The Blue Max (1966)

VHS CASE/SIDE

Length of film:  156 Minutes 

Rated:  Approved  

Genre: Action, Drama, Romance

Director: John Guillermin

Starring: George Peppard, James Mason, Ursula Andress, Jeremy Kemp, Karl Michael Vogler, Anton Diffring

IMDB Rank: 7.1/10

Part 1 Time:   91 Minutes 

Part 2 Time:  65 Minutes

Where does the first part end? 

Final line of dialogue on the first part: “I wonder if you are as good as you think you are… in or out of bed” states Willi von Klugermann (Jeremy Kemp) to Lt. Bruno Stachel (George Peppard).

First line of dialogue on the second part: “Well Otto?” Willi von Klugermann meets Hiedemann (Karl Michael Vogler) in the air field.

How jarring is it when the first part ends? None, the scene ends following a conversation between Lt. Bruno Stachel and Willi von Klugermann. The conversation itself is somewhat tense, but both characters leave the conversation unscathed. Will Lt. Bruno Stachel be successful in obtaining the ‘Blue Max’ (shooting down 20 enemy planes).

Which part is better? Both parts of the film depict spectacular aerial combat scenes, enabling the viewer to understand the dangers of aerial fighting. Part two is somewhat better as we are able to not only see Lt.Bruno Stachel’s progress in obtaining the ‘Blue Max,’ but also the conflicts that continue to build among higher ranked members of the German airforce.

Academy Awards: None