"Mosquito Squadron" director Boris Sagal and "Midway" scenarist Donald S. Sanford teamed up for this underwhelming World War II aerial combat epic about a celebrated 1000 bomber raid over Nazi-occupied Germany. Anybody who remembers how much fuss the British raised over "U-571" because we Americans took credit for capturing a vital piece of Nazi technology-- Enigma and cipher keys--can only imagine the umbrage the Brits must have taken over this winged wonder! Square-jawed "Rat Patrol" star Christopher George plays the hot-tempered United States Army Air Force Colonel Gregg Brandon of the 103rd Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force. He has been a vocal proponent of an audacious 1000 plane raid despite the surfeit of problems such a gargantuan air strike would entail. Actually, the Royal Air Force launched on three of these widespread raids, and we Americans never embarked a single sortie! Donald Sanford does a competent job of orchestrating conflict that brings these three fliers together. Nevertheless, he could have spared us the disposable romance between our Colonel and an attractive WAC Lieutenant Gabrielle Ames (Laraine Stephens of "Hellfighters") and their eventual rendezvous that concludes with smoking cigarettes! Brandon's conduct unbecoming, literally pulling rank to bed down this babe, ignited no firestorms of controversy back in 1969. However, contemporary feminists may not be so unforgiving about this inappropriate sexual liaison. Meantime, Sagal and Sanford drew on Robert Vincent Wright's adaptation of Ralph Barker's superb 1965 history book "The Thousand Plane Raid." Obviously, since the producers were catering to an American audience, they decided to revise history and made this the initial RAF raid into a strictly American mission. Serious cineastes may object to this cultural appropriation, but Hollywood often did this with World War II movies.
Apart from a number of American characters actors led by veteran character actor J. D. Cannon of "McCloud" and George, this Army Air Forces mission movie is sadly too superficial to be memorable as well as hopelessly heavy-handed, especially George's performance. He behaves like a grizzly throughout the picture. Lieutenant Archer's treatment of his B-17 generates ill-will between Colonel Brandon and Archer. Surprisingly, RAF Wing Commander Trafton Howard (Gary Marshal of "Camelot") steps in and straightens out the poor lad. This subplot overshadows the film. Interestingly, Howard hails from a long line of reckless aviators that would culminate with 'Maverick' (Tom Cruise) in "Top Gun." The story is told largely from the perspective of our martinet commander who doesn't give anybody a break. Early in the action, Brandon confides in General Cotten Palmer (J. D. Cannon) that he suspects his men know he is doing his best to get them killed. Clearly, Christopher George's Brandon was struck from the same mold as Gregory Peck's commander in "Twelve O'clock High" (1949).
Meantime, a brash British RAF pilot has been reassigned to Brandon's wing so the Yanks can benefit from his considerable experience as a of fighter pilot. Howard has shot down 18 German planes. The pretext of assigning a fighter pilot to a bomber squadron as a disciplinary action seems wasteful, but it makes lots of sense. After all, who else than Howard would be willing to teach Archer how to fly. Colonel Brandon, Lieutenant Archer (Ben Murphy of "Alias Smith & Jones") and Wing Commander Howard dominate the first and the final scenes in this predictable 94-minute movie.
After he sells his 1000 plane bombing raid to his superiors in both the American and British commands, Brandon must chew up his own squadron with constant drills to improve their lackluster performance over targets. Lieutenant Archer emerges as the problem pilot for Brandon as well as his whipping boy. After Archer abandons a mission because he felt his controls were faulty, Brandon is determined to wash the young pilot out of the Air Force! Meantime, reassigned to Brandon's command, Wing Commander Howard brands the Colonel's mission the work of a madman. He predicts absolute disaster. At the same time, Brandon continues to crack down on his men. Howard intervenes on Archer's behalf and they take up an airship without permission, a stunt that Howard has undoubtedly done before with RAF equipment. He coaches young Archer about aircraft in general and the B-17 in particular. Imagine Brandon's rage when he returns to the base and learns that somebody has hijacked his bomber and is conducting a joyride over the airfield!
Happily, for the sake of authenticity, "633 Squadron" producer Lewis J. Rachmil secured three vintage Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers and surrounded them with lots of colorized combat footage. The primitive special effects of a German Messerschmitt ME 109 flying alongside Colonel Brandon's command ship is abysmal. The footage of the ME-109 approaching Archer's plane on a strafing run looks like it was lifted from "The Great Escape" (1963) and later "633 Squadron" (1964). The American air base looks believable enough as do the military uniforms. Meanwhile, "The 1000 Plane Raid" amounts to a one-sided spectacle of World War II because it never dramatizes the enemy's reaction to the bombardment. A peripheral romance subplot between the fiery Colonel and a young, blonde Lieutenant could have been jettisoned. At times, George overplays his intrepid Colonel, while J. D. Cannon turns in another top-notch performance. Recycled cliches ranging from combat gun camera footage, stereotypical tough guys, to hopelessly predictable plotting take all of the fun out of this strained exercise in aerial combat.
Apart from a number of American characters actors led by veteran character actor J. D. Cannon of "McCloud" and George, this Army Air Forces mission movie is sadly too superficial to be memorable as well as hopelessly heavy-handed, especially George's performance. He behaves like a grizzly throughout the picture. Lieutenant Archer's treatment of his B-17 generates ill-will between Colonel Brandon and Archer. Surprisingly, RAF Wing Commander Trafton Howard (Gary Marshal of "Camelot") steps in and straightens out the poor lad. This subplot overshadows the film. Interestingly, Howard hails from a long line of reckless aviators that would culminate with 'Maverick' (Tom Cruise) in "Top Gun." The story is told largely from the perspective of our martinet commander who doesn't give anybody a break. Early in the action, Brandon confides in General Cotten Palmer (J. D. Cannon) that he suspects his men know he is doing his best to get them killed. Clearly, Christopher George's Brandon was struck from the same mold as Gregory Peck's commander in "Twelve O'clock High" (1949).
Meantime, a brash British RAF pilot has been reassigned to Brandon's wing so the Yanks can benefit from his considerable experience as a of fighter pilot. Howard has shot down 18 German planes. The pretext of assigning a fighter pilot to a bomber squadron as a disciplinary action seems wasteful, but it makes lots of sense. After all, who else than Howard would be willing to teach Archer how to fly. Colonel Brandon, Lieutenant Archer (Ben Murphy of "Alias Smith & Jones") and Wing Commander Howard dominate the first and the final scenes in this predictable 94-minute movie.
After he sells his 1000 plane bombing raid to his superiors in both the American and British commands, Brandon must chew up his own squadron with constant drills to improve their lackluster performance over targets. Lieutenant Archer emerges as the problem pilot for Brandon as well as his whipping boy. After Archer abandons a mission because he felt his controls were faulty, Brandon is determined to wash the young pilot out of the Air Force! Meantime, reassigned to Brandon's command, Wing Commander Howard brands the Colonel's mission the work of a madman. He predicts absolute disaster. At the same time, Brandon continues to crack down on his men. Howard intervenes on Archer's behalf and they take up an airship without permission, a stunt that Howard has undoubtedly done before with RAF equipment. He coaches young Archer about aircraft in general and the B-17 in particular. Imagine Brandon's rage when he returns to the base and learns that somebody has hijacked his bomber and is conducting a joyride over the airfield!
Happily, for the sake of authenticity, "633 Squadron" producer Lewis J. Rachmil secured three vintage Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers and surrounded them with lots of colorized combat footage. The primitive special effects of a German Messerschmitt ME 109 flying alongside Colonel Brandon's command ship is abysmal. The footage of the ME-109 approaching Archer's plane on a strafing run looks like it was lifted from "The Great Escape" (1963) and later "633 Squadron" (1964). The American air base looks believable enough as do the military uniforms. Meanwhile, "The 1000 Plane Raid" amounts to a one-sided spectacle of World War II because it never dramatizes the enemy's reaction to the bombardment. A peripheral romance subplot between the fiery Colonel and a young, blonde Lieutenant could have been jettisoned. At times, George overplays his intrepid Colonel, while J. D. Cannon turns in another top-notch performance. Recycled cliches ranging from combat gun camera footage, stereotypical tough guys, to hopelessly predictable plotting take all of the fun out of this strained exercise in aerial combat.