Rating: 
Summary: The Classic WWII caper movie !
Review: The Guns Of Navarone is the first in a long line of WWII 'Men on a Mission' films that sprung up in the sixties and early seventies. Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn and David Niven head the cast as Mallory, Andreas and Miller along with James Darren , Stanley Baker and Anthony Quale (the actual leader of the mission,incapacitated by an unfortunate climbing accident midway through the film)Also, look fast for Richard Harris! This interesting team of commandos are set out to destroy two massive german guns that are being used to thwart the allies efforts to invade the island of Navarone , which is currently being occupied by the Nazis ( as usual thousands of Nazis ) along the way they are met up with two Greek women from the undergroung to help with the plot against the germans. This Film is absolutely gripping from start to finish. with excellant action, character development and a thrilling climax, even by todays standards this film still holds up as one the most exciting WWII/mission movies ever do yourself a favor and put this on your "do not Miss" list, there is also a sequel called Force 10 from Navarone that is good as well
Rating: 
Summary: life is dream
Review: This is, I think, one of the most palpable samples of cinema that deny the idea that you can only achieve a good film if it's "based in real facts" as if these affirmation were a warranty of quality. These supposition is absolutely false. We need perhaps a cinema absolutely real, but I'm afraid we don't like that very much. For that we have yet daily life. We love much more films that show not reality, but these things we desire reality should be, but never happens. In effect, can we affirm that the exploit of the British commandos is credible?: absolutely not, but that doesn't matter. The film is very good; the actors are into the best of the moment. Simply this is you can't defeat thousands of the most stupid soldiers with a half dozen of men, doesn't matter how much skilled and heroic you are, and I'm afraid personally have not much of these. The merit of movies as this remains, I think, in the people which have the ability to make us dream in these stories as truth, no matter if they deal with flying saucers, or love between rich and poor, or war actions. We like that and usually we don't demand much credibility, and less if done with wisdom. Surely without these fantasies the life would be a bit more dark. Yes, there are in the world a place for magic of all colors as these powerful but unbelievable guns at Navarone.
Rating: 
Summary: what happened to the print or the negative
Review: This film is excellent howerver the picture quality is worst than
many VHS movies I have here. the first 20 mins are terrible, colors are unstables. It a shame, and there are stating (Sony pictures) in the pamplet that this was taken by the original 35 negative. With all the respect I have for Sony as a company, I have a hard time to beleive that this 35 negative has been stored so carelessly. Something should be done for a better transfer.
Rating:
Summary: Fun, But Grossly Inaccurate...
Review: This film should be taken as entertainment and nothing more. I had a copy and it seemed washed out and old compared to this version. The restoration is wonderful and the color is vibrant. The letterbox allows the viewer to see what wasn't included in the standard "formatted" version and it's absolutely wonderful.My reservation, is that for a World War II film, it's highly innacurate. Modern armor cars and tanks are used. It seems that the fictional island of Navarone is one of the most heavily garrisoned posts ever (it seems like there were at least two divisions on Navarone, and one of them a Panzer division), and yet, a last minute thrown together team of saboteurs are somehow able to penetrate and destroy the guns which are tightly guarded in a mountain stronghold. Talk about suspending your disbelief.
Anyway, it's a fun movie, a precursor to the Rambo and Indiana Jones movies. It's still well made and has some wonderful dramatic moments.
Just don't mistake it for the truth. Take it as entertainment, and you'll enjoy it.
Rating:
Summary: High adventure, tension, moral choices and a great story!
Review: This 1961 film, starring Gregory Peck, David Niven and Anthony Quinn won an academy award for its special effects. I can well understand why. This is a high-adventure drama about a handpicked squad of soldiers whose mission it is to disable high-powered Nazi guns on a Greek Island, thereby enabling the rescue of 2000 trapped British troops. Over and over again, the inhospitable rough sea, the perpendicular cliffs that must be scaled and the hoards of Nazi soldiers who are everywhere are challenges that must be overcome. The actors all give fine performances, but I was most impressed by that of Anthony Quinn whose every gesture shows the mastery of his craft. Irene Pappas and Gia Scala also join the cast as members of the resistance, complicating the mission in unexpected ways. In addition to the adventure, there are constant moral choices and this is what turns the film into something more than just the story of a mission. Gregory Peck and David Niven verbally confront each other about these matters and force the audience to see the hard choices that most be made during wartime. The tension held my interest throughout even though it's a full 158 minutes long. And then I stayed up another hour or so watching the special features on the DVD which was full of some very interesting background about the making of the film. Yes, the film is all one sided. The Brits are the good guys; the Nazis are bad and there is never any sympathy when they die. It lacks the realism of authentic bloody wounds considered state-of-the art in more modern films. And the actual mission itself never happened in real life; it is adapted from a novel by Alistair MacLean. It's done well though and gives the viewer the experience of a good story well told. I therefore give it a high recommendation. It's well worth seeing.
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Summary: They don't make movies like this one anymore...
Review: With a few exceptions, it seems like Hollywood filmmakers today have forgotten how to make great action/adventure films. Instead of presenting complex, interesting characters making their way through difficult situations and using plot twists and cinematic techinques to provide the suspense, filmmakers today often get stuck on the action and special effects components. Even more depressing still, many people seem to think that this is the only kind of action/adventure movie nowadays. But, enough of bashing Hollywood today and on with the review. So, to see a first-rate, exciting, intelligent action/adventure movie that does NOT rely on special effects to entertain, watch The Guns of Navarone. Although the special effects seem quite primitive, everything else about this movie puts current Hollywood blockbusters to shame. It features excellent actors, complex characters, a compelling plot, good cinematography, and is overall one of the finest action/adventure films out there. In The Guns of Navarone, a group of highly skilled men are put on a seemingly impossible mission: to, in a few days, make their way through the ocean, over a cliff, and go and destroy two huge heavily-guarded German guns on the island of Navarone, which are preventing the escape of British prisoners on a nearby island. If they fail, all the prisoners will be killed - but if they succeed, they will save two thousand lives! Besides the thrilling action sequences, The Guns of Navarone presents several facinating characters, played by Gregory Peck, David Niven, and Anthony Quinn, who all give excellent performances, and offers some interesting insights on the nature of leadership and whose responsibility it is when men are killed. So, this is a must-see for anyone curious about what truly great action-adventure films are. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Still good
Review: This has always been one of my favorite movies, and I think it's held up extremely well next to newer action movies. The music and cinematography are atmospheric and emotive, and the action is suspenseful.
Most of the action is restrained - one-on-one shootouts, or scenes where the heroes must evade the Germans. There is one moment at the end where a handful of German soldiers are dispatched rather easily, but that's only one scene out of the entire movie. In the rest of the film's action sequences, the protagonists aren't made out to be superhuman heroes the way they would be today. They are flawed characters and are more believable for their flaws.
There is a beautiful scene in the middle of this film, when the commando team pauses for a while in a tiny Greek village while seeking a doctor for their wounded leader. They arrive while a wedding ceremony is being held, and join in the singing. The Germans, of course, eventually interrupt, but before they do we're treated to a wonderful moment of happiness amid the violence and dramatic tension.
The one thing I can't fathom is why Gregory Peck is playing a British officer, but I can excuse that. Of all of Peck's roles that I've seen, he does the best in this one, combining strength and vulnerability, and you actually believe his lines. The other actors - Anthony Quinn, David Niven, etc - are superb.
Overall this is an extremely good movie. Not only is it entertaining but it gives a deeper feeling of reality than any other action/war movies I've seen.
Rating:
Summary: Great Guns...
Review: The Guns Of Navarone is a classic WW II adventure story. Based on the novel by Alistair MacLean, the story follows the adventures of a group of Allied commandos on a mission to destroy a pair of Nazi cannons emplaced into the side of a cliff, on the Greek island of Navarone. The long and winding tale would be the first of MacLean's many novels to reach the screen, and remains one of the better adaptations of his works. After an air strike fails to destroy the guns, it is decided that an undercover attempt to destroy them will proceed. The team is headed by Major Mallory (Gregory Peck) a renowned mountaineer. The rest of the group includes, Colonel Andrea Stavros (Anthony Quinn), explosives expert Corporal Miller (David Niven), Major Franklin (Anthony Quale), Pvt. Pappadimos (James Darin) and Pvt. "Butcher" Brown (Stanley Baker). The first leg of their journey is by sea into dangerous waters patrolled by the Germans. The group barely manages to get ashore on Navarone, before their boat is broken on the island's rocky shore. Their next step is to scale a sheer cliff, at night and in a driving rain. Somehow, they make it to the top, but not without casualties, as Franklin suffers a broken leg on the climb. From there, the group treks through the mountains with the wounded man, pursued by the Germans. They make contact with two members of the local resistance, Maria (Irene Papas) and Anna (Gia Scala), and proceed to the town of Mandrakos where they are captured. Escaping from the Germans, and now dressed in German uniforms, the group arrives in the town of Navarone, and prepares for their ultimate challenge, the destruction of the guns. It's no easy task, and the group is badly shaken by internal problems. With new resolve, they forge on taking the story to its explosive climax. For screen adventure in classic tradition, don't miss this one. For the time, this was the height of action and adventure filmmaking. Now, over 40 years old, you may not believe that this film won an Oscar for best special effects. The transfer to DVD of the restored print is excellent for a film of this age. Extras include an informative documentary as well as some behind the scenes featurettes shot during the making of the film. They add to the enjoyment and appreciation of this war epic. Director J. Lee Thompson's commentary track, is sporadic and delivered in a halting speaking style, which may be a bit slow for some. Bear in mind that Mr. Thompson was probably about 85 years old at the time, recalling events that happened 40 years before.
Rating:
Summary: 3D People Under Stress
Review: One of the most obvious aspects of this film, as noted in an astute commentary by another reviewer, is that it is a study in leadership. It seems that everyone is willing to complain and second-guess, but few are willing and qualified to take the responsibility to lead. Another important aspect of this filme is that many of the people are shown not as flat stereotypes, but as real people with individual characteristics and motivations. There is an interesting interaction between the leader of the British commando team, and one of the German officers. They size each other up and make decisions based on the character and values they see in each other. Then there are some interesting contrasts between those who will sacrifice themselves for the good of others, and those who are unwilling to undergo pain even when the consequence of their selfishness means the death of many others. The outcome of the military purpose of the raid is almost incidental once we are treated to the many twists and turns based on character and individual motivations. Nihilists will not like this film. Those who believe that some people are capable of selflessness, courage, and acts of moral beauty even in bad circumstances will enjoy it.
Rating:
Summary: The Guns of Navarone (Special Edition) The Real Deal
Review: This movie was made for 12-15 year old boys. Any other review that does not take this into account is useless. That goes to the gentleman form California. You can attack anything with a narrow view of things, IF, you have a narrow view of things. Thanks for aiding me in my attempt to stop people from whining all the time.
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