The first question is whether or not it's worth upgrading from the DVD version to the Blu-Ray version. In my opinion, that's a firm no.
I've long (well, I guess for over 50 years) felt this was one of the great war movies. I'm not so sure now, although to be fair, I'm rarely in the mood for a war movie. But I remembered this one fondly...but I guess absence makes the heart grow less fond. Nevertheless, it's a good story with a stellar cast.
There were 2 places where the special effects were terrible. One was when Peck and Niven close the huge iron doors to lock the Germans out of their huge gun complex. The way their shadows fall, it is so very obvious they're in front of a painting, not in front of iron rails. And a few minutes later, looking out toward the sea from the guns...wow, how cheap looking.
The big problem with this film, however, is the running length. There are times when things drag, and no wonder...the film lasts 2 hours and 38 minutes. It didn't need to. They could have easily cut 15-20 minutes. But my sense is that they kept it long to make it seem like it was a "bigger" movie than it really was.
I have to admit that while Gregory Peck is not one of my very favorite actors, I also believe that Peck can do no wrong. I don't remember a film where he was any less than wonderful. Enough said.
On the other hand we have David Niven. Over the years my like for Niven has declined considerably, and it seems to me that -- as in this film -- the main reason that he could be very pompous, and there were several scenes in this film where that was called for. But, looking at the film now, I feel he was more of a negative than a positive.
Anthony Quinn was near the beginning of his period of true stardom when this film was made. Quinn always had an earthy quality about him, and that worked very well here.
Anthony Quayle is excellent here, although we don't see much of him after about halfway through the film.
I feel sorry for James Darren. Despite being in the film from the beginning until almost the very end, he had only a handful of sentences of dialog. I guess he was there because he was young and handsome.
Irene Papas and Gia Scala...okay, but nothing special here.
I guess I sound pretty negative here, but I do think this is a decent film. But not as great a film as I remember it being. Gia Scala as Anna
I've long (well, I guess for over 50 years) felt this was one of the great war movies. I'm not so sure now, although to be fair, I'm rarely in the mood for a war movie. But I remembered this one fondly...but I guess absence makes the heart grow less fond. Nevertheless, it's a good story with a stellar cast.
There were 2 places where the special effects were terrible. One was when Peck and Niven close the huge iron doors to lock the Germans out of their huge gun complex. The way their shadows fall, it is so very obvious they're in front of a painting, not in front of iron rails. And a few minutes later, looking out toward the sea from the guns...wow, how cheap looking.
The big problem with this film, however, is the running length. There are times when things drag, and no wonder...the film lasts 2 hours and 38 minutes. It didn't need to. They could have easily cut 15-20 minutes. But my sense is that they kept it long to make it seem like it was a "bigger" movie than it really was.
I have to admit that while Gregory Peck is not one of my very favorite actors, I also believe that Peck can do no wrong. I don't remember a film where he was any less than wonderful. Enough said.
On the other hand we have David Niven. Over the years my like for Niven has declined considerably, and it seems to me that -- as in this film -- the main reason that he could be very pompous, and there were several scenes in this film where that was called for. But, looking at the film now, I feel he was more of a negative than a positive.
Anthony Quinn was near the beginning of his period of true stardom when this film was made. Quinn always had an earthy quality about him, and that worked very well here.
Anthony Quayle is excellent here, although we don't see much of him after about halfway through the film.
I feel sorry for James Darren. Despite being in the film from the beginning until almost the very end, he had only a handful of sentences of dialog. I guess he was there because he was young and handsome.
Irene Papas and Gia Scala...okay, but nothing special here.
I guess I sound pretty negative here, but I do think this is a decent film. But not as great a film as I remember it being. Gia Scala as Anna