George Peppard wants "The Blue Max," the ultimate medal for German pilots in this 1966 film also starring James Mason, Jeremy Kemp, and Ursula Andress.
Peppard plays Bruno Stachel, a lower-class German fighting in World War I. He's also an excellent pilot, and his goal in life is to achieve 20 kills so that he can get The Blue Max. Promoted to an officer corps, he feels out of place because most officers come from Germany's elite. He immediately gets into a rivalry with the General's nephew, Willi von Klugermann (Jeremy Kemp), who receives The Blue Max. He's also in the bed of his uncle's wife (Ursula Andress), something else that Stachel would like to have.
The General (James Mason) sees that, as a lower class German, Bruno Stachel would be a great propaganda tool to use on the people of Germany. So he's brought to Berlin, where he gets his big chance with von Klugermann's wife. In his ambition to win The Blue Max, he has claimed a couple of "kills" that aren't his, but rather, belonged to Willi von Klugermann. This lie impacts the surprising denouement of the film.
The aerial sequences in this film are marvelous, as are the effects. The acting is good. Peppard has the same arrogant, detached presence that he had in his TV show Banacek, and it fits in well with his character, as does his star quality. James Mason, though he doesn't have a huge part, is excellent as usual. Jeremy Kemp does a great job as Willi. Ursula Andress - it's not actually clear why she's in the movie except that this is a guy film. She's very beautiful. Her role in this film is pivotal - it would have been nice to see what a really fine actress could have brought to the role, therefore enhancing the movie.
All in all, a very good war film, with a character-driven story. Recommended.
Peppard plays Bruno Stachel, a lower-class German fighting in World War I. He's also an excellent pilot, and his goal in life is to achieve 20 kills so that he can get The Blue Max. Promoted to an officer corps, he feels out of place because most officers come from Germany's elite. He immediately gets into a rivalry with the General's nephew, Willi von Klugermann (Jeremy Kemp), who receives The Blue Max. He's also in the bed of his uncle's wife (Ursula Andress), something else that Stachel would like to have.
The General (James Mason) sees that, as a lower class German, Bruno Stachel would be a great propaganda tool to use on the people of Germany. So he's brought to Berlin, where he gets his big chance with von Klugermann's wife. In his ambition to win The Blue Max, he has claimed a couple of "kills" that aren't his, but rather, belonged to Willi von Klugermann. This lie impacts the surprising denouement of the film.
The aerial sequences in this film are marvelous, as are the effects. The acting is good. Peppard has the same arrogant, detached presence that he had in his TV show Banacek, and it fits in well with his character, as does his star quality. James Mason, though he doesn't have a huge part, is excellent as usual. Jeremy Kemp does a great job as Willi. Ursula Andress - it's not actually clear why she's in the movie except that this is a guy film. She's very beautiful. Her role in this film is pivotal - it would have been nice to see what a really fine actress could have brought to the role, therefore enhancing the movie.
All in all, a very good war film, with a character-driven story. Recommended.