Overview
A daring mission to save lives unfolds amidst the chaos of war.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- propulsive
- heroic
- suspenseful
- classic movie night
- war film marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a technically impressive, star-driven World War II adventure with spectacular action and photography, while acknowledging its melodramatic and implausible elements.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Mallory and five specialists infiltrate German-held Navarone to destroy the twin cannons threatening Allied ships.
Mallory's nighttime climb up a rain-soaked cliff turns the landscape itself into a major source of peril.
The film presents explosive set pieces, impossible escapes, heroic displays, and spectacular Grecian-island photography in a heightened register.
The powerful twin German guns are the concrete target driving the team's infiltration and sabotage plan.
Films like The Guns of Navarone, and why
Where Eagles Dare
Shares a large-scale World War II commando mission, ensemble heroics, suspenseful infiltration, and spectacular practical action.
The Dirty Dozen
Shares a wartime sabotage premise, rugged military teamwork, island or fortress settings, and propulsive adventure plotting.
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Shares a classic World War II adventure format, impossible military objectives, charismatic specialists, and heightened suspense.
The Great Escape
Shares a morally pressured wartime ensemble, dangerous terrain, covert operations, and old-school epic action filmmaking.
Movie Details
- Director
- J. Lee Thompson
- Release Date
- 1961-04-27
- Runtime
- 160 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (913)
Cast
- Gregory Peck
- David Niven
- Anthony Quinn
- Stanley Baker
- Anthony Quayle
- James Darren
- Irene Papas
- Gia Scala
- James Robertson Justice
- Richard Harris
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Guns of Navarone about?
- A daring six-man Allied team battles terrain, patrols, and suspicion to silence the massive German guns dominating a strategic Greek island.
- What is The Guns of Navarone like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Guns of Navarone as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Guns of Navarone violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Guns of Navarone as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Guns of Navarone?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a technically impressive, star-driven World War II adventure with spectacular action and photography, while acknowledging its melodramatic and implausible elements.
- Which films are like The Guns of Navarone?
- Films with a similar feel include Where Eagles Dare, The Dirty Dozen, The Bridge on the River Kwai, and The Great Escape.
- How long is The Guns of Navarone?
- The Guns of Navarone runs 160 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Guns of Navarone?
- In United States, The Guns of Navarone streams on Netflix.
