The Blue Max
starring: George Peppard, James Mason, Ursula Andress, Jeremy Kemp, Karl Michael Vogler
directed by: John Guillermin
directed by: John Guillermin
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Product Description:
A coveted medal - the blue max - is ruthlessly sought after by members of the german luftwaffe.Studio: TcfheRelease Date: 05/13/2008Starring: George Peppard Jeremy KempRun time: 155 minutes
Amazon.com:
The Blue Max is highly unusual among Hollywood films, not justfor being a large-scale drama set during the generally overlooked World War I,but in concentrating on air combat as seen entirely from the German point ofview. The story focuses on a lower-class officer, Bruno Stachel (GeorgePeppard), and his obsessive quest to win a Blue Max, a medal awarded forshooting down 20 enemy aircraft. Around this are subplots concerning apropaganda campaign by James Mason's pragmatic general, rivalry with a fellowofficer (Jeremy Kemp), and a love affair with a decadent countess (UrsulaAndress).
As directed by John Guillermin (who later made The Battle of Britain in1969), the film's main assets are epic production values, great flying scenes,and stunning dogfights. The weak point is the sometimes ponderous characterdrama, not helped by Peppard, who is too lightweight an actor to convince as thedriven antihero. Clearly influenced by Kubrick's Paths of Glory (1958),The Blue Max is a cold, cynical drama offering a visually breathtakingportrait of a stultified society tearing itself apart during the final months ofthe Great War. --Gary S. Dalkin
A coveted medal - the blue max - is ruthlessly sought after by members of the german luftwaffe.Studio: TcfheRelease Date: 05/13/2008Starring: George Peppard Jeremy KempRun time: 155 minutes
Amazon.com:
The Blue Max is highly unusual among Hollywood films, not justfor being a large-scale drama set during the generally overlooked World War I,but in concentrating on air combat as seen entirely from the German point ofview. The story focuses on a lower-class officer, Bruno Stachel (GeorgePeppard), and his obsessive quest to win a Blue Max, a medal awarded forshooting down 20 enemy aircraft. Around this are subplots concerning apropaganda campaign by James Mason's pragmatic general, rivalry with a fellowofficer (Jeremy Kemp), and a love affair with a decadent countess (UrsulaAndress).
As directed by John Guillermin (who later made The Battle of Britain in1969), the film's main assets are epic production values, great flying scenes,and stunning dogfights. The weak point is the sometimes ponderous characterdrama, not helped by Peppard, who is too lightweight an actor to convince as thedriven antihero. Clearly influenced by Kubrick's Paths of Glory (1958),The Blue Max is a cold, cynical drama offering a visually breathtakingportrait of a stultified society tearing itself apart during the final months ofthe Great War. --Gary S. Dalkin
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- Great movie and a nice addition to mu collection.
One of my favorite war drama movies with great action scenes and terrific action by all the stars.The older aircraft makes this movie a must see for airplane buffs.
Rating: 
- The Blue Max
Excellent story of a social outcast, driven by ambition to climb the social ladder, and gain acceptance, both socially and militarily.Very good aerial combat footage featuring the biplanes in use during World War I, the setting for this movie.
Rating: - A very good, if not forgotten film.
I first saw this film as a boy on a Saturday afternoon t.v. matinee, and was completely intrigued. Thirty years later I bought the VHS out of a bargain bin and found that the film was just as good as I remember it. Needless to say it is one of George Peppard's finest performances, supported by an all star cast. The movie has a good storyline, but the flying and dog fighting scenes are what really make the film. That with some good old class warfare, are what really put the story together. It is a ... Read More
Rating: 
- A rare WWI movie
While hundreds of movies have been made about WWII, very few have been made about World War I but even then some of those have been forgotten including 1966's The Blue Max.Crouching in a muddy crater in no man's land in France in 1916, infantryman Bruno Stachel looks up to the skies and sees two planes in a dogfight.Fast forward most of two years where Stachel has graduated from flight school and joins a squadron.Stachel has one goal, to get the Blue Max, given to pilots who shoot down 20 planes. ... Read More
Rating: - unsung masterpiece
It was once said that a movie critic can't act, direct or make a movie. In fact, they can't do much of anything other than critcize the work of someone else. That will explain my view of their bashing of 'The Blue Max'. 'TBM' is a superb World War One film about flying aces filled with superbly filmed airial dogfights. I've always felt that the making of this movie was a bold step for the times, defying convention. To me, that's just one reason it stands out so. It juggles a variety of hats to tell its ... Read More
- Great movie and a nice addition to mu collection.One of my favorite war drama movies with great action scenes and terrific action by all the stars.The older aircraft makes this movie a must see for airplane buffs.
- The Blue MaxExcellent story of a social outcast, driven by ambition to climb the social ladder, and gain acceptance, both socially and militarily.Very good aerial combat footage featuring the biplanes in use during World War I, the setting for this movie.
- A very good, if not forgotten film.I first saw this film as a boy on a Saturday afternoon t.v. matinee, and was completely intrigued. Thirty years later I bought the VHS out of a bargain bin and found that the film was just as good as I remember it. Needless to say it is one of George Peppard's finest performances, supported by an all star cast. The movie has a good storyline, but the flying and dog fighting scenes are what really make the film. That with some good old class warfare, are what really put the story together. It is a ... Read More
- A rare WWI movieWhile hundreds of movies have been made about WWII, very few have been made about World War I but even then some of those have been forgotten including 1966's The Blue Max.Crouching in a muddy crater in no man's land in France in 1916, infantryman Bruno Stachel looks up to the skies and sees two planes in a dogfight.Fast forward most of two years where Stachel has graduated from flight school and joins a squadron.Stachel has one goal, to get the Blue Max, given to pilots who shoot down 20 planes. ... Read More
- unsung masterpieceIt was once said that a movie critic can't act, direct or make a movie. In fact, they can't do much of anything other than critcize the work of someone else. That will explain my view of their bashing of 'The Blue Max'. 'TBM' is a superb World War One film about flying aces filled with superbly filmed airial dogfights. I've always felt that the making of this movie was a bold step for the times, defying convention. To me, that's just one reason it stands out so. It juggles a variety of hats to tell its ... Read More
