Mosquito Squadron

This is not a quality film as far as directing, dialogue, or acting. However, it does have a decent plot-line and a lot of fine footage of the twin-engined British DeHavilland Mosquito light bomber in action. It is rare to see this aircraft in a war film and I therefore recommend that war movie buffs tape this one and keep it in their collection. The plot involves the precision bombing of a French chateau and underground German "V" rocket lab. David McCallum is, as usual, a very like-able character.

At a time when many a star-studded and big-budgeted WWII actioner emerged, this modest effort seemed definitely like second-tier material – offering customary but efficient thrills and decent spectacle, somewhat in the vein of 633 SQUADRON (1964)…with which it shares much of the plot and action footage!

In this respect, the film also owes its German secret weapon to OPERATION CROSSBOW (1965) and its bouncing bombs to THE DAM BUSTERS (1955); no wonder, then, that the end result feels awfully contrived (particularly at the climax, when successive to a couple of failed attempts, it has a wounded pilot wilfully crash smack into the warehouse where the rockets are manufactured!). Besides, the narrative tends too often towards romantic/sentimental complications: the relationship between the two leads being obstructed, for one thing, by the hero having been the best friend of the woman’s husband and, later, by the knowledge he shares with her maimed brother that the man had survived an air crash but is being kept prisoner in a château marked for obliteration during an Allied air raid led by the hero himself!

The credentials are strictly below-par (the score, typically an asset in this type of flick, attempts to be rousing but succeeds only in being bland) and the casting a mix of TV actors (THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.’s David McCallum – who delivers a brooding performance – and Suzanne Neve from U.F.O.) and colorful character performers (Charles Gray as the pompous yet stern Air Commodore and Vladek Sheybal as the erudite but fishy Nazi officer in charge of the prison/plant fortress). Mind you, while being no great shakes (and probably instantly forgettable), the film proves mildly engaging – to say nothing of eminently watchable – along the way; when all is said and done, there are certainly far worse titles to spend 90 minutes of your life on…

This is the sort of film which belongs in the same category as old-fashioned boys war comics like Commando etc. Sure, its weak on characterisation, clichéd in its plot, with wooden acting and stereotype Germans but you don't watch a B-movie for characterisation, intricate plotting, great dialogue and so on. Rather, you just watch it for escapism and a bit of boys-own adventure fun. Viewed on those terms Mosquito Squadron holds its own. What lover of this comic style adventure genre can resist Charles Grey saying: "That's where they're hatching their new bird. What we want you to do is chuck a bomb in there, and addle their eggs for 'em." It is a little distracting sitting through the film and spotting all the shots lifted from 633 squadron, but nonetheless its a bit of fun for a quiet Sunday afternoon. Who can resist the sight of those glorious Mosquitos flying around.

As an enthusiast of this aircraft, I derive great joy from this film and have done since I was about 7 years old. It nurtured me enough to join the Mosquito Aircraft Assoc. of Australia. It might not be the best film ever made but as a young lad, I was inspired. That is a lot more than can be said for most films period.

I have watched this several times, purely because I had such a crush on David McCallum in the 1960s! It is his 70th birthday today (19 September 2003) and I suddenly feel very very old!!

I agree with other reviewers - some of the acting is dire, the script is poor, and the clothing and hairstyles are very 60s. Despite all that, I still find it quite watchable! Suzanne Neve is very sweet as Beth Scott, and David McCallum - well, I always liked Illya Kuryakin! For British viewers there are lots of familiar faces to spot among the cast - and isn't that half the fun of watching old movies on a wet weekend afternoon?!

Can't comment on the flying sequences or the planes, I'm afraid, because I don't know anything about them. I do think that if reviewers are going to criticise a film, though, they should at least get the names and facts right (yes, kilroy138, I'm talking about you!).

Not the best of WWII films, admittedly, but I don't think it deserves some of the other comments on this site. If it's on again on a quiet afternoon, curl up in front of the TV and give it a chance!