270P
Inthespringof1944anRAFMosquitoSquadronareorderedtoattackaGermanrocketfuelplantinNorway.Themissioninvolvesflyingupaheavilydefendedfjordandbombingacliffoverhanginanattempttoburythefactory,whichisbuiltintotherock.IboughtthisonDVDina’3for£20’offer,asIhadfondmemoriesofitfromchildhood,andithadbeenaround20yearssinceIlastrememberseeingit.Ihavetosaythatit’snotnearlyasgoodasIrememberedittobe.Theplotisfullofclichesandthere’stheinevitableloveinterestforthelead.Thatsaid,therearepointstorecommendit.CliffRobertsongivesanotherreliableperformanceastheWingCommanderinchargeofthesquadron,andthereareequallydependableturnsfromHarryAndrewsandDonaldHouston.ThenumerousflyingsequenceswiththeMosquitoBombersareexpertlyfilmed,andit’sarealbonustofinallyseethefilminitscorrect2.35:1aspectratio.Thespecialeffectsaren’tbadfor1964,andRonGoodwin’sfamousscoreunderpinsthewholeventure.ThemainproblemthatIhavewiththefilmisthatitborrowsheavilyfrom’TheDamBusters’intermsofplot,withouteverscalingtheheights(nopunintended)ofthatclassic.ItmayhavelushPanavisionphotography,bettereffectsetc.,butlacksthenailbitingtensionandexpertlyconstructeddramaofitspredecessor.However,it’sperfectlyacceptableentertainment,ifsomewhatabruptattheend.Wastheabovecommentusefultoyou?
