Synopsis
Steve McQueen and Robert Wagner are pilot and co-pilot of a B-17 Flying Fortress. Wagneris the sensitive type. McQueen, on the other hand “walks the thin line between hero andpsychopath” according the base doctor. Both men become interested in the same woman. Thoughthe film takes forever to get its plot in gear, and the bombing missions are very predictable (thefellow who shows Wagner photos and his wife and kid might as well be signing his own deathwarrant), the utter dist…ste (bordering on horror) we feel for McQueen’s character makes things abit more interesting.
Audio
The sound is mono (the film is from 1962 after all), though you might detect faint soundscoming from the rear speakers. The sound is very clean. There is no buzz on the dialogue, but itdoes sometimes sound a bit harsh, and one line is completely garbled. The throb of the planeengines, on the other hand, is particularly well captured.
Video
The picture comes in both fullscreen and 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen formats. The printis, for the most part, in wonderful shape. There are a few speckles now and then, but they arevery rare, and the picture is generally pristine. The black-and-white, high contrast photographylooks marvellous, and foir all that contrast there is virtually no edge enhancement visible. Thereare a couple of slight splices or skips, but again, they are rare in the extreme.
Special Features
Nothing beyond the trailers for The War Lover, The Bridge on the River Kwai, and FromHere to Eternity. The menu is basic.
Closing Thoughts
The plot is standard order WWII fare: you’ve seen this a million times. The execution isn’tbad, however, and McQueen brings real spark to the film.
Special Features List
- Trailers
