The 1961 war film The Guns of Navarone has been hailed as a 'masterpiece' by fans and is available to stream on Netflix. The epic action-adventure, directed by J Lee Thompson and written and produced by Carl Foreman, is often overlooked in the war-action-adventure genre despite its critical and commercial success.
Plot and Cast
The film is an adaptation of Alistair MacLean's 1957 novel of the same name, inspired by the Battle of Leros during the Second World War's Dodecanese Campaign. The official plot states: “A team of Allied saboteurs is assigned an impossible mission: infiltrate an impregnable Nazi-held Greek island and destroy the two enormous long-range field guns that prevent the rescue of 2,000 trapped British soldiers.”
The star-studded cast includes Gregory Peck, David Niven, Anthony Quinn, Gia Scala, Irene Papas, Stanley Baker, Anthony Quayle, and James Darren.
Box Office and Awards
Released in cinemas on April 28, 1961, as an American and British co-production, the film grossed $28.9 million worldwide against an estimated budget of $6 million, becoming the second highest-grossing film of 1961. It received six Academy Award nominations, including Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Adapted Screenplay, and won the Best Special Effects honour. Dimitri Tiomkin's score won the Golden Globe for Best Original Score, and the film won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama.
Critical and Audience Reception
The Guns of Navarone holds a 92% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. One critic said: “With great action scenes, solid dialogue and an interesting plot, The Guns of Navarone is an excellent example of what war movies were like over 60 years ago.” Another reviewer added: “David Niven is the subservient but stylish chemist Miller, rounding out a film that ranks among the best war movies.”
A glowing audience review reads: “A classic action-adventure that even after all this time, can still deliver the goods. Two and half hours of pure excitement and intelligence. One of the greatest action-adventure films ever made. A masterpiece.” Another fan review compared it to The Bridge on the River Kwai: “Ranking just under the ten-star rated Bridge on the River Kwai, Guns Of Navarone is an instant-classic and will always be so due to its solid foundation of high production values, endearing score, good writing, strong plot/character development, the fine actors to play those characters and loving direction.”
The film's success led to a sequel, Force 10 from Navarone, released in 1978, though it did not perform as well. The Guns of Navarone is available to stream on Netflix.
