Force 10 from Navarone (1978)

Directed by: Guy Hamilton | 118 minutes | action, war, adventure | Actors: Robert Shaw, Harrison Ford, Barbara Bach, Edward Fox, Franco Nero, Carl Weathers, Richard Kiel, Alan Badel, Michael Byrne, Philip Latham, Angus MacInnes, Michael Sheard, Petar Buntic, Leslie Schofield, Anthony Langdon, Richard Hampton, Paul Humpoletz, Dicken Ashworth, Christopher Malcolm, Nick Ellsworth, Jonathan Blake, Roger Owen, Frances Mughan, Mike Sirett, Graeme Crowther, Jim Dowdall, Michael Osborne, Edward Peel, Michael Josephs, Jürgen Andersen, David Gretton, Paul Jerrico, Edward Kalinski , Robert Gillespie, Wolf Kahler, Hans Kahler, Ramiz Pasic

Nicely made war film, but a disappointing “sequel” to ‘The Guns of Navarone’, which pales in all respects to its illustrious predecessor. The film is based on the sequel that Alistair MacLean wrote himself to his successful novel. Because it took 17 years for the film version of MacLean’s book to be released, original actors Gregory Peck and David Niven had grown too old to reprise their roles. Although the opening scene uses footage from the original film, Robert Shaw and Edward Fox are also edited in, giving the appearance of continuity. Fox takes over from Niven here as the explosives expert Miller. He gives his character more or less the same mannerisms and nonchalant attitude, although he omits Niven’s mustache. Shaw was a great actor and it is sad that he passed away before the film was released. His version is Mallory very different from the way Peck portrayed the same character. Shaws Mallory has much more of the rough-and-tumble attitude of the English working class. Unfortunately, his rendition cannot stand in the shadow of Peck’s version, if only the irritating way Shaw continues to call his companion “Milly”.

Writer MacLean was no different, but the premise of the film has been dragged in. The title alone is a strange concoction, because the American commandos of “Force 10” are not from Navarone and really have nothing to do with it. Mallory and Miller are ordered to kill Nikolai Leskovar. This Nikolai would then be the same Nikolai, who was the laundry boss of an English base in ‘Guns’ (in that film he was a thin, anxious little man, who eavesdropped on the group in the first quarter of that film). That it suddenly turns out that this Nikolai (played with charisma by Franco Nero) is a high German, who is now with the partisans in Yugoslavia, is too ridiculous for words.

But it is not only as a sequel to a superior original that ‘Force 10 from Navarone’ is disappointing. Seen apart from any connections to ‘Guns’, this film also has some serious flaws. The plot is illogical and is so full of holes that a Tiger tank can easily be parked in it. The elastic band of credibility can be stretched a bit to make a film more exciting, but the makers are pushing the limits. One of the biggest flaws is Weathers’ role as Sergeant Weaver. In any case, he is completely superfluous, but his actions are also almost bizarre. He is introduced as a prisoner of the Military Police, who just happen to drive by when the group wants to steal a plane. When the MPs are put out of action, Weaver just jumps aboard without asking any further questions. What does he have on his plate that makes him so eager to go on a perilous mission? It is never explained. Worse, he later holds up an urgent escape attempt by holding Barnsby at gunpoint, wanting explanations and respect. Such insubordination to a much higher officer, with the Germans already storming in, defies logic. The same goes for the tricks the commandos use to trick the opponents. A toddler wouldn’t fall for it yet, but here the Germans are always in it. You would almost wonder how they were able to conquer three quarters of Europe.

In addition to Shaw, Fox and Weathers, there are a lot of familiar faces in the cast. Harrison Ford plays Lieutenant Colonel Barnsby here, fresh off the set of ‘Star Wars’ and has already trained in defeating the Nazis for his role in the ‘Indiana Jones’ films. Richard Kiel and Barbara Bach also perform, who previously played together in ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’. Kiel, who played “Jaws” in this film, is, despite his enormous beard, mainly recognizable by his enormous height. Bach, albeit with a horrible accent, plays quite like the partisan Maritza. Dramatically, she has at least one of the most interesting roles. Director Hamilton has previously made four James Bond films, including ‘Goldfinger’ and he knows how to direct action scenes. When it comes to action, pace and explosions, the viewer has nothing to complain about. It is all photographed in a photogenic way, but that’s about it. For fans of ‘The Guns of Navarone’ it is sometimes painful to watch.