An overlooked war film that enthusiasts have hailed as 'underrated' is set to broadcast on ITV this New Year's Eve. With Harrison Ford in a surprising leading role, Force 10 From Navarone boasts a stellar ensemble of acting heavyweights, including Robert Shaw and Edward Fox.
Released in 1978 and helmed by director Guy Hamilton, the film draws loosely from Alistair MacLean's novel of the same title and serves as a sequel to the 1961 classic, The Guns of Navarone. Shaw's Mallory and Fox's Miller find themselves assigned to an elite American military unit during the Second World War, following their successful sabotage of radar-guided Nazi artillery.
The specialist unit, dubbed Force 10, operates under the command of Colonel Barnsby, portrayed by Harrison Ford. Their objective is to track down a fugitive Nazi operative who can only be recognised by Mallory and Miller. Yet the stakes escalate dramatically when the unit penetrates enemy territory and Barnsby develops feelings for Maritza, a Russian resistance fighter brought to life by Barbara Bach.
This marked Ford's debut role following the phenomenon of Star Wars, which he accepted out of concern about being pigeonholed as a science fiction performer. Reflecting on the part at the time, he described it as a 'strong support character', though he later conceded 'it wasn't a bad film. There were honest people involved and it was an honest effort. But it wasn't the right thing for me to do.' He added: 'I was lost because I didn't know what the story was about. I didn't have anything to act.'
Unfortunately, the follow-up to the enormously popular Guns of Navarone failed to replicate its predecessor's commercial triumph. The film also marked Shaw's final screen appearance before his untimely passing from a heart attack. Nevertheless, Force 10 From Navarone has enjoyed a critical reassessment over the years, currently holding a 68 per cent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. One critic said: 'Harrison Ford displays good command as a military leader. ... a good picture that is filled with a number of explosive action set-pieces.'
Force 10 From Navarone airs on ITV4 at 7.25pm on December 31.
