The Blue Max. 1966.
Starring George Peppard, James Mason and Ursula Andress.
I checked out the movie from the local library. I wanted to see something with George Peppard
in another movie. One of my favorite
movies is Breakfast at Tiffanys (1961 w/ the absolute adorable, and perfect
Audrey Hepburn). The critics consensus
was that Peppard was not a great actor, and could have been nearly any “nice
looking adroit” to fill the role of Paul 'Fred' Varjak in “Tiffanys.”
I agree with that, I guess... He seemed to be a precursor to
a much sweeter, warmer Robert Redford in Barefoot in the Park (1967). There is even some resemblances in the two
actors. Of course, most people my age,
remember Peppard as John 'Hannibal' Smith from the TV series, The
‘A’ Team, and even before that, in the early-70’s television “insurance
investigator” series, Banacek.
In this movie, Peppard plays Lt. Bruno Stachel an ambitious German foot
soldier that works his way up to rookie German pilot in WWI (1918) that tries
to prove himself by earning “The Blue
Max,” the coveted medal awarded to top pilots which shoot down 20 or more enemy
aircraft.
It’s a long movie (156 minutes), and even an “intermission”
in the 3rd reel. There is
little to like about the characters. You
have bad people engaged in bad things to the benefit of no one except
themselves. I think it should play well
in movie theaters today, frankly (but I digress).
Stachel (Peppard) finds himself taken underwing by the General
Count von Klugermann (Surly James Mason), to make him a sort of golden hero of
the Fatherland. Stachel decides he wants
to be a top pilot, and the General gives him the chance. He joined a squadron, where he meets his idol
Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen, the Red Baron, himself. (Yes, he of the 1966 Royal Guardsman tune,
Snoopy vs. The Red Baron).
Along the way, Stachel manages to piss off nearly everyone,
due the huge chip on his shoulder. Stachel
comes from humble backgrounds, and is hateful of the more “elite” and pampered pilots
in which he finds himself. Class
distinction was a hard thing to overcome in Germany.
He does nothing to endear himself to his fellow pilots, when
he shoots down his first “kill” as he ignores that his flying partner shot down. He was upset that no one could then confirm
his first downing. His nemesis is the
wily “Willi” von Klugermann. He’s the
big man on campus, and coincidentally the nephew of the General.
Enter the General’s wife…. (One towel away from wow… Ursula
Andress) Willi’s “aunt by
marriage,” which doesn’t preclude her from
engaging in some naughty inter-family canoodling. And since….well, Willi had her, therefore
Stachel must as well.
In what becomes a pissing match, Willi wins the coveted
“Blue Max” first. Stachel, not to be
out-done isn’t interested much in the fact that the German Army is beating a
hasty retreat (Via, the Americans have finally entered the war)… he wants his
prize, and all the recognition that goes with it.
Eventually, this leads to an all-out macho flying
match. Willi ends up crashed and burned,
and the two fighters claimed by Stachel give him his “Blue Max.” This prompts Commander Otto Heidemann to a confrontation with Stachel, who has
grown very tired of the pilot’s ego and ambition.
Yet, the General that built up Stachel as a German war hero. For the “good of the guard” Stachel cannot be
accused of negligence. The General asks
the Commander to rip up his report.
Meanwhile, Stachel is feeling much like the rock star. So much so, he tells the countess what he
really thinks of her. Scratch one cougar
countess.
The end is a rather satisfying moment where the mighty egos
all fall down. Like I said, it’s hard to
like anyone in the movie. The only
person even remotely decent in the movie is the flight Commander Otto Heidemann
, who knows the war is lost….all he wants to do is be with his wife in
Berlin.
The plot of the movie is interesting, like a soap, yet the
aerial footages make up for the characters.
According to IMBD, Peppard actually flew his own plan during some of the
sequences.
*Interesting Personal Note:
The Theme music (start of the movie) for the Blue Max… is written and conducted by the legendary
Jerry Goldsmith. There is a striking
similarity to another soaring aerial battle movie called “Star Wars,” Music
composed by the equally amazing John Williams.
I’m not saying there is anything diabolical here…but it is odd the
themes are somewhat eerily similar. See
what you think.
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