Force 10 may be an inferior sequel, but it's still a film that I enjoy rewatching fairly frequently. As noted by Shady Tree it features a number of Bond alumni in the cast, and it is also directed by Guy Hamilton. I think the rest of the cast is also strong - Harrison Ford, Carl Weathers and I enjoy Franco Nero's performance in this film as well. The climax of the film also has some nice miniature work, and the music is by the ever reliable Ron Goodwin. However, nothing in this film is as good as the original, but I certainly think it has its charms.
I don't know about the books, but as a movie 'Force 10' is a rather lacklustre sequel
It's the same with the book, I'm afraid. Not a patch on the first one.
Interestingly (or maybe not) the "Force 10" novel follows directly on from the ending of the "Guns" film, rather than the book, and reflects the changes made. No doubt MacLean had written it as a screenplay first.
Maclean's later novel Partisans also has a plot similar to the film of Force 10, and I remember reading somewhere that Maclean may have based it somewhat on the movie. I've not read it although I do own a copy. From what I've heard it's of interest to completists only.
Having read a little more about it, I was fascinated to find that in 'Force 10' Robert Shaw and Edward Fox were playing the same characters originally played by Gregory Peck and David Niven - and that there had been plans to film 'Force 10' with the original cast until it got to a point when Peck and Niven were deemed to be too old for another war movie! Robert Shaw had starred in Guy Hamilton's 'Battle Of Britain', an impressive movie, and I wonder whether it was on the strength of that experience that Shaw was persuaded to sign up for 'Force 10'. By all accounts, Shaw wasn't happy with the writing on 'Force 10' and felt rather disillusioned - a sad fact, given that this was his last finished film. Edward Fox was a great casting idea as a Niven replacement to play 'Dusty' Miller (I can't think of a more suitable actor than Fox to step into Niven's shoes) but Fox was neverthless considerably more impressive, the year before, as Lt. Gen. Horrocks in Richard Attenborough's serious-minded epic, 'A Bridge Too Far'. Apparently, in 'Force 10', Harrison Ford plays a character with the same name as the Richard Harris character in the original 'Guns' - though Harris portrayed him as an Australian while Ford's character is American. Ford is another actor who reportedly has said that 'Force 10' wasn't really the right sort of movie for him at the time, and that he only did it for the money. On the other hand, 'Force 10' was a good opportunity for Barbara Bach. She was no great actor, but her part gave her a chance to play 'rough and tough' in a way which TSWLM had seemed to claim for her but not really delivered on.
I'm intrigued by the idea that Maclean wrote his 'Force 10' book as a follow-on to the 'Guns' movie rather than to his own 'Guns' novel (and at the request of the movie men, who wanted a quick sequel for the cinema) but that the 'Force 10' movie - when eventually made - departed from the 'Force 10' novel in ways about which Maclean himself was quite dismissive. I've decided to read some of Maclean's novels now!
Critics and material I don't need. I haven't changed my act in 53 years.
As quick rules of thumb- earlier novels better than later (very few exceptions, if any), and first-person better than third (a few exceptions, including "Guns").
As quick rules of thumb- earlier novels better than later (very few exceptions, if any), and first-person better than third (a few exceptions, including "Guns").
+1 {[] My favourites (although I haven't read them for many years, but devoured them as a kid) are split into contemporary spy adventures like Ice Station Zebra, The Golden Rendezvous and Night Without End; and the WWII novels The Guns of Navarone and the superb HMS Ulysses, his first novel.
One more thing about the first-person novels- some... no, make that pretty much all of them feature unreliable narrators. Don't take anything for granted. He handles that very well.
We report in in 20 minutes and start in 30.
I'm imagining a re-make starring Tom Hardy as Mallory, James McAvoy as Miller and Jason Momoa as Andrea Stavros.
What do you think?
As quick rules of thumb- earlier novels better than later (very few exceptions, if any), and first-person better than third (a few exceptions, including "Guns").
+1 {[] My favourites (although I haven't read them for many years, but devoured them as a kid) are split into contemporary spy adventures like Ice Station Zebra, The Golden Rendezvous and Night Without End; and the WWII novels The Guns of Navarone and the superb HMS Ulysses, his first novel.
I'd like to suggest Shady starts with Ice Station Zebra, since you mention it. What do you think?
Perhaps the biggest one is that two characters who are men in the book are women in the film. Some names are changed, too, but I can't remember which ones, and some nationalities to fit the actors better (eg David Niven's Miller is an American in the book).
...a Texan to boot, if I remember correctly
"...the purposeful slant of his striding figure looked dangerous, as if he was making quickly for something bad that was happening further down the street." -SMERSH on 007 dossier photo, Ch. 6 FRWL.....
I've ordered the 70s Heinemann/Octopus anthology of 'Ice Station Zebra', 'Guns' and 'Eagles' (three of the titles which gave rise to big movies) so I'll be ploughing into those at some point. Not quite the same buzz as reading from first editions but should be fun anyway :-)
Critics and material I don't need. I haven't changed my act in 53 years.
I've ordered the 70s Heinemann/Octopus anthology of 'Ice Station Zebra', 'Guns' and 'Eagles' (three of the titles which gave rise to big movies) so I'll be ploughing into those at some point. Not quite the same buzz as reading from first editions but should be fun anyway :-)
I haven't read MacLean since the 80s. I think his first, "HMS Ulluses", was a realistic novel about the Murmansk convoys in WWII. The kind of experience M had of the war.
Make sure you are past all menues, trailer etc. Pause right after the Culumbia logo.
superadoRegent's Park West (CaliforniaPosts: 2,652MI6 Agent
This is like waiting for an Ebay action to end! )
"...the purposeful slant of his striding figure looked dangerous, as if he was making quickly for something bad that was happening further down the street." -SMERSH on 007 dossier photo, Ch. 6 FRWL.....
Comments
It's the same with the book, I'm afraid. Not a patch on the first one.
Interestingly (or maybe not) the "Force 10" novel follows directly on from the ending of the "Guns" film, rather than the book, and reflects the changes made. No doubt MacLean had written it as a screenplay first.
I'm intrigued by the idea that Maclean wrote his 'Force 10' book as a follow-on to the 'Guns' movie rather than to his own 'Guns' novel (and at the request of the movie men, who wanted a quick sequel for the cinema) but that the 'Force 10' movie - when eventually made - departed from the 'Force 10' novel in ways about which Maclean himself was quite dismissive. I've decided to read some of Maclean's novels now!
+1 {[] My favourites (although I haven't read them for many years, but devoured them as a kid) are split into contemporary spy adventures like Ice Station Zebra, The Golden Rendezvous and Night Without End; and the WWII novels The Guns of Navarone and the superb HMS Ulysses, his first novel.
I'm sure N24 can be prised away* from his usual avid research into potential Bond actresses
(*with a crowbar)
Okay, I'll stay. But only because I was joking.
(Phone rings.)
Excuse me a moment. Hello... What do you mean, wrong series?... Oh, I see. Thanks, Higgins.
(Hangs up.)
Ahem. I've got mine paused at the Columbia logo and ready to go.
I'm imagining a re-make starring Tom Hardy as Mallory, James McAvoy as Miller and Jason Momoa as Andrea Stavros.
What do you think?
I'd like to suggest Shady starts with Ice Station Zebra, since you mention it. What do you think?
We start watching at 9.10 GMT.
...a Texan to boot, if I remember correctly
Three of his best, so enjoy!
Definitely. First one I read - and what a cracker.
Off the top of my head, only partial
GREAT
HMS Ulysses, The Guns Of Navarone, Night Without End, Fear Is the Key, Ice Station Zebra, Where Eagles Dare, When Eight Bells Toll
GOOD
The Satan Bug, The Dark Crusader, The Golden Rendezvous
SKIP
Anything after 1973