La squadriglia dei falchi rossi

I watched this movie because of my personal interest in de Havilland Mosquito airplane. When this movie was made I guess there were enough operational Mosquitos to form a squadron for this movie. I've never seen this plane in color and up so close.

The movie holds together surprisingly well for a war time movie. The highlight of the movie is when the Mosquitoes appear on the screen. I'm glad that they made this movie that catches this plane in all its colorful glory. Until I saw this movie I didn't know that the Mosquito had a bomb bay.

If you're a war time movie or a de Haviland Mosquito fan, this movie is worth keeping in your collection.

This standard warfare movie concerns a Mosquito squadron assigned to destroy a stronghold castle where are making V3 , V4 rocket-bombs . The Mosquito Squadron of this movie's title refers to a World War II squadron of Mosquito airplanes which are more specifically described as RAF (Royal Air Force) de Havilland Mosquito fighter-bomber aircraft . As the squadron leader (David McCallum : Cipol agent , Jag , Navy CSI) falls in love with the wife of a recently deceased pilot . The Air vice-commander (Charles Gray : You only live twice , Night of Generals , The Devil rides out) orders to leader along with his squadron on a dangerous and nearly impossible mission into French territory occupied by Nazis . The Mosquito squadron to save England must sacrifice themselves and eliminate vital points guarded by heavy anti-airplane defenses and guns positions considered bomb-proof . Besides , RAF pilots are being held prisoners and used as human shields , though they are helped by the French Resistance . This difficult mission is further complicated by the German guns , Nazi air raids and impenetrable fortress where are manufacturing the destructive bombs .

It's a fictionalized recounting of the Mosquitos squadron with a sustained and predictable story , although partially based on true deeds . The movie utilizes an often-used plot line of the war movie genre which has two brave soldiers in love with the same woman , such as : ¨Day-D the sixth of June¨(1956) by Henry Koster and ¨Kings go forth¨(1958) by Delmer Daves . ¨Mosquito Squadron¨ was reminiscent of other wartime films like ¨The dam busters¨, ¨Operation Crossbow¨ (Michael Anderson) and especially ¨633 Squadron¨ (Walter Grauman) with a similar storyline and aerial scenes ; being similar title in both films , this movie is not a sequel to the same studio's 633 Squadron (1964) . This was not the first movie to feature "bouncing bombs" , they were firstly seen in the earlier British war movie , ¨The Dam Busters¨ (1955) and subsequently ¨The thousand plane raid¨ in which thousand allied Bombers to destroy a specific target producing German fighter planes , among others . The movie actually comes to life by excellently realized action shots , they were fairly well-staged ; however , it also contains some stock-shot footage .

Splendid , spectacular aerial cinematography by photographer Paul Beeson , he's Walt Disney's usual cameraman (In search castaways , Kidnapped , Disneyland , Moon-spinners) . Most of the aerial flying scenes were filmed at the airfield at Royal Bovington Royal Air Force (RAF) Station in Hertfordshire , UK . Rousing and memorable score by Frank Cordell (Khartoum , Cromwell , Flight from Ashiya). The motion picture was professionally directed by Boris Sagal, a television series expert (Rich man, poor man , Ike , Columbo , Diary of Anne Frank , Masada) . The film was produced by Oakmont production , a company exclusively dedicated to warfare films (Hell boats , Submarine X1, Thousand plane raid , Last escape). The picture isn't a classic by any means , but not a turkey either . It's a passable film in limited budget and it will appeal to British warlike enthusiasts , being a pretty cool time-waster for the airplane lovers .

This must rank as one of the worst of the 60s war movies.. Seemingly stitched together from stock footage of '633 Squadron' and 'Operation Crossbow', a poor attempt to cash in on the former's success. Unconvincing, hackneyed script - appallingly acted by actors who should have known better. Even the music attempts to 'ape' 'Battle of Britain'.. David Mc Callum is even allowed to keep his 'Ilya Kuryakin' haircut... fine for 1969, but not 1944! Its one saving grace; some original flying shots of that most beautiful aircraft, the De Haviland Mosquito.

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…

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!