Friday, November 01, 2013

Operation Crossbow

Operation Crossbow (1965) starring Sophia Loren, George Peppard, Trevor Howard, Tom Courtenay, Jeremy Kemp, Anthony Quayle, John Mills. During World War II, British agents parachute into Nazi-occupied Europe on a mission to stop the German V-1 rocket (flying bomb) project. At the last minute, the mission is canceled -- but not before two of the agents have already made the jump. Loren plays the ex-wife of one of the identities that has been assumed by one of the agents (Peppard). Although Loren gets top billing, her part is really rather small; in fact, she dies early in the film. The pyrotechnics are rather impressive, as the Germans progress past the V-1 to the V-2 rocket, and we see large sections  of London obliterated. Overall, however, the movie is rather fantastical and hard to believe. I don't think the bombing of the V-2 facility actually took place as represented in the movie. (Subtitles in English are available, as are closed captions.) Grade: B-   

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