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The War Lover [1962]
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Misses the target
Review date: 2007-11-08 Rating: 6 out of 10
The War Lover is a mostly botched but still watchable watering down of John Hersey's novel about a sociopathic bomber pilot (Steve McQueen, playing an airborne variation of his psychotic soldier from Hell is For Heroes). Unfortunately the film is less interested in the thin line between heroism and psychopathic behavior than Robert Wagner's romance with Shirley Ann Field (in a performance so bad that at times her vocal delivery is so far off-target it's like nails on a blackboard), leaving the feeling that the real story has been sidelined for much of the film. Some good airborne sequences keep it watchable if you lower your expectations, but this could have been much more.
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Reviews
Excellent Production
Review date: 2006-12-26 Rating: 10 out of 10
This film may seem a little dated now, but is probably a little closer to the truth of the time than many a modern recreation. The flying action is intercut with real action footage of the daytime air war over Germany in WWII. The action on the ground is pretty realistic too, the Americans portrayed as brash and self-confident, the British as stoic and formal. And so it was during those years.
Some errors of fact occur, but overall it shines with a good script, good acting and some wonderful flying. It doesn't gush with patriotism, it doesn't force its morality down your throat. A non-intrusive score by Richard Addison rounds out a very worthwhile production. The DVD contains the original trailer (pay no attention, it is rather sensational!!) and subtitles.
Better than "Memphis Belle"
Review date: 2004-01-01 Rating: 6 out of 10
McQueen starts as an American bomber captain with a ruthless attitude which is more feared than respected by his fellow crewmen. He knows how to fly but he certainly doesn't have many social skills or time for people he takes a dislike to, usually because they have seen through his fragile personality and outer skin. McQueen puts up a capable performance and we see the actor in a nastier light than we have seen from later films of his, first introducing Wagner to a girl and then trying to steal her later on. He does show some compassion to his tough exterior in parts but the end result is a very unstable extrovert character who would be an accident waiting to happen in a modern airforce.
Wagner backs up McQueen ably as the co-pilot with the reason and common sense to counter-act his leader and soothe their working relationship in the air. Shirley-Ann Field plays the girl with the stiff upper lip Britishness who is attracted to Wagner for his charm and calmness, but is thrilled by McQueen's toughness and directness. She gives a very stiff-looking acting performance that lets the film down on occasion, though probably not helped by the script.
Overall the film is worth buying for those who like me had never seen it before, the sound and quality of the DVD is fine.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Robert Wagner
Shirley Anne Field
Steve McQueen
Gary Cockrell
Michael Crawford
Creators:
Steve McQueen (Primary Contributor)
Robert Wagner (Primary Contributor)
Robert Huke (Cinematographer)
Gordon Hales (Editor)
Arthur Hornblow Jr. (Producer)
Howard Koch (Writer)
John Hersey (Writer)
Director(s):
Recording label: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
EAN: 5035822109933
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Black & White, PAL, Widescreen,
Release date: 2003-06-16
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Region code: 2
Running time: 101 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1962-10-25
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: Danish (Subtitled)
Language: Finnish (Subtitled)
Language: Hungarian (Subtitled)
Language: Swedish (Subtitled)
Language: Italian (Subtitled)
Language: French (Subtitled)
Language: German (Subtitled)
Language: Turkish (Subtitled)
Language: Arabic (Subtitled)
Language: Czech (Subtitled)
Language: Greek (Subtitled)
Language: Dutch (Subtitled)
Language: Norwegian (Subtitled)
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: Hindi (Subtitled)
Language: Polish (Subtitled)