The 1961 war epic The Guns of Navarone, available on Netflix, has been hailed by fans as a 'masterpiece' and is often compared to The Longest Day and The Bridge on the River Kwai. The film, directed by J Lee Thompson and written and produced by Carl Foreman, features a stellar cast including Gregory Peck, David Niven, and Anthony Quinn.
A Forgotten Gem in the War Genre
Celebrated war films such as The Bridge on the River Kwai, The Great Escape, and The Longest Day are widely regarded as among the finest the genre has to offer. Yet The Guns of Navarone, despite being thoroughly deserving of attention, frequently gets overlooked within the category.
The picture is based on Alistair MacLean's 1957 novel of the same name, which, while depicting entirely fictional characters and events, drew its inspiration from the Battle of Leros during the Second World War's Dodecanese Campaign.
A-List Ensemble and Epic Plot
Bursting with A-list talent, the film brings together Gregory Peck, David Niven, and Anthony Quinn alongside Gia Scala, Irene Papas, Stanley Baker, Anthony Quayle, and James Darren. 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 Guns of Navarone was a joint American and British production, making its cinema debut on April 28, 1961. It proved to be a tremendous box-office triumph, amassing $28.9 million worldwide against an estimated budget of $6 million, becoming the second highest-grossing film of 1961.
Critical and Audience Acclaim
The film earned six Academy Award nominations, including Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Adapted Screenplay, ultimately taking home the Best Special Effects award. Dimitri Tiomkin's sweeping score claimed the Golden Globe for Best Original Score, while the film itself secured the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Drama.
Such was the film's success that a sequel, Force 10 from Navarone, was commissioned and released in 1978, though it failed to match the heights achieved by its predecessor. The Guns of Navarone firmly established itself alongside a celebrated roster of ambitious, large-scale Second World War epics, including The Bridge on the River Kwai, The Longest Day, The Great Escape, and Where Eagles Dare.
Audience Verdict
Boasting an impressive 92% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences are united in their verdict that The Guns of Navarone deserves a place on everybody's must-watch list. One critic wrote: "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 said: "David Niven is the subservient but stylish chemist Miller, rounding out a film that ranks among the best war movies." While one critic added: "Beautifully paced, this 156-minute classic allows enough time for character development, plot complications, and several exciting set-pieces."
A glowing audience review says: "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." Meanwhile, one user review on IMDB says: "Probably the best action/adventure film set in WW2, The Guns of Navarone is a magnificent movie; truly an all-time-great. Despite its long duration, the film progresses slickly and maintains its tensions all the way to the end."
One fan drew comparisons with 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. Kudos to all who worked on this film." While another viewer said: "One of the best war films ever made. character development, plot pacing and script is superb."
The Guns of Navarone is currently available to stream on Netflix.
