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633 Squadron (1964)
Rate:
6
Viewed:
1/25
1/25:
This is the film that George Lucas stole from for the final mission on Death Star in
Star Wars.
Ditto for Top Gun: Maverick. Compare these three by how the aircrafts go
through the tunnel-like path while being hit by gunfire with the same style of editing. Anyway, it's easy to
think of Mosquito Squadron while watching 633 Squadron. Despite
lifting some footage from the latter for the former, all I can say is they're highly similar.
The performances are fair. Like David McCallum, Cliff Robertson plays it practical and ends up being the
only worthwhile character. In real life, he knew how to fly but wasn't allowed to do in the movie
for insurance reasons. George Chakiris is matter-of-factly, but I don't understand why he was sent away for
a small mission given that he had been training with the other guy the whole time. Maria Perschy is merely used
to provide a throwaway romance.
If there's anything disappointing apart from the cheap special effects, it's the last five minutes which
sends the following message: "Win at all costs." Maybe that's why Cliff Robertson's character gave up on life by
knowing he was expendable, hence the purposeful killing of the blond-haired woman's brother. Also,
633 Squadron is a rare film with everybody dead at the end (don't be fooled; Hopkinson [Angus
Lennie of The Great Escape] won't live). By the way, the
resistance fighters shouldn't have exposed themselves by walking openly in the middle of the trail.
All in all, 633 Squadron and Mosquito Squadron should be
seen back-to-back.