Going out for a night at the movies back in the sixties meant something just a little different than it does these days. As Jack Black would say in School Of Rock, "the man" destroyed that too. In a lot of ways the 60's "epics" were their own artform and a lot like going to a play. You had a classy presentation with an intermission where you could break and grab a snack and a typical running time of three hours. Some were great (Its A Mad Mad Mad World) and some were chock full of filler (55 Days At Peking.) And of course, war films contributed heavily to the epic art form.
This month You Tube has two great ones streaming free. The Guns Of Navarone is probably Gregory Peck's next best outing to To Kill A Mockingbird. Here he plays a commander in charge of leading a dangerous charge on a Greek island and to specifically take out a pair of large nuclear canons. Supported by a nice cast including David Niven, Niven's role here is unusual for him. He says very little until the very end when he goes off on a tirade ringing in his money shot. The movie's pace is nice and steady and while the effects in both of these movies are dated, the adventure element is not compromised. Great war film, one of the best. 4.0 stars/5
An unusual Steve McQueen flick to say the least, The Sand Pebbles finds him playing a rebellious Navy machinist aboard a river gunboat in 1920's China. He eventually defies orders and saves a missionary group amid conflicts with local warlords, communism, and his superiors. The film was a big success at the box office and nominated for eight Oscars. While I like the film, I don't consider it McQueen's best by a longshot and there is a good amount of fluff/filler in this one. 3.5 stars/5
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