The Blue Max (1966) (1 Viewer)

[Currahee Chris]

WOW!

I stumbled upon this early one morning and had to ask myself- HOW DID I EVER MISS THIS??????

George Pepard plays a up and coming German WW1 ace set in 1918. Incredibly cool biplane scenes- Ursula Andress and George Mason are also in it- it is super! This film rocked all the way up to a first place tie with my favorite WW1 flick- The Lost Battalion (2001).

I always enjoyed reading "Enemy Ace" comics- this felt like that comic came to life.

 

[marco55]

Yes Chris how did you ever miss this. I saw it ages ago.
Mark

 

[Currahee Chris]

Yes Chris how did you ever miss this. I saw it ages ago.
Mark

Definately "flew" under the radar if you will. It is just superb!!! The ending is fantastic.

 

[theBaron]

I had the same thought as Mark, Chris! You never saw this before?
I would like to read the original novel the movie is based on. There were some story elements and some characters changed from the book to the movie.
But yes, great movie, lots of great character actors turning in very good performances.

Prost!
Brad

 

[dragon53]

I posted this trivia elsewhere, but Ursula Andress' nipple briefly appears in the bedroom scene---the movie's editor missed it.

If I remember correctly, Peter Jackson owns one or more of the flying replicas used in the movie----maybe the Pfalz DIII.

 

[Warrior]

"Confirmed!"

 

[lancer]

Saw it in the theater in '66 when it was released on a special outing with my Dad. Loved it then and still feel it is the best WW1 flying film that has been done. As a 13 year old, I was just captivated by the film and the real flying stunts. Really appreciated the attempts at making the replicas look like the real things with the Fokker triplanes, the Fokker D-7's, the Pfalz D-3, and the SE-5's. This film was a home run for this kid. Used to have an original signed movie poster but it went bye-bye somewhere over the years. Stachel and Krugermann were great. -- Al

 

[DMNamiot]

Great film and I’m surprised you never saw it too!

Dave

 

[lancer]

I had the same thought as Mark, Chris! You never saw this before?
I would like to read the original novel the movie is based on. There were some story elements and some characters changed from the book to the movie.
But yes, great movie, lots of great character actors turning in very good performances.

Prost!
Brad

Picked up a 1st printing PB copy of The Blue Max a few months ago (having sold my HB series) just to reread again. Hunter actually wrote 2 sequels to Blue Max, calling the series The Bruno Stachel series. The other two were The Blood Order and The Tin Cravat. They are not too bad. -- Al

 

[jazzeum]

I saw the movie probably when it first came out and a couple of times since then. Very enjoyable.

Peter Jackson lists it as one of his favorite six WW I movies, the others being

All Quiet on the Western Front (the original)
Lawrence of Arabia
Paths of Glory
Gallipoli
Beneath Hill 60

If I had two movies to that list, I’d add Grand Illusion and West Front 1918.

Lawrence, Paths and Grand Illusion are some of the greatest films ever made.

 

[lancer]

I saw the movie probably when it first came out and a couple of times since then. Very enjoyable.

Peter Jackson lists it as one of his favorite six WW I movies, the others being

All Quiet on the Western Front (the original)
Lawrence of Arabia
Paths of Glory
Gallipoli
Beneath Hill 60

If I had two movies to that list, I’d add Grand Illusion and West Front 1918.

Lawrence, Paths and Grand Illusion are some of the greatest films ever made.

West Front 1918 is a fine film and pairs up well with AQotWF for a German eye-view of the tragedy of WW1. -- Al

 

[marco55]

West Front 1918 is a fine film and pairs up well with AQotWF for a German eye-view of the tragedy of WW1. -- Al

Never saw or heard of West Front 1918.
Mark

 

[jazzeum]

Never saw or heard of West Front 1918.
Mark

It’s a great movie from 1930 told from the German point of view. It shows up on TCM from time to time. You can also see it on Max, as well as rent it on Amazon.

 

[jazzeum]

Another good movie from the same director (G.W. Pabst) is Kameradschaft about Germans rescuing French miners from a mine that is in disputed territory. It’s not strictly a WW I movie but more a plea for reconciliation after WWI. I think Al and I had discussed this movie several years ago.

 

[marco55]

It’s a great movie from 1930 told from the German point of view. It shows up on TCM from time to time. You can also see it on Max, as well as rent it on Amazon.

I'll have to check it out.Thanks Brad.
Mark

 

[lancer]

Another good movie from the same director (G.W. Pabst) is Kameradschaft about Germans rescuing French miners from a mine that is in disputed territory. It’s not strictly a WW I movie but more a plea for reconciliation after WWI. I think Al and I had discussed this movie several years ago.

This is a film I really enjoyed but it has been years since I viewed it. I will have to track it down and rewatch. -- Al

 

[Currahee Chris]

I posted this trivia elsewhere, but Ursula Andress' nipple briefly appears in the bedroom scene---the movie's editor missed it.

Yeah, I think I noticed that while watching- ever so briefly.

 

[Terp152]

Re-created the movie many times thru the American Heritage game Dogfight. ^&grin

 

[Desertkiwi]

WOW!

I stumbled upon this early one morning and had to ask myself- HOW DID I EVER MISS THIS??????

George Pepard plays a up and coming German WW1 ace set in 1918. Incredibly cool biplane scenes- Ursula Andress and George Mason are also in it- it is super! This film rocked all the way up to a first place tie with my favorite WW1 flick- The Lost Battalion (2001).

I always enjoyed reading "Enemy Ace" comics- this felt like that comic came to life.

That's the great thing about 'life' it's full of surprises.........old movies are like the gift that keeps giving and even better when you stumble across a gem that you've never seen or heard of before.......great to hear you bumped into this one, its a classic. :salute::

 

[Desertkiwi]