On B List of Movie Reviews
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The Blue Max (1966)
Rate:
10
Viewed:
3/14
3/14:
The Blue Max is the Top Gun of WWI films.
The incredible performances, the dramatic storyline, the brilliant cinematography, and the well-constructed dogfighting scenes
make this one compelling. The ending says it all.
Back then, a fighter pilot was called Flying Ace whenever he recorded at least five kills, but in this film, the valor is
changed to the Blue Max which has a nice ring to it. This time, it's for twenty kills. Obviously, the man who's
the most associated with this image is Manfred von Richthofen aka the Red Baron. A highly anticipated moment in
The Blue Max is his appearance which helps to elevate the film as a whole.
The quiet but intense rivalry between George Peppard's and Jeremy Kemp's characters is a treat, but a bigger one is the
presence of Ursulla Andress who dominates every scene whenever her fancy is piqued. Therefore, the envelope must be pushed
further. James Mason's General Count von Klugemann makes things more interesting whenever he ups the stakes which leads to
everybody's downfall at the end.
All in all, The Blue Max is a unique masterpiece and is one of the most thrilling war pictures I've seen.