Very much maligned sequel of "The Guns of Navarone" ('61), made 17 years later, with members of the cast replaced, which was not well received by critics and got a lukewarm reception when it was released.
Loosely based on Alistair McLean's follow up to his best-seller, the action takes place around 2 years after the events of the first film, with (now) Major Keith Mallory and (now) Staff Sargeant Miller, both sent on a mission to Yugoslavia to kill a german spy (code name: Nicolai Lescovar) who had infiltrated in the Partisans' resistance. Mallory & Miller are the only ones who can positively identify him, because Nicolai betrayed them in Greece during the Navarone events. A group of american commandos, led by Colonel Barnsby, are selected to escort them behind enemy lines, with the mission to destroy a strategic bridge for the German Forces...
Directed by the James Bond veteran, Guy Hamilton, who also helmed "Battle of Britain", "Force 10 from Navarone" is an exciting and splendorous "men-on-a-mission" film that deserved better fate, because even if more 'flimsy' than the predecessor and less clever, the movie never fails to deliver action & adventure in an unpretentious way that engage the viewer into the screen and it never gets boring.
The strong cast surely makes an impression, even with the replacements due to Peck and Niven's age, the late great Robert Shaw as Mallory & Edward Fox as Miller are very good in their respective roles, even if Fox have less to do than Niven in the first film.
Harrison Ford, in his second co-leading role, after the global success of "Star Wars" that made him a 'star' in just 1 year, was less 'mouthy' than Richard Harris' cameo as Barnsby in "Navarone", but way more responsible, even if still a bit stiff with his acting.
Ex-Bond Girl (from the best 007 movie from the 70's decade), Barbara Bach as Maritza and one of the most recognizable Bond villains, Richard Kiel as Capt. Drazak reunite after "The Spy Who Loved Me" and Franco Nero is scrumptiously charming and as well, vile, as the infiltrated german Colonel.
Carl Weathers is just here for the sake of his Apollo Creed's fame, if his character had been removed from the film, it would not spoil the plot, but he have presence and his character adds the 'american street smart loudmouth' attitude to a strictly mannered team of Brits.
Keep your eyes open for appearances by Michael Sheard & Wolf Kahler, as well Michael Byrne, all future cast members of the Indiana Jones' and Star Wars' films playing once again Nazis or elite from the Empire. Michael Byrne, Vogel from "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade", plays the major Nazi antagonist and Angus MacInnes, from "Star Wars" and future Ford's pursuer in "Witness" ('85) plays here Barnsby's 2nd in command from the Force 10.
Some reviewers have stated here that some plot and characters' decisions were all wrong, like the casting of the leading man type, Franco Nero, that doesn't resemble at all the character actor who played Lescovar in the original film, but if using the suspension of desbelief and we can accept Shaw & Fox in those roles instead of Peck & Niven, for sure we can do the same for Nero. And Andrea Stavros wasn't omitted at all like if he doesn't exist anymore, Shaw mentioned him briefly when talking about Nicolai with his superior during the briefing at the beginning of the film.
Another 'target' of criticisms here is when an infuriated Weaver confronts Mallory & Barnsby about that they come back to rescue only Miller and not him and when Ford admits it, he smiles and starts to cooperate. I think it makes total sense, Weaver got involved (even if by his own fault), into a classified mission that he doesn't understand and after all the group went through and nobody giving him a straight answer, when Ford told him the inconvenient true, like if Weaver were expendable, it marks the first time that someone is being sincere to him, treating him like a man, and that's why he smiled and came to respect the team.
The special effets during the destruction of the bridge are good and made in almost the same way / models as the destruction of "The Guns of Navarone".
In short, "Force 10 from Navarone" is a classic matinee's adventure / war film that works better if viewed in a big screen television, because the butchered version for TV kind of dismiss its splendorous visuals of gorgeous cinematography in Technicolor. The restored DVD version i own is one of the best i have in my personal collection of thousands of titles in terms of image quality (unfortunately the sound could have been better mixed...)
Loosely based on Alistair McLean's follow up to his best-seller, the action takes place around 2 years after the events of the first film, with (now) Major Keith Mallory and (now) Staff Sargeant Miller, both sent on a mission to Yugoslavia to kill a german spy (code name: Nicolai Lescovar) who had infiltrated in the Partisans' resistance. Mallory & Miller are the only ones who can positively identify him, because Nicolai betrayed them in Greece during the Navarone events. A group of american commandos, led by Colonel Barnsby, are selected to escort them behind enemy lines, with the mission to destroy a strategic bridge for the German Forces...
Directed by the James Bond veteran, Guy Hamilton, who also helmed "Battle of Britain", "Force 10 from Navarone" is an exciting and splendorous "men-on-a-mission" film that deserved better fate, because even if more 'flimsy' than the predecessor and less clever, the movie never fails to deliver action & adventure in an unpretentious way that engage the viewer into the screen and it never gets boring.
The strong cast surely makes an impression, even with the replacements due to Peck and Niven's age, the late great Robert Shaw as Mallory & Edward Fox as Miller are very good in their respective roles, even if Fox have less to do than Niven in the first film.
Harrison Ford, in his second co-leading role, after the global success of "Star Wars" that made him a 'star' in just 1 year, was less 'mouthy' than Richard Harris' cameo as Barnsby in "Navarone", but way more responsible, even if still a bit stiff with his acting.
Ex-Bond Girl (from the best 007 movie from the 70's decade), Barbara Bach as Maritza and one of the most recognizable Bond villains, Richard Kiel as Capt. Drazak reunite after "The Spy Who Loved Me" and Franco Nero is scrumptiously charming and as well, vile, as the infiltrated german Colonel.
Carl Weathers is just here for the sake of his Apollo Creed's fame, if his character had been removed from the film, it would not spoil the plot, but he have presence and his character adds the 'american street smart loudmouth' attitude to a strictly mannered team of Brits.
Keep your eyes open for appearances by Michael Sheard & Wolf Kahler, as well Michael Byrne, all future cast members of the Indiana Jones' and Star Wars' films playing once again Nazis or elite from the Empire. Michael Byrne, Vogel from "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade", plays the major Nazi antagonist and Angus MacInnes, from "Star Wars" and future Ford's pursuer in "Witness" ('85) plays here Barnsby's 2nd in command from the Force 10.
Some reviewers have stated here that some plot and characters' decisions were all wrong, like the casting of the leading man type, Franco Nero, that doesn't resemble at all the character actor who played Lescovar in the original film, but if using the suspension of desbelief and we can accept Shaw & Fox in those roles instead of Peck & Niven, for sure we can do the same for Nero. And Andrea Stavros wasn't omitted at all like if he doesn't exist anymore, Shaw mentioned him briefly when talking about Nicolai with his superior during the briefing at the beginning of the film.
Another 'target' of criticisms here is when an infuriated Weaver confronts Mallory & Barnsby about that they come back to rescue only Miller and not him and when Ford admits it, he smiles and starts to cooperate. I think it makes total sense, Weaver got involved (even if by his own fault), into a classified mission that he doesn't understand and after all the group went through and nobody giving him a straight answer, when Ford told him the inconvenient true, like if Weaver were expendable, it marks the first time that someone is being sincere to him, treating him like a man, and that's why he smiled and came to respect the team.
The special effets during the destruction of the bridge are good and made in almost the same way / models as the destruction of "The Guns of Navarone".
In short, "Force 10 from Navarone" is a classic matinee's adventure / war film that works better if viewed in a big screen television, because the butchered version for TV kind of dismiss its splendorous visuals of gorgeous cinematography in Technicolor. The restored DVD version i own is one of the best i have in my personal collection of thousands of titles in terms of image quality (unfortunately the sound could have been better mixed...)