Review: The Blue Max

George Peppard is humourless, super-ambitious Bruno Stachel, a lower-middle class German whose ruthless (and sometimes reckless) pursuit of the title medal (the highest awarded by the Germans) ostracises him from his fellow flyers, all of whom are aristocrats with ‘Von’ or ‘Baron’ somewhere in their names (and all of whom would shun the commoner anyway). Jeremy Kemp is the top pilot whom Stachel immediately rubs the wrong way, with James Mason playing Kemp’s uncle, General Count von Klugermann (who sees great PR potential in Stachel due to his flying heroics. Germany needed a hero at the time), and Ursula Andress is Mason’s gorgeous wife, whom Peppard will naturally try to seduce. Karl Michael Vogler is Peppard’s commanding officer, who despises his recklessness, and Anton Diffring (contractually obligated to play a German in any WWI or WWII film, it seems) is Mason’s attaché.

Underrated 1966 WWI aerial warfare film is in my view the best of its kind, and the career high for journeyman director John Guillermin (solid films like “The Towering Inferno” and “Guns at Batasi”, down to the abominable “King Kong” remake). It offers a unique POV and an unusual protagonist- an arrogant, ruthless lesser-class German (played very well by Peppard, who barely attempts an accent but nails the character complexities) more concerned with attaining the title war medal than celebrating and socialising with his upper-class comrades. It’s to Peppard’s credit that although never likeable, we end up at least understanding his character’s motivations and complexities. Kemp is also excellent as the main object of Peppard’s disdain, the popular hot-shot pilot. Andress is supremely stunning as always, and keen-eyed (or horny) viewers will spot some bare boobage peeping through that towel every now and then.

Top-notch aerial photography by Douglas Slocombe (“Raiders of the Lost Ark”, “Guns at Batasi”) and a typically excellent Jerry Goldsmith (“The Omen”, “A Patch of Blue”, “Chinatown”) score are icing on the cake. Terrific, horrifying ending, too.

Aerial combat enthusiasts will not want to miss this one, and neither should the rest of you. Screenplay by Jack Seddon, David Pursall (both scribes of the Margaret Rutherford “Miss Marple” series), and Gerald Hanley from the novel by Jack D. Hunter.

Rating: B+