The cast list is a bit deceptive. Sophia Loren, perhaps at the peak of her exotic powers here, gets top billing, yet has minimal screen-time in the film. George Peppard (most recognized by my generation as Hannibal from The A-Team), who receives second billing, doesn't show up until around 25 minutes into film, though he is the closest thing to a lead actor in this ensemble cast. Trevor Howard, John Mills, Richard Johnson, Tom Courtenay, and Anthony Quayle all feature prominently in the story.
And what a story it is! This British film was clearly inspired by the success of James Bond, featuring underground Nazi missile facilities and cutting-edge technology, but this is also a revisionist war story, showing the bloody cost paid by not only the soldiers, but the intelligence agents and specialists, as well. The plot, which takes great liberties with historical fact, is compelling: Hitler wants to build a rocket so he can destroy his enemies from far away. The film shows us both sides of the story; we see the best and brightest Nazi scientists, mathematicians, and pilots struggle to bring the fuhrer's vision to reality, witnessing the human loss of every failed launch. We also see the Allied Powers as they combat the intelligence that they've received and implement plans to stop the pending massacre on home soil. Three soldiers are sent deep undercover behind enemy lines to infiltrate the operation, report their findings, and stop the unstoppable.
The aspect that I was most impressed by is how the film is in no rush, always taking its time to lay the groundwork for the story its building. A solid thirty minutes go by before we really even know what the mission is going to be. And yet, it's that patience and slow build that makes everything pay off so incredibly when the dominoes all start to fall in the last act. We spend time with these characters, witness their growth and plight. We follow our heroes through everything, from their initial interview, to briefing and training, deployment, and eventually infiltration into their new roles, deep undercover. The stakes are very real. Without spoiling any plot elements or getting too specific, the themes and consequences of this film are similar to that of The Dirty Dozen, which wouldn't arrive for another two years. There are also shades of The Longest Day, a 1962 film about D-Day that was filled with some of Hollywood's biggest stars, many of whom didn't make it until the end credits.
The film, known in some markets as The Great Spy Mission, is intense. I was fortunate to come in with no expectations, and that allowed me to experience the story on its own terms, as well as to allow it the patience and the time that it requires to follow through on everything we've been waiting for. It's a roller-coaster ride, but not by modern, popcorn-movie standards. No, this is a movie that takes great pains to make sure we understand exactly what is on the line. We can trust no one, though we can sympathize with just about everyone, especially our Allied characters, who find themselves on a life-or-death mission, ready to lay down their lives anonymously in service of freedom and the greater good. The movie manages to succeed in so many areas: it's a powerful drama, it's a fantastic spy film, and finally, a rousing action film with everything on the line. The director, Michael Anderson (Around the World in 80 Days, Logan's Run) makes sure that everything feels real and that the stakes are immediate at all times.
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