World War 2 has provided the inspiration for many classic war movies, attracting cinema goers in their millions. Some of the most famous include Pearl Harbour, Bridge on the River Kwai, Casablanca,and Saving Private Ryan – to name but a few.
Even today, the epic battle between the Allied and Axis powers continues to fascinate film-makers and the public alike. One of the most recent WW2 films to hit screens in cinemas around the world is Guy Ritchie’s 2024 release “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare”. Starring Henry Cavill, it is based on a true story of a British clandestine organisation during the war against fascism.
Yet it was a lesser-known 1961 film that helped popularise the war movie and the “star-studded epic adventure” format, inspiring others like The Longest Day, The Great Escape, and The Dirty Dozen.
The plot of The Guns of Navarone follows the adventures of a small commando team sent to destroy huge German guns on the Greek Island of Navarone, in order to rescue Allied troops trapped on Kheros.
Led by British Major Franklin (Anthony Quayle), the team includes American Mallory (Gregory Peck), Greek resistance fighter Stavros (Anthony Quinn) and reluctant explosives expert Miller (David Niven).
Facing impossible odds, the men battle stormy seas and daunting cliffs. When Franklin is injured, Mallory takes command, and personal enmities spill over.
The movie is based on the 1957 novel of the Scottish writer Alistair MacLean. Although not depicting true events, the story takes place within the real historical context of the Dodecanese Campaign.
This was a military operation launched by the Allies to capture the Italian-held Greek islands in the Aegean Sea in 1943.
Star actor Gregory Peck described making the epic war movie as “a very special experience” and three of the greatest years of my life”.
The film was a huge box office success, one of the highest grossing films of 1961 and made a net profit of over US$20 million.
It was a “roadshow” film, meaning it had limited, big-scale screenings, which made it a must-see event.
The war movie remains popular to this day, with reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes giving it a whopping 92% approval rating.
One enthusiastic reviewer wrote: “A must-watch film for any fan of war movies. Great performances by Gregory Peck and Anthony Quinn.”