The Guns of Navarone (Superbit Collection)

Rating:
Summary: "You've got me in the mood to use this thing..."
Review: The Guns of Navarone is a wonderful film that touches upon the issue of how difficult it can be to make moral choices during the course of a war. The screenplay is fascinating in the sense that every major character in the film has their own notions of just how far they should go in applying the necessary force "to get the job done" in a war.

The movie is about six saboteurs who must destroy two gigantic guns, which present a danger to the Allied Navy. At the very beginning of the movie, viewers immediately have their first taste of a moral dilemma when Commodore Jensen, the organizer of the mission, has to decide between sending six qualified men to an almost disastrous and suicidal mission or simply scrapping the mission and leaving 2,000 trapped British soldiers to a certain doom. Commodore Jensen sees the choice as a foregone conclusion and thus resorts to lying to the leaders of the mission in order to boost their confidence. Jensen however does feel the pains of leadership as he tells a fellow officer "I'm just a man who has to send men off to die".

The six saboteurs each have their unique specialties and views of morality. The first saboteur is Captain Mallory, the best mountain climber in the world and a competent linguist. Captain Mallory is a soldier who now has a utilitarian view of the world and no longer sees the world as black or white. The second saboteur is Major Roy Franklin who is known for his luck and determination. Roy is as focused to the mission as Mallory, only he does not appear to be so in the eyes of his friend Corporal Miller, the third saboteur. Corporal Miller is the self-righteous chemical explosives expert whose philanthropic perception of the world directs his loyalty only to his friends and himself. The fourth is Private Brown "the Butcher of Barcelona" whose specialties are working with engines and using a knife. Although Brown is a seasoned veteran with many kills under his belt, he has become wary of the war. The fifth saboteur is Colonel Stavros. Stavros, like Mallory and Franklin, focuses to the task at hand, but is also ever thoughtful of his personal vendettas. Finally, the last saboteur is Private Pappadimos, whom Jesnsen describes as a "born killer".

The moral views of the six saboteurs will clash with each other several times during the movie as they debate about how to conduct a war and deal with human life. The moral perceptions even prove to be the undoing of some of the men. The beauty of the movie is that ultimately the ongoing theme of morality further extends to the two women who later join the mission. Even the Germans are not exempt from this theme as the "normal" German soldier's character contrasts itself sharply from that of the inhumane SS officer.

It is not surprisingly to find that many world leaders enjoy watching The Guns of Navarone, since here is a film that touches upon an issue that is constantly ever-present in their minds. The burden of choosing the fates of others is after all, a burden that is felt by both the commander and the individual soldier alike.

The superbit version of The Guns of Navarone is an improvement over the first regular DVD release. The noticeable improvement is found mainly in the sound. A particular standout scene in terms of sound is where Stavros uses his sniper rifle to give cover against the advancing German Army. The superbit picture quality while an improvement over the regular DVD release, is not as noticeably good as the superbit sound quality.