymore, I care about Roy!" These feelings should hit close to home with most audience-members, as they have rarely been put in a life-or-death situation where you have to put all human emotions aside like Peck demands of his men. So when Niven later in the film actually apologizes to Peck for not being the cold-blooded killer he apparently wants him to be, it just feels entirely wrong! You should have told him to shove it where the sun don't shine, David.
(END OF SPOILER)
These points adds somewhat of a damper on an otherwise solid picture I really loved as a kid, but find harder to truly enjoy as I grow older. Go figure.
This was supposed to be a user comment filled with praise, but given that this is one of the most praised-about and popular films from the 1960's I think it would have no problems withstanding my remarks, as it has stood the test of time and still is one of the greatest World War 2-movies ever made.