Code Name: Operation Crossbow

Code Name: Operation Crossbow_720p(480P)

source: Code Name: Operation Crossbow

After viewing this film with a fascinating list of actors, one wonders why this film never rises above mediocrity. I confess to being a Lili Palmer fan, and I think hers was the only creditable performance along with Sophia Loren who is worth an honorable mention. The ladies (including Barbara Rutting who plays the German rocket engineer * pilot) make the formidable line up of actors, wimpish in comparison. The direction, screenplay and editing were most unimpressive.

"Operation Crossbow" is a World War II film that deals with the German's developing and launching of the V-1 and V-2 bombs over London. This movie starts as a very good project. The fist part shows in one side the German's efforts to perfect the flying bombs and start to use them (they succeed) and on the other the British intelligence work to detect where the construction plant is in order to destroy it. The plannig of the mission that will infiltrate men under false identities in the place and mark it for bombardiers to do the job is also entertaining. But somehow as soon as the guys succeed in entering the underground protected place the film just drops and turns into a cheap an less than average product with action scenes with no imagination at all and a total lack of impact and thrill. Another major flaw is George Peppard's casting in the leading role; he looks dull and doesn't show the presence and charisma the character requires. Even worse, he is surrounded by excellent European supporting performers that remark his limited acting, such as Anthony Quayle, Trevor Howard, John Mills and an excellent Lilli Palmer, just to name a few. If you like World War II based stories you'll probably find this film interesting and perhaps enjoyable. But nothing more than that. A pity.

Mostly tedious spy/WWII film, filled with uninteresting characters and lifeless, inexpressive performances. There are maybe one or two tense moments and some good explosions at the end, but generally the pace is way too slow for a movie that goes on for 112 minutes.

A small diverse group of Allied agents brainstorm to seek and destroy a secret Nazi missile compound during WWII. Scenes featuring pyrotechnics redeem this sluggish waste of big star talent. Featured in this task marking mission are:Sophia Loren, Trevor Howard, John Mills, Lili Palmer, George Peppard, Richard Todd and Anthony Quayle.

George Peppard had been under exclusive contract to MGM and after making "Subterreans", and "Home From The Hill" Peppard made other than his great hit in "How The West Was Won" movies on loan out to other studios " The Victors" at Columbia and two movies that made him a worldwide superstar "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and "The Carpetbaggers" at Paramount. MGM wanted to cash in on the worldwide Peppard super stardom for a movie at his home studio and before his contract elapsed MGM and Peppard agreed to "Operation Crossbow" produced by Carlo Ponti and filmed at MGM's London Studio. MGM gave this film the highest of production values and the presence of Mrs. Ponti aka Sophia Loren first billed as box office insurance as Mr Peppard's co star in a small cameo. Operation Crossbow is a rousing story of the allied commandos set out to destroy the Nazi rockets and the Action is non stop at a high pulse. Director Michael Anderson provides first rate Direction. Lilli Palmer, Richard Johnson, are fine actors and do well here.George Peppard was always professional in his acting and one wonders why he was not ever nominated for his work in any of his Movies. I recommend this movie

In order to get the most enjoyment out of OPERATION CROSSBOW it's necessary to view it as a tense espionage thriller rather than a flat out war film . There's little in the way of battle sequences and what we have instead is something along the lines of a John Le Carre or Frederick Forsyth bestseller where a bunch of secret agents are sent to infiltrate the Nazi V weapon project and right away anything that can go wrong will go wrong I admit that this movie isn't entirely credible and we see a female Nazi test pilot . What the Luftwaffe had female test pilots during the war ? Plus despite what you might learn from this movie the course of the war didn't rest on Nazi V weapon technology because the Germans had effectively lost the war on the Eastern front by this stage . But it's only a movie not a documentary and the good far outweighs the bad . We have an all star cast and despite some of the roles ( I'm thinking of the top billed Sophia Loren and Tom Courtenay ) being superfluous to the plot everyone gives a good performance . It may not be politically correct to point this out but the Germans are shown as human beings believing in their cause rather than goose stepping goons with hideously silly accents , and as I said in the previous paragraph everything that can go wrong for the allied spies does go wrong so we've got a tense and exciting thriller . Recommended

This is actually a very good movie with a lot more truth behind it than one might imagine. As this is a British movie, it was a very smart marketing idea to have a famous American actor, George Peppard, and a famous Italian actress, Sophia Loren, co-star in it. This way they could say "Starring (insert famous British actor name here)" when marketed in Britain, and advertise it as "Starring George Peppard" and "Starring Sophia Loren", when marketed in the U.S.A.and Italy respectively. This gives the makers of the film a much larger audience than just Britain. George Peppard and Sophia Loren have significant roles, but are not the stars of the movie. Details like portraying Hanna Reitsch and having accurate, and very good special effects make this far better than most World War II movies. Especially since most of the stars of the movie don't survive. If you enjoy historical accuracy, a well thought-out plot, and the unexpected, then I think you will find this movie a top-notch production and well worth watching. Without spoiling the ending, I will tell you though that the Gemans did not win the war.

Exciting WWII adventure spy thriller resembles Bond films of the sixties. Elaborate underground German rocket base reminds me of a Ken Adem set. Sophia's early demise is a startling shock which adds credibility to the film as a thriller. The best of Peppards three war film trilogy. Also look for Anthony Quayle playing against type as a nazi out to stop Peppard. Great fun.