Wonderful character development!

best movie i've ever seen.

A waste of 90 minutes of my life

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

This is very much like "The War Lover" with Steve McQueen 10 years earlier in black-and-white, it is basically the same story, but that film was humanly so much more interesting. This is in colour, and although Christopher George is very much like Steve McQueen, almost like a twin character, he is grimmer, harder and more superficial - the McQueen character has an abyss of depth in its psychopathic possibilities, while Christopher George is only doing his job. Both died too young, by the way, Steve McQueen at 50 and Christopher George at 54.What saves the film are the other characters, first of all Gary Marshal, who adds a very needful sense of humour and detachment to the grim show, while colonel Brandon (George) has no humour at all and never smiles. The case of the grounded pilot Palmer (J.D.Cannon) also adds some interest to the epic, while on the whole, like as if it was made for television, this is clearly less realistic than the McQueen feature, which offers so much more human insight into the lives of the bomber pilots in this dreadful war. Here it more amounts to aerobatics and showing off. McQueen makes that showing off pathological, while here it is superficial.Nevertheless, it's an interesting film, better than its reputation, awfully exciting and with splendid scenery of war pilot flights in the air and in action. The only disturbing thing was Laraine Stephens' hair style, a cold blonde with too much make-up for that war and a coiffure belonging entirely to the 60s.

World War Two had many facets which claim to have been the pivotal point of the conflict. Regardless, it took the whole industry of several countries to group themselves into the Allied cause, which eventually destroyed the Nazi dream of world dominance. This is one of the key elements which was essential towards that goal. The film is called " The Thousand Plane Raid " which was directed by Boris Sagal and penned by novelist Ralph Barker. It purports to tell the story of Col. Greg Brandon (Christopher George) who proposed to group together a thousand allied B-17 Bombers to destroy a specific target producing German fighter planes. He finds that he is troubled by both the British high command as well as his own men. In addition, those closest to him realize that he is obsessed with his idea and is losing touch with everyone. A good movie, though a bit melodramatic. Nevertheless, a solid action oriented story. A fine cast which includes J.D. Cannon, Gary Marshal, Michael Evans, Gavin MacLeod and Bo Hopkins as Capt. Douglass. Recommended to War buffs. ****

The director Boris Segal directed several good films. The star Christopher George was a good actor with a strong presence on film. Laraine Stephens had a great naked back and good hair. There is a terrific low flying stunt (repeated scene several times) with a B-17 wing just above the ground. There is excellent cutting with stock combat footage from the Second World War.Yet all that amounts to not that much. A television writer Donald Sanford wrote a script that might have worked for a made-for-television feature. Even though the narrative comes from an actual raid, the complexities of the script—the hardbound commander never quite engages viewers—at least it did not engage this viewer. I kept wondering what purpose Gabrielle had on the English base other than sleeping with Commander Brandon. The film lacks any sense of majesty, terror, or depth. It seems another mindless war movie made in the late sixties but reflecting an earlier ethos. I kept wondering what the BBC would have done with this material. Review updated: This is a good-looking film with attention to sets and design. Editing is extremely good.

Amusing piece of waffle with a brief acknowledgement that the UK actually did fight from their home country, and in fact did mount the first 1000 bomber raid on Germany. Throw in a stereo typical RAF upper class twit to teach the Yanks Fighter Tactics.. I wish they wouldn't assume all RAF fighter Pilots were like that.. Many were Sergeant Pilots and my 86 year old Neighbour, A Spitfire Pilot with 8 kills to his Credit speaks broad Geordie (To our American Pals a Dialect found in the Newcastle area of North East England which can hardly be called upper class.) Still the footage of the B17s was brilliant and did these wonderful Planes credit ) There were several correct statements , particularly that night Bombing carried out by the RAF in the early days was terribly inaccurate, at least until 'Gee' and 'Oboe'(Radio position systems) came into service. Remember that the Luftwaffe switched to night bombing of British Cities during 1940-1941 because of their Losses. However a good piece of escapism anyway,with many inaccuracies, but someone did at least attempt some Historic research...