The Guns of Navarone (1961)

Director:

J. Lee Thompson
(more)

Writers:

Alistair MacLean (novel)
Carl Foreman (written by)

Release Date:

22 June 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | War | Adventure

Tagline:

Still! The Greatest High Adventure Ever Filmed! [re-issue]

Plot:

A British team is sent to cross occupied Greek territory and destroy the massive German gun emplacement that commands a key sea channel.

Plot Keywords:

Island | Commando | Greek Resistance | Traitor | Mountaineer

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Gregory Peck	...	Capt. Keith Mallory
David Niven	...	Cpl. Miller
Anthony Quinn	...	Col. Andrea Stavros
Stanley Baker	...	Pvt. 'Butcher' Brown
Anthony Quayle	...	Maj. Roy Franklin
James Darren	...	Pvt. Spyros Pappadimos
Irene Papas	...	Maria Pappadimos
Gia Scala	...	Anna
James Robertson Justice	...	Commodore Jensen / Prologue Narrator
Richard Harris	...	Squadron Leader Howard Barnsby RAAF
Bryan Forbes	...	Cohn
Allan Cuthbertson	...	Maj. Baker
Michael Trubshawe	...	Weaver
Percy Herbert	...	Sgt. Grogan
George Mikell	...	Sessler
Walter Gotell	...	Muesel
Tutte Lemkow	...	Nikolai, the laundry boy
Albert Lieven	...	The Commandant
Norman Wooland	...	Group Captain
Cleo Scouloudi	...	Bride
Nicholas Papakonstantinou	...	Patrol Boat Captain
Christopher Rhodes	...	German Master Gunner
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Victor Beaumont	...	German officer in gun cave (uncredited)
Victor Buono	...	Greek cleric at wedding plaza (uncredited)
Jack Cooper	...	German Soldier on Patrol Boat (uncredited)
Carl Duering	...	German radar operator (uncredited)
Wolf Frees	...	Radio operator (uncredited)
Peter Grant	...	British commando (uncredited)
Rosemary Nicols	...	(uncredited)
Michael Sarne	...	Extra (uncredited)
Bob Simmons	...	German Soldier on Navarone (uncredited)

Directed by
J. Lee Thompson
Alexander Mackendrick		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Alistair MacLean		(novel) (as Alistair Maclean)
Carl Foreman		(written by)

Produced by
Leon Becker	....	associate producer
Cecil F. Ford	....	associate producer
Carl Foreman	....	producer

Original Music by
Dimitri Tiomkin

Cinematography by
Oswald Morris

Film Editing by
Alan Osbiston

Production Design by
Geoffrey Drake

Makeup Department
George Frost	....	makeup artist
Wally Schneiderman	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Harold Buck	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Peter Yates	....	assistant director
Roy Millichip	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Robert Cartwright	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Maurice Fowler	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Frank Willson	....	assistant art director (uncredited)

Sound Department
John Cox	....	sound recordist
Chris Greenham	....	sound editor
George Stephenson	....	sound recordist
Jack Davies	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Chris Greenham	....	sound effects (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Wally Veevers	....	special effects
Bill Warrington	....	special effects
Brian Gamby	....	special effects (uncredited)
Jimmy Harris	....	special effects (uncredited)
Fred Heather	....	special effects (uncredited)
Garth Inns	....	special effects (uncredited)
Jimmy Ward	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Bob Cuff	....	visual effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Bob Anderson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Peter Brayham	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Cooper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Philip Crawford	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Cummings	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joe Dunne	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jock Easton	....	stunts (uncredited)
Peter Grant	....	stunt double: Anthony Quayle (uncredited)
Peter Grant	....	stunts (uncredited)
Arthur Howell	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Leech	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jimmy Lodge	....	stunt double: David Niven (uncredited)
Jimmy Lodge	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joe Powell	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Joe Powell	....	stunt double: Anthony Quinn (uncredited)
Joe Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nosher Powell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Silk	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Simmons	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Bob Simmons	....	stunt double: Gregory Peck (uncredited)
Bob Simmons	....	stunts (uncredited)
Terry Yorke	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Denys N. Coop	....	camera operator (as Denys Coop)
John Wilcox	....	additional photographer
Kenneth Danvers	....	still photographer (uncredited)
'Bumble' Lloyd	....	electrician (uncredited)
Dudley Lovell	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
Ronnie Maasz	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Jack Sullivan	....	chief electrician (uncredited)
Jimmy Turrell	....	first assistant camera: second unit (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Monty M. Berman	....	wardrober (as Monty Berman)
Olga Lehmann	....	wardrobe designer (as Olga Lehman)

Editorial Department
Oswald Hafenrichter	....	associate editor (as O. Hafenrichter)
Joan Morduch	....	first assistant editor
Raymond Poulton	....	associate editor
John Victor-Smith	....	associate editor (as John Victor Smith)
Sati Tooray	....	colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Dimitri Tiomkin	....	conductor
Benny Carter	....	music arranger: German songs (uncredited)
Michael Heindorf	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Charles Maxwell	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
George Parrish	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Alfred Perry	....	music arranger: German songs (uncredited)
Leonid Raab	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Herbert Taylor	....	music arranger: German songs (uncredited)
Herbert Taylor	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
John Williams	....	music arranger: German songs (uncredited)

Other crew
Fritz Bayerlein	....	technical advisor (as Lt. General Fritz Bayerlein)
Pamela Davies	....	continuity
P.J. Hands	....	technical advisor (as Lt. Col. P.J. Hands)
P.F. Kertemilidis	....	technical advisor (as Lt. Col. P.F. Kertemilidis)
N. Lazaridis	....	technical advisor (as Major N. Lazaridis)
W.D. Mangham	....	technical advisor (as Major W.D. Mangham)
Golda Offenheim	....	production secretary
John Theologitis	....	technical advisor (as Cmdr. John Theologitis)
D.S.T. Turnbull	....	technical advisor (as Brig. Gen. D.S.T. Turnbull)
Jean Osborne	....	publicist (uncredited)
Lee Turner	....	continuity: second unit (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (presents)
• Highroad
• Open Road

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1961) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures Corporation (1961) (UK) (theatrical)
• Columbia Film-Verleih (1961) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia Films (1961) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures (1969) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1969) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere) (pan/scan)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Encore Entertainment (1995) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1998) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD) (collector's edition)
• Sony Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Admiralty, The  thanks for their most generous advice and assistance
• Greek People, The  unstinting aid, co-operation, hospitality and friendship
• Halas and Batchelor Cartoon Films  maps
• Other Departments of the Greek Government  unstinting aid, co-operation, hospitality and friendship
• Pathé  Eastmancolor by (as Pathe)
• Royal Hellenic Air Force, The  special debt of gratitude
• Royal Hellenic Army, The  special debt of gratitude
• Royal Hellenic Navy, The  special debt of gratitude
• Sinfonia of London  music played by
• Todd-AO/Glen Glenn Studios  sound post-production (restoration as Todd-AO/Glen Glenn)
• War Office, The  thanks for their most generous advice and assistance

Runtime:

158 min | Sweden:156 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Greek | German

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) (Westrex Recording System) | Mono (35 mm optical prints) | Dolby (Restored version)

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Portugal:M/12 | West Germany:16 (nf) | USA:Approved | USA:Not Rated (DVD release) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Ireland:G | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:U (original rating) (cut) | UK:PG (video rating) (1986) (uncut)

Filming Locations:

Associated British Elstree Studios, Shenley Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Some members of the Greek royal family and their entourage were extras in the café scene as they were visiting the set on the day that scene was being filmed.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the prologue, the guns are shown firing, and as they do large clouds of smoke are emitted all around the bases of the guns. But after a couple of seconds the smoke abruptly disappears and the area is clear again.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Prologue Narrator: Greece and the islands of the Aegean Sea have given birth to many myths and legends of war and adventure. And these once-proud stones, these ruined and shattered temples bear witness to the civilization that flourished and then died here and to the demigods and heroes who inspired those legends on this sea and these islands...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Red Zone Cuba (#7.19)" (1994)

Soundtrack:

Ena Karavi Apo Te Chio

A great WWII film

The Guns of Navarone is a classic WWII film. The movie is about a group of Allied soldiers (Gregory Peck, David Niven, Anthony Quinn, Stanley Baker, James Darren, and Anthony Quayle) whose mission is to destroy the Nazis most powerful weapon which is the guns on Navarone. Will they be able to make it without being caught? This movie is great. The acting by Peck, Niven, and Quinn is A+. The special effects were great and they still amazed me. I recommend this movie to all.

10/10