…a smart, bitter war film that has plenty of big ideas to unfold…

***World War I aerial combat from the German perspective*** During World War I a low-class German soldier, Bruno Stachel (George Peppard), transfers from the muddy trenches to the aristocratic air officer corps. Stachel becomes a bit of a fish out of water with his new higher class comrades-in-arms, but this doesn't bother him as Stachel is interested in only one thing: gunning down twenty enemy planes to get the coveted Blue Max, Germany's Medal of Honor. He's so driven that he'll do anything to achieve it, honorably or dishonorably. His success as a fighter pilot prompts a general in Berlin (James Mason) to use him as a propaganda tool, a hero from the lower class who’s "common as dirt." Critics complain that Stachel is unlikable and not a very good hero. It is true that he doesn't seem very friendly, but how friendly would you be with high-class "gentleman" after years of brutal trench warfare? It's also true that he's selfishly ambitious and rebels against the team spirit of the squadron, not to mention direct orders. In addition he's an alcoholic and an adulterer. But, as the General states, he's brave ruthless and driven – precisely what Germany needs at the critical juncture of the war in 1918. Stachel isn't a hero, he's an antihero. The story should simply be digested as is without looking for a hero. One of the best sequences takes place in the first half: Stachel j…

Browse discussions about “The Blue Max”

Jump to Reddit for live threads on this title.