McGuire, Go Home!

I like many things about this movie. First, the story. Although it certainly has flaws, it is very interesting. All the time I was watching the movie I was trying to decide if the British and the Cyprus people were portrayed objectively or not. With the exception of few scenes (boys with a knife in the beginning and the character of Hagios) I think they are. For most of the movie Bogarde is not a nice guy at all. This only goes to show the wide variety of roles he embodied.

And I must say that I don't understand other people's negative comments about Susan Strasberg, I think she was great here. And most of all, she was gorgeous, in a natural way.

If only the plot was relieved from a few clumsy turns, it could have been a great movie...

As Cyprus struggles for colonial independence from Britain, "Maj. Maguire" (Dirk Bogarde) is tasked with trying to track down the sabotaging freedom fighters led by "Gen. Skyros" (Grégoire Aslan). Unfortunately for visiting American archeologist "Juno" (Susan Strasberg) she manages to get herself involved as she is staying at the house of "Dr. Andros" (Joseph Fürst) who is also hosting, incognito, the general and his rather more brutally minded sidekick "Haghios" (George Chakiris). A visit from the major might just help her out though as he takes a bit of a shine to her, as does the doctor's son "Emile" (Colin Campbell) but her safety is not guaranteed, especially when "Haghios" comes to resent her developing rapport with the Briton. It's an adequate adventure story, this, but nobody really sets anything on fire; it's too wordy and what action there actually is saved up for the last fifteen minutes during which there's not a great deal of jeopardy. It's really Bogarde who must carry the burden for it's mediocrity as he puts very little effort into his role. It's not so much less is more as less is, well, less... Not that Chakiris is exactly menacing, but he is under-used in any case and Strasberg adds very little as the thing plods along without really touching on the political aspects of the plot at all. There's some nice photography (of Italy) but otherwise it's quite a long old watch that's nobody's best work.

I have seen this movie back in the sixties, and this is one of my favorite top ten thriller. I rated it ten. Especially the character George Chakiris played in this film is so much different from all his other movies. Did anybody know where I can get a video tape of this movie. Please e-mail me if you know.

Thanks

Set in Island of Cyprus in the revolutionary 1957, there rebels fight against the occupying English forces , during the bloody political minefield of the fifties . it deals with a student who spends a vacation at a villa to investigate about archeologic excavation and then she becomes trapped between the two warring sides . As she witnesses a resistance attack against British military in which die some soldiers. Shortly after, the vengeful local guerrilla plots to murder her in order to silence her. Dirk Bogarde is Major McGuire, an English officer whose efforts to stem Eoka guerrilla are compromised when he falls in love for American-Cyprus gal called Juno , Susan Strasberg, who is caught in the tumultuous war . As she stands at a villa where appears some Cypriot guerrilleros leaders, George Chakiris , and the chief guerrilla, Gregoire Aslan, is hiding . Along the way Juno, Susan Strasberg, is mercilessly chased by Chakiris who lays it on as a fanatical patriot . Before you stop a Bullet , before you trip over a love affair , before you foul up the whole revolution...

This is a thriller movie more than a romatic drama , in which there are thrills , emotion , crossfire , a love story , and a long as well as relentless pursuit . Misguided director Ralph Thomas attempts to create a romantic drama out of the British military presence in the late 50s , there a British Intelligence man becomes involved with an archeology student lodging at a villa . It is an acceptable and decent film , unfortunately , the storyline by Ian Stuart Beach from his own novel does not make it through the political scenarios created by a very thunderous independence conflict. Main cast, Dirk Bogarde , Susan Strasberg , George Chakiris , give enjoyable acting , similar to support cast, formed by a fine plethora of British actors , such as : Nigel Stock , Denholm Eliott , Gregoire Aslan, George Pastell, Colin Campbell , Joseph Fuest , among others .

It contains a colorful and brilliant cinematography by Ernest Steward . And evocative and atmospheric musical score by the Italian Angelo Francesco Lavagnino . This film , The high bright sun , also titled : McGuire go home , was well produced by Betty Box for the Rank Organization , being profesionally directed by Ralph Thomas , though it has some failures , flaws and gaps . Thomas was a good British craftsman who directed several films of all kinds of genres with a special penchant for comedy . His fetish actor was Dick Bogarde with whom worked in various films , many of them belong to "Doctor series" , as Doctor in house . As Ralph Thomas made : The Clouded yellow , Appointment with Venus , Upstairs and downstairs, Conspiracy of hearts , Hot-enough for June , The wind can not read , Nobody runs forever , Quest for love , Percy , Percy progress , and a Hitchcock remake : 39 stairs . Rating : 6/10. The flick will appeal to Dirk Bogarde fans .

"The High Bright Sun" is a 1964 film about an American girl (Susan Strasberg) caught in the Cypriot fight against the British in the '50s. The stars are Dirk Bogarde, George Chakiris and Denholm Elliot. While staying at the home of a family friend, Strasberg sees someone that she's not supposed to, and the guerrillas decide that she has to die before she tells a frequent visitor to the house, Major McGuire (Bogarde) what she's seen.

Bogarde made this film for Betty Box and Ralph Thomas of the Rank "Doctor" franchise, and it was apparently an unpleasant experience. He wasn't feeling well, the location town was a little too primitive for his tastes, and he got into a huge fight with the director, Thomas, at one point. Fortunately it was a pretty fast shoot.

Beautiful location shots and lots of suspense as the Strasberg character runs for her life. The performances are good - Strasberg could have been stronger, but the script was a little sketchy in regard to her character.

I think anything with Bogarde is worth watching.