Even the most dedicated cinephiles might have missed this one. Enthusiasts of war films have just under a month to discover an overlooked yet gripping classic about a dangerous mission against the Nazis during the Second World War.
A Hidden Gem on BBC iPlayer
Following its broadcast on BBC Two on Sunday, 31st May afternoon, it is now accessible on iPlayer entirely free of charge for the next 28 days. It is essential viewing for anyone who believes they have witnessed all the finest films about one of the most pivotal conflicts in world history.
Operation Crossbow was initially released in 1965 and chronicles the Nazis' creation of the V-1 flying bomb and V-2 rocket. British Intelligence operatives endeavour to penetrate Germany's research facility in Peenemunde to acquire military intelligence and undermine their weapons programme.
When Prime Minister Winston Churchill, portrayed by Patrick Wymark, is informed of reports regarding the Germans' flying bombs, he dispatches three volunteers—American, Dutch, and British—on a mission to Peenemunde. They are assigned the identities of deceased men, but their assignment challenges them in ways they could not have anticipated.
Inspired by Real Events
While the mission portrayed in the film is fictionalised, it is inspired by an actual British-American operation in which bombers struck German weapons facilities during the latter years of the war. Legendary screen performers George Peppard (Breakfast at Tiffany's), Trevor Howard (Brief Encounter), John Mills (Great Expectations), Richard Johnson (The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas), and Tom Courtenay (Doctor Zhivago) comprise the principal cast. Italian cinema legend Sophia Loren also makes a special appearance.
Despite frequently being overlooked in compilations of the finest WWII pictures, a dedicated group of film enthusiasts regard it as an underappreciated cinematic masterpiece that is thoroughly worth experiencing. Operation Crossbow also stands out by featuring German and Dutch characters conversing in their native tongues with subtitles, distinguishing it from most war pictures of that period.
Critical Acclaim
A 10/10 assessment from an IMDb user describes it as 'terrific' and 'a remarkable film, a thinking person's war movie'. They continued: 'It keeps you on the edge until the spectacular ending which is as full of action as the rest of the film is full of intrigue. Everyone from the actors to the technicians are at their best in this epic. A good double-bill would be Guns of Navarone, though frankly, this is the more believable film.'
'This is a very, very underrated WWII movie,' another viewer concurred. 'All-star cast and worth every second of it.'
'Excellent World War II film as good as The Great Escape,' declared a bold assertion from another user. Another compelling observation arrived from an enthusiast who stated: 'Could have been Bond in WWII. Exciting WWII adventure spy thriller resembles Bond films of the sixties. Elaborate underground German rocket base reminds me of a Ken Adam [Bond production designer] set.'
Meanwhile, a final viewer brands it a 'masterpiece' WWII film. 'Excellent production and attention to detail,' they penned. 'Good spy story with great cinematography and cast performances. Good visuals on the German V-1/V-2 efforts. Not too much Hollywood watering down of storyline. Nice short performance by Loren. One of the top 50 best WW2 movies ever. One of the top 250 best movies ever.'
For anyone who has already watched The Great Escape, The Dirty Dozen, and The Dam Busters repeatedly, ensure you sample this underrated yet equally captivating classic this week.
Operation Crossbow is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
