I admit to never having seen the original GUNS OF NAVARONE, but I can report that this underrated sequel is a strong addition to the glut of 1970s-era WW2 movies that were all the rage at the time. These films were often similar to the wave of Hollywood disaster flicks also being made at the time, with expansive budgets big enough to do the stories justice, and ensemble casts of familiar faces.
FORCE 10 FROM NAVARONE stars a fresh-faced Harrison Ford, straight off the success of STAR WARS. He's a man with a mission to blow up a bridge in Yugoslavia, and he has a bunch of assorted characters helping him. Two of these are Robert Shaw and Edward Fox, playing old timers. Fox and Shaw seemed to be ubiquitous in genre cinema in the 1970s and they both give assured, confident turns.
The supporting players turn out to be just as interesting. Barbara Bach is here and as alluring as ever and so is her Bond co-star Richard Kiel as a hulking Partisan fighter. Italian leading man Franco Nero bags an interesting part and gets plenty of screen time. Philip Latham, the butler Klove in Dracula: PRINCE OF DARKNESS, plays the guy who sends the chaps off on their mission at the outset, while Michael Byrne and Michael Sheard play Nazis as usual. Best of the bunch is Carl Weathers, hot off the success of ROCKY, excellent as the youthful, gung ho soldier.
The plot of FORCE 10 FROM NAVARONE is nothing special; find a traitor, blow up a bridge, you've seen it all before countless times. But the execution is superior. The film is packed with action and special effects which stand the test of time. Director Guy Hamilton does a grand job of the material and elicits likable performances from all of the major players. This is the type of film I caught on Sunday afternoon television but would love to add to my collection one day.
FORCE 10 FROM NAVARONE stars a fresh-faced Harrison Ford, straight off the success of STAR WARS. He's a man with a mission to blow up a bridge in Yugoslavia, and he has a bunch of assorted characters helping him. Two of these are Robert Shaw and Edward Fox, playing old timers. Fox and Shaw seemed to be ubiquitous in genre cinema in the 1970s and they both give assured, confident turns.
The supporting players turn out to be just as interesting. Barbara Bach is here and as alluring as ever and so is her Bond co-star Richard Kiel as a hulking Partisan fighter. Italian leading man Franco Nero bags an interesting part and gets plenty of screen time. Philip Latham, the butler Klove in Dracula: PRINCE OF DARKNESS, plays the guy who sends the chaps off on their mission at the outset, while Michael Byrne and Michael Sheard play Nazis as usual. Best of the bunch is Carl Weathers, hot off the success of ROCKY, excellent as the youthful, gung ho soldier.
The plot of FORCE 10 FROM NAVARONE is nothing special; find a traitor, blow up a bridge, you've seen it all before countless times. But the execution is superior. The film is packed with action and special effects which stand the test of time. Director Guy Hamilton does a grand job of the material and elicits likable performances from all of the major players. This is the type of film I caught on Sunday afternoon television but would love to add to my collection one day.