10 (1979)

Not quite original, not quite a sequel....
1978's "Force 10 From Navarone" is based on the novel of the same name by famed storyteller Alistair MacLean, who wrote it as a sequel to his superb best-selling novel, "The Guns of Navarone", which had been made into a 1961 Academy Award-winning movie by Director Carl Foreman.

"Force 10 From Navarone" is a perfectly adequate action movie with a better than average cast headed by Robert Shaw and Harrison Ford, as directed by Guy Hamilton, a veteran of the James Bond movies. Its title, unfortunately, invites unequal comparisons with the earlier novels and movie.

The plot involves a mission by an Allied commando team, played by Harrison Ford, Robert Shaw, and Edward Fox, who replicate the roles played respectively by Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, and David Niven in the original "Guns". Their mission is to infiltrate Nazi-held Yugoslavia, navigate through the treacherous partisan underground, and destroy a key dam. In the movie, they are accompanied by a collection of misfit soldiers, most notably Carl Weathers of "Rocky" fame.

MacLean's plot in the original "Force 10" was difficult to follow through its convoluted sequence of cover stories and betrayals. In the movie, the plot descends into incoherence; viewers are recommended to sit back and enjoy the action sequences, the highlight of which may be the actual attack on the dam. The script is serviceable in advancing the movie, although it misses many opportunities to take advantage of the excellent and sardonic dialogue of the novel

Harrison Ford and Robert Shaw make a passable buddy team with some resemblance to the remarkable partnership between Keith Mallory and Andrea Stavros that sustained the two "Navarone" novels. Edward Fox is actually a better fit to the Corporal Miller character of the two novels,and carries his role off with his usual style. Richard Kiel and Barbara Bach add local color as members of the partisan organizations.

Viewers coming to this movie without experience of the novels and the original "Guns of Navarone" will find this entertaining fun despite the muddled plot. Fans of Alistair MacLean's novels and of the original "Guns" may find this adaption of "Force 10 From Navarone" confusing and less satisfying.

Better than I remember it!
You know, when I first saw this movie many years ago, I was so disappointed - it was such a lame exercise in low quality film making after the superb Guns of Navarone.
However, watching it now, and trying to divorce it from any connection with the original, it really is a much better film than I gave it credit for.
The most obvious difference is that this restored version really does change the whole quality of the transfer, making the scenery stand out the way it should. The widescreen presentation really makes a huge difference over the pan and scan TV version.
But the whole `boys own' adventure nature of the movie is more fun than I remember it too.. and that is the crux of it really - the movie is intended not to be any deep character study, but to capture some of the fun of Maclean's novel. Sure, there is no Gregory Peck and he is keenly missed, but Robert Shaw is great casting as the laconic hero of the novel, and who can forget him delivering that last line as the camera pans back at the end of the movie, when you think all has been accomplished?
Edward Fox is a little grating as a Niven replacement, but really the casting reaches absurdity with Carl Weathers - he might have been popular back in the 80's, but now he looks incredibly out of place in this sort of movie. Harrison Ford looking spookily young, plays his part straight and true, if uninspired, and as if that was not enough we have the always excellent Franco Nero as the ? bad guy, and Barbara Bach as a Partisan member - although it's something of a stretch to believe that they had such beautiful Partisan members getting down and dirty with the fighting while keeping that long hair immaculate, but its all part of the necessary suspension of belief required to get into the spirit of the movie.
No, it's not a classic, but its darn good boys own fun. Well worth a budget purchase for a Saturday afternoon.

Better than I remember it!
You know, when I first saw this movie many years ago, I was so disappointed - it was such a lame exercise in low quality film making after the superb Guns of Navarone.
However, watching it now, and trying to divorce it from any connection with the original, it really is a much better film than I gave it credit for.
The most obvious difference is that this restored version really does change the whole quality of the transfer, making the scenery stand out the way it should. The widescreen presentation really makes a huge difference over the pan and scan TV version.
But the whole `boys own' adventure nature of the movie is more fun than I remember it too.. and that is the crux of it really - the movie is intended not to be any deep character study, but to capture some of the fun of Maclean's novel. Sure, there is no Gregory Peck and he is keenly missed, but Robert Shaw is great casting as the laconic hero of the novel, and who can forget him delivering that last line as the camera pans back at the end of the movie, when you think all has been accomplished?
Edward Fox is a little grating as a Niven replacement, but really the casting reaches absurdity with Carl Weathers - he might have been popular back in the 80's, but now he looks incredibly out of place in this sort of movie. Harrison Ford looking spookily young, plays his part straight and true, if uninspired, and as if that was not enough we have the always excellent Franco Nero as the ? bad guy, and Barbara Bach as a Partisan member - although it's something of a stretch to believe that they had such beautiful Partisan members getting down and dirty with the fighting while keeping that long hair immaculate, but its all part of the necessary suspension of belief required to get into the spirit of the movie.
No, it's not a classic, but its darn good boys own fun. Well worth a budget purchase for a Saturday afternoon.