On W List of Movie Reviews

(For optimum viewing, adjust the zoom level of your browser to 125%.)

---

The War Lover (1962)

Rate: 8
Viewed: 3/09

3/09: Before there was Memphis Belle, there was The War Lover.

I wish I saw the latter first because I was sensing plenty of familiarity. However, it's not to say the remake is a bad film. Anyway, The War Lover is exciting with a great deal of intensity.

Steve McQueen's Buzz Rickson is to Tom Berenger's Sergeant Barnes as Robert Wagner's Ed Bolland is to Willem Dafoe's Sergeant Elias. The fierce rivalry between them is captivating, easily the best part of the show. I had to guess who was winning the race, and at the end, I think it's a tie.

While Steve McQueen is villainous and ruthless, Robert Wagner has a lot of Robert Wagner moments as evinced through his facial expression. Shirley Anne Field is another winner as she gives a solid performance as Daphne by playing the cooler to give the plot a much needed balance.

One major problem is the distracting editing. There are awkward transitions. Also, the aerial fighting scenes are sometimes poor and smacks too much of actual WWII archive footage. Perhaps the worst of all is the scenes at King's College where Robert Wagner and Shirley Anne Field stood in front of the university which looks fake.

All in all, I chalk up The War Lover among the best hits of Steve McQueen's and Robert Wagner's careers.

---