Rating: 
Summary: Worth a look...
Review: THE GUNS OF NAVARONE is a star-studded movie based on the Alistair MacLean novel of the same name. The movie features Gregory Peck as the leader of the special forces team, David Niven as an explosives expert who shuns responsibility and detests officers, and Anthony Quinn as Peck's one-time partner who has vowed to do Peck in once the war is over...you'll have to watch to movie to find out why. There are other noteable names in the cast as well.The special forces team has been given the task of infitrating an island held by German forces so they can knock out a set of huge guns that control shipping lanes past the island. To do so they work independently and with the local resistance group. Dynamics among the team develop nicely as the show moves along, and there are a number of interesting plot developments involving lead and supporting characters. While the movie does not contain the same degree of detail as the book, it is quite faithful to the basic story line and lives up to the reputation of other WWII movies based on other MacLean books, such as WHERE EAGLES DARE. The movie suffers only slightly in the area of special effects when compared to the computer driven effects generated today. That's the main reason I awarded only four stars. Major strengths of the movie include the unfolding of the relationship between Peck and Quinn, and unexpected plot twists characteristic of MacLean's work. A good story, a good movie. 4 stars bordering on 5. It's definitely worth a look. Alan Holyoak
Rating: 
Summary: OK Film, OK Extras, Poor Transfer
Review: After the rave reviews I read about "Guns of Navarone," I was a bit disappointed. I wouldn't consider this one of my favorite action or WWII movies. The performances were strong, but I thought that some scenes were a little boring and some of the escapes were a little too easy. It's not a BAD film, but I've seen better. On to the DVD. The 30 minute documentary was filled more with stories and anecdotes rather than any insight into the film or the making of the film. Director J. Lee Thompson's commentary is a bit boring, but he is 85 years old. Some good information is included in this. He sounds like he's about to fall asleep. Four featurettes from the 60s are included, but are of only nostalgic value. There are also talent files and trailers. The picture quality is poor, especially by Columbia standards. Grain is present throughout, the colors are faded and dull, this is a pretty bad transfer for a film that is only from 1961. The rear projection shots look even worse. "Gone With the Wind" (1939) looked better. The 5.1-remixed sound is okay, but shows signs of age. Surround use is limited mostly to airplane flyovers. If you like the film, get this disc, but that's a reluctant recommendation from me.
Rating: 
Summary: Amazing Barrage & Fast-Paced Stories Within A Story
Review: I remember first seeing The Guns of Navarone when I when I was about 10 years old. I was totally enraptured from word-go. It is still one of my favourite films. The action is non-stop. We learn about all of the key players; finding out that, even though they are on the same side, they have deeper conflicts between/amongst themselves - more so than with the common enemy. Eventually, they are forced to drop their differences and unite to destroy one of the most threatening weapons against the Allied Forces: The Guns of Navarone. High-tech (for that era) guns invented by the Germans. Not only do you find conflicts within this team of saboteurs, you find friendships that form among them as well. Even though this film isn't true to the book, by Alistair MacLean, it is still excellent none-the-less. I find it rather difficult to give details of an almost 3-hour epic, without giving away too much information; I want the viewers to be caught up with this stories-within-a-story, as I was. The elements of surprise are truly stunning. I also experienced that my watching The Guns of Navarone several times, I see and/or hear new things that I missed before. The details are subtle as well as obvious. An all-star cast of Gregory Peck, David Niven, Anthony Quinn, Stanley Baker, Anthony Quayle, James Darren, Irene Papas, Gia Scala, James Robertson Justice, and Richard Harris. The music by Dimitri Tiomkin is wonderful. It's well worth having. This VHS tape is not only wide-screen, but it also has a series of short documentaries of restoration, the film itself, and theatrical trailer. I highly recommend this.
Rating:
Summary: The Biggest and Best "Guns"
Review: We don't have movie stars anymore; we have "actors." If nothing else, the Guns of Navarone proves this point, as no less than the talents of Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, Anthony Quayle, and David Niven bring Alistair MacLean's gripping novel to life. The result is one of those old-fashioned, sweeping adventures that never sacrifices character for empty-headed action sequences or expensive but ultimately pointless special effects. Peck leads a rag-tag group of commandos to destroy a German fortress whose giant cannon threaten the English Navy. Like all such cinematic missions, however, there is a traitor in the group threatening their success, as well as a series of setbacks from the Germans and Mother Nature. There's never any real question about whether or not the mission will succeed, only who will be left when it's all over, and verbal sparring by Peck and Niven adds to the tension (perhaps the best scene in the film occurs when Niven challenges Peck to execute the traitor). Young audiences, particularly those spoon-fed on the palp generated over the last 10 years, will probably scoff at the film's unhurried pace and tame action sequences, but the real action occurs inside the characters' heads and hearts. A must-see for anyone looking for a thinking person's action movie.
Rating:
Summary: Gregory Peck leads the way!
Review: This was one of the first war movies I ever saw & even after watching modern masterpieces like Saving Private Ryan this is still one of my very favorites. This classic WW2 flick has it all: suspense, awesome & believable characters, great action (of course!), humor, & even romance. The three main stars are Gregory Peck, David Niven, & Anthony Quinn. Peck is perfectly cast as the leader of the group of commandos, & I've always thought he was great playing officers in war films (Pork Chop Hill, MacArthur, Twelve O'Clock High, etc.). Niven is both fun & annoying as the uptight Brit who constantly challenges Peck's authority. Quinn is a real treat as a deadly Greek who holds a grudge against Peck for a past "incident". This movie has many unforgettable scenes: Quinn taking on an advancing German column of troops with his sniper rifle, the confrontation with the traitor, & the incredible climax. I agree with other reviewers that they don't make 'em like this anymore! Whether you love war movies or are new to the genre, this is a definite must!
Rating:
Summary: One of the great war films of the 1960's
Review: The Guns of Navarone is an excellent WWII adventure based on the novel by Alistair MacLean. It tells the story of Captain Keith Mallory and a team of expert saboteours who must destroy two radar controlled guns on the Mediterranean island of Navarone. If they do not succeed in their mission, 2,000 Allied troops on the island of Kheros will be killed unless they can be picked up before a German invasion. This movie is full of adventure as the team climbs a 400 foot cliff, battles German patrols all over the island, disputes among themselves, and so much more. This movie never slows down from beginning to end as the team tries to make their way into the small island fortress containing the guns. Boosted by an excellent Dimitri Tiomkin score similar to his score for The Alamo, this is a great movie with plenty of action and an excellent cast. Gregory Peck stars as Captain Keith Mallory, who must lead the team on their mission. He is his usual good self in the role. David Niven and Anthony Quinn are both excellent as Corporal Miller, the logical explosives expert, and Colonel Andrea Stavros, a Greek guerilla fighter who has a past with Mallory. The rest of the team includes Anthony Quayle as Major Franklin, Stanley Baker as Brown, the expert with machines and knives, James Darren as Papadimos, the ruthless killer, and Irene Pappas and Gia Scala as two underground fighters on the island. James Robertson Justice and Robert Harris also make brief, but very effective, appearances early in the movie. The special edition DVD includes production notes, widescreen presentation, theatrical trailers, a documentary, commentary, and several featurettes. This is an excellent WWII adventure with great action and a perfect cast. If you like the movie, check out the novel by Alistair MacLean. Don't miss The Guns of Navarone!
Rating:
Summary: Heroes All
Review: The Guns of Navarone is one of the best war movies of all time, with an excellent cast, lead by two of our greatest actors, Gregory Peck and Anthony Quinn. Add a dash of David Niven for a bit of comic relief and you can't go wrong. Peck's Captain Mallory and his small team of saboteurs are assigned to free 2,000 British soldiers from the Nazi-held island of Navarone, and they must destroy two enormous long-range guns in the process. They go about this seemingly insurmountable task with much heroism. The movie is character-driven and action-packed. The special effects are excellent, and they are as exciting to watch today as they were in 1961. Come on, all you women out there -- Let's see some of your reviews!
Rating:
Summary: Gregory Peck leads the way!
Review: This was one of the first war movies I ever saw & even after watching modern masterpieces like Saving Private Ryan this is still one of my very favorites. This classic WW2 flick has it all: suspense, awesome & believable characters, great action (of course!), humor, & even romance. The three main stars are Gregory Peck, David Niven, & Anthony Quinn. Peck is perfectly cast as the leader of the group of commandos, & I've always thought he was great playing officers in war films (Pork Chop Hill, MacArthur, Twelve O'Clock High, etc.). Niven is both fun & annoying as the uptight Brit who constantly challenges Peck's authority. Quinn is a real treat as a deadly Greek who holds a grudge against Peck for a past "incident". This movie has many unforgettable scenes: Quinn taking on an advancing German column of troops with his sniper rifle, the confrontation with the traitor, & the incredible climax. I agree with other reviewers that they don't make 'em like this anymore! Whether you love war movies or are new to the genre, this is a definite must!
Rating:
Summary: Intriguing war movie
Review: Action filled war movie, great story, great cast. Concerns a commando team small enough to allow growth of character for most of the members, but large enough to have a few killed off, adding to the intrigue. Plenty of unexpected turns to maintain the interest, even though the viewer assumes from the beginning that the "objective" will be attained. Unexpected romance ads spice to the dish. The "effects", great for 1961, are still sufficient to carry the story. Great performances by Gregory Peck, David Niven, and Anthony Quinn. James Darren of music and surfer movie fame does an especially good job in an action role.
Rating:
Summary: GON revisited
Review: This is a 60s military/action film, probably the one that set the standards for the genre. Greogory Peck (Mallory), Anthony Quinn (Stavros), David Niven (MIller) and an excellent supporting cast are British commandos who must infiltrate the Mediteranean island of Navarone and destroy the 2 huge naval guns which control a strategic channel; if the guns aren't destroyed, several thousand British tommies stuck on a nearby island are doomed to death or capture. So the team sails to Navarone, Mallory climbs the cliff and the team then runs around the island dodging Nazis (hundreds of them on foot, in vehicles, in airplanes, in tanks). Joining with resistance forces they are betrayed, escape and then after overcoming tremendous obstacles find that their explosives for destroying the guns have been rendered harmless by a traitor. Not stopped by this, Mallory continues on with Miller and sneals into the fortress containing the guns. Miller rigs up some explosives from the the artillery shells lying around the fortress (by the hundreds). While this is going on Stavros creates a diversion to draw off some attention from the Germans. Mallory and Miller leap into the sea and rendevous with Stavros as the Nazis break into the fortress. The suspense builds because the guns don't blow up immediately - did Miller foul-up? The bad guys are foiled nonetheless and the surviving commandos escape - Mallory and Miller back to Britain/Stavros remaining on Navarone to fight with the resistance and stay with his new-found love. Fine performances by all. Peck is quiet and intellectual but tough - after a lot of grief from Miller about the morality of killing in war, etc., he blows up and chews him out good - telling him to in essence grow up and do his job (which is blowing up things). Quinn is brooding and bitter as Stavros because Mallory was indirectly responsible for the death of his family earlier in the war; he is also nearly superhuman as he fights Nazis, pretends to be a coward to assist an escape; additionally the background of his Greek character allows him to blend in readily on Navarone whereas Peck and Niven stand out as outsiders. The action scenes are very good - the final massive explosions and destruction of "...those bloody guns..." is great stuff. There is a lot of shooting and knifing, dressing in Nazi uniforms. The Nazis aren't complete fools, however, and do a fair job of stopping the operation multiple times - Mallory and Stavros drive the team on despite the setbacks. Watch for a brief cameo early in the film by Richard Harris as a pilot sent to try to blow the guns up; after an unsuccessful mission where some pilots and crews were lost - he gives the commander a profane answer to whether the guns can be destroyed from the air - something like "...we haven't got a plane that can get close enough to that bloody cave and even if we could it can't carry a bloody bomb big enough to blow up the bloody cave and get those blooody guns, sir!!!". Great stuff -
the original of the genre and the best.
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