Product Details

• Actors: George Peppard, James Mason, Ursula Andress, Jeremy Kemp, Karl Michael Vogler
• Directors: John Guillermin
• Writers: Basilio Franchina, Ben Barzman, David Pursall, Gerald Hanley, Jack Hunter
• Producers: Christian Ferry
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Rated: Unrated
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• VHS Release Date: May 24, 1990
• Run Time: 156 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (114 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6301662946
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #169,615 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The Blue Max is highly unusual among Hollywood films, not just for being a large-scale drama set during the generally overlooked World War I, but in concentrating on air combat as seen entirely from the German point of view. The story focuses on a lower-class officer, Bruno Stachel (George Peppard), and his obsessive quest to win a Blue Max, a medal awarded for shooting down 20 enemy aircraft. Around this are subplots concerning a propaganda campaign by James Mason's pragmatic general, rivalry with a fellow officer (Jeremy Kemp), and a love affair with a decadent countess (Ursula Andress).

As directed by John Guillermin (who later made The Battle of Britain in 1969), the film's main assets are epic production values, great flying scenes, and stunning dogfights. The weak point is the sometimes ponderous character drama, not helped by Peppard, who is too lightweight an actor to convince as the driven antihero. Clearly influenced by Kubrick's Paths of Glory (1958), The Blue Max is a cold, cynical drama offering a visually breathtaking portrait of a stultified society tearing itself apart during the final months of the Great War. --Gary S. Dalkin

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

89 of 92 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth the time. Peppard was fine by me., March 21, 2004

By 

Eric V. Moye (New York, by way of Dallas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Blue Max (DVD)

A really good war movie, perhaps in part because it was so relatively unexplored in film. It is the story of a German working class soldier ("common as dirt", as characterized by his General, played by James Mason) named Bruno Stachell (who is well-portrayed with icy self- assurance by George Peppard) man. Stachell leaves the trenches in World War One and becomes an ace in the German flying corps which is populated by officers and gentlemen. His obsession is a medal - hence the film's title - awarded to aces, and his colleagues, commanders and the British Air Force won't keep him from it.

Predictably, he rebels even as he never fits in with his comrades. It is illustrated well by his response to his first kill (which sadly goes unconfirmed even after he went scouring the countryside for the plane he shot down). He "responds" by getting his first confirmed kill by shooting down the next enemy plane over his own airfield. While his betters who populate the squadron never cease to remind him of his place, he continues up the ranks to best them all while ridiculing their so-called code of honor. "Chivalry?" he sneers. "To kill a man and then make a ritual out of saluting him is hypocrisy."

It has great flying battle scenes. Also, a wonderful supporting cast including the aforementioned Manson, his slutty aristocratic wife (the magnificent Ursula Andress) and a stick-up-the-butt colleague/rival fellow officer (Jeremy Kemp). Karl Vogler plays von Heiderman, the Commanding Officer who refuses to let go of his notions of warfare with honor, in the face of the barbaric commencement of the 20th century.

I disagree with the reviewer who says Peppard was out of his depth in this role. He plays the part of the anti-hero very well. I was even more impressed after reading that he did his own flying in this film.

It is very long, but worth the time.

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Blue Max ,revisited, February 5, 2002

By 

Rick Galati (Lake St. Louis, Missouri United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Blue Max [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is one of those films that seems to get better with age. It is the story of a low-born warrior Bruno Stachel (George Peppard), who by force of will and talent, rises out of a common foxhole and into the cockpit of a fighter airplane in the closing days of WW1. It is his arch-nemesis, the aristocratic flying ace Willi von Klugermann,(Jeremy Kemp) who keenly observes Stachel's ruthlessness and nicknames him "Cobra". The aerial flying sequences are breathtaking and plentiful, many of the aircraft were constructed for the making of this movie, unlike computer generated duplications so common today. The slow cadence and almost hesitating sound of unreliable machine guns firing from the flimsy aircraft they were fitted to is striking testament to the sound editors art. Stachel's ambition for glory "in and out of bed" is unmatched by his well-born and condecending comrades. But in the end, his destiny is inexorably tilted by an unyielding competitiveness, a beautiful countess (Ursula Andress),her shrewd and powerful husband Count General von Klugermann,(masterfully portrayed by James Mason), and a demoralized, desperate Germany in the waning days of WW1. The production values of this film are excellent, the sets striking, and obvious attention to historical detail is evident. Jerry Goldsmith's musical score ties a compelling story line together with subtle variations of a hauntingly beautiful musical theme. It is my hope this film will be digitally remastered for DVD release.

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Top of the Line War Flick!, September 6, 2003

By 

dirk (Warren, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Blue Max (DVD)

I've seen most war flicks and this one from 1966 is definitely one of my personal favorites (other favorites include Apocalypse Now, Where Eagles Dare, Platoon, The Eagle has Landed, etc.).

"The Blue Max" is about a World War I German Soldier, Bruno Stachel (George Peppard), who "graduates" from ignoble trench warfare to the aristocratic air officer corps. Stachel is naturally a fish out of water with his new higher class comrades-in-arms; but this doesn't seem to bother him one iota. Stachel is only interested in gunning down twenty enemy planes to get the coveted Blue Max, Germany's Medal of Honor. In fact, he is so focused on this goal that he'll do anything to achieve it, honorably or dishonorably.

The vibe of the movie is ultra-realistic. Critics of the flim have complained that Stachel is an unlikable character and therefore not a very good hero to root for. It is true that Stachel doesn't seem very friendly (how friendly would you be with high-class "gentlemen" after years of brutal trench warfare?). It's also true that he's selfishly ambitious (he totally rebels against the team spirit of his squadron). He's also an alcoholic and an adulterer. But as the German general played by James Mason states: he's brave, ruthless and driven -- exactly what Germany needs at the closing months of the war.

People who make the above criticism miss the point. Real life offers up few perfect heroes to root for. People, situations and motives are more complex than this. And this pic nobly attempts to be a realistic portrayal of air combat in World War I. In other words, the story should just simply be digested as is without looking for a hero.

The movie is universally praised for its scenic and compelling air combat scenes, but some folks inexplicably criticize the drama on the ground. Personally, I find the ground story equally as interesting as the air fighting. Besides, mindless non-stop action movies are for juveniles (of course, like any guy I have MY juvenile moods).

Other highlights include a brief appearance of the Red Baron, the ravishing Ursula Andress (Undress?) as the general's adulterous wife and an excellent musical score by (Jerry Goldsmith (who else?).

The cinematography and locations (Ireland) are excellent. The overall look of the movie is cold, dark, cloudy and wet. In other words, kind of depressing. But, of course, World War I was no happy day at the beach!

The Blue Max is truly a movie of epic scope; definitely one of THE GREAT war movies. I highly recommend it.