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Yo, there's no way for me to review this film without saying, take your *insert ethnicity + "ass" here* to see this film,like now. You have to see it in order to know what you're really messing with.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Exciting WWII military thriller including a moving final and overwhelming pyrotechnics . This interesting picture packs big stars , intrigue , action packed , suspense and historic deeds . It deals with a trio (George Peppard , Tom Courtneay, Jeremy Kemp) of Allied agents are assigned by high command (John Mills , Richard Johnson , Trevor Howard , Richard Todd , Maurice Denham) to destroy a Nazi munitions installation . They attempt to infiltrate the Nazis' rocket research site. Their mission is complicated by appearing a wife (Sophia Loren) , one traitor and several dangers . Thrilling war film in which there are nail-biting action scenes , drama , intrigue , explosion , suspenseful set pieces and almost overloaded with stars . The movie gets a simple emotional appeal , professionalism and being rightly shot . This film's title is the same code-name for the real World War II spy mission, which was code-named "Crossbow". After the Second World War, because of this movie's title, reference to these events popularized them as being "Operation Crossbow" . This blazing WWII yarn pulled the public into cinemas in droves when it was first released . Director Michael Anderson steered skillfully through its numerous twists . Despite receiving top billing , Sophia Loren only appears in a extended cameo role ; producer Carlo Ponti, Loren's husband, believed his wife's popularity in the United States would boost the film's chances at the box office and had her billed accordingly . Filmed on splashy color and brilliant cinematography by cameraman Erwin Hillier . Breathtaking as well as evocative musical score by Ron Goodwin . Excellent production design and nice special effects , for the section of the film where RAF Bomber Command raid the Peenemunde rocket research site the producers used the Avro Lancaster PA474 used by the Cranfield institute of technology . For the scene in which a street is wiped out by a V-2, the filmmakers actually destroyed a row of flats which were slated for demolition , the shot was, necessarily, done in one take.This movie is based on historical events , as there appears the character of Hannah Reitsch, played by Barbara Rütting , was a real-life person . Reitsch was a German aviatrix and at one time Adolf Hitler's own personal pilot. During the Battle of Berlin, Reitsch attempted to persuade Hitler to escape from the city in a small lightweight Fieseler Storch airplane . Furthermore , appears Duncan Sandys, a character in this movie played by Richard Johnson, was a real-life person ; Sandys was Chairman of the British War Cabinet Committee for the Defence against German rockets and flying bombs , he was the son-in-law of British wartime prime minister, Winston Churchill and was wounded during the Second World War in Norway in 1941 which resulted in him having a permanent limp . The motion picture was professionally directed by Michael Anderson . He was a craftsman with reputation for making a variety of commercial and amusing films , it's well demonstrated in ¨Operation Crossbow¨. His films from 1953-58 were all quite well received , his cycle ended with the best of them , the suspense , thriller ,¨Chase a crooked shadow¨ . Latterly resident in Canada , he has continued to direct , mainly in lower-profile projects and TV adventure movies . Anderson has filmed all kind of genres as cinema as TV ; such as Adventure : ¨Around the world in 80 days¨ , ¨Doc Savage¨ , ¨The sea Wolf¨ , ¨20.000 leagues under the sea¨ ; Sci-Fi : ¨Logan's run¨, ¨The martian chronicles¨ , ¨Milennium¨ ; Thriller: ¨The Quiller Memorandum , ¨Dominique is dead¨ , ¨The naked edge¨ , The wreck of the Mary Deare¨ , ¨Murder by phone¨ and Wartime : ¨Battle hell¨, ¨Shake hands with the devil¨, Damm Busters¨ and of course , ¨Operation Crossbow¨ .

Operation Crossbow was a film I enjoyed a lot. I didn't think it was perfect, some scenes drag and you can tell that Trevor Howard is not entirely interested in his role. That aside, it is very well directed, is well made with great cinematography and editing and has a brooding Ron Goodwin score. The film is talky, that I agree, but the dialogue is very good and the story compelling with on the whole with tense suspense and atmosphere, intriguing subplots and a thrilling action-packed finale. The acting is fine, George Peppard is likable, and while Sophia Loren's appearance is brief it is one along with her shocking death that is memorable. Tom Courtenay and John Mills are also well cast. Overall, an impressive film. 8/10 Bethany Cox

This tense World War II thriller about the threat that the Nazi V-1 and V-2 rockets posed to the Allies after D-Day in 1944 does not surpass "The Dam Busters." Director Michael Anderson helmed both films, and producer Carlo Ponti blew major bucks on this large-scale saga about sabotage behind enemy lines in an underground German laboratory. Nevertheless,this atmospheric, star-laden movie lacks the momentum and the charisma of "The Dam Busters." Aside from George Peppard and Sophia Loren, who appears in an cameo, a line-up of classic British actors, including John Mills, Richard Johnson, Tom Courtenay, Trevor Howard, Anthony Qayle, Richard Todd, Allan Cuthbertson and Patrick Wymark, dominate the cast. It is great to have so many of them on-screen at the same time. Predictably, however, these civilized chaps chat quite often for lengthy periods about information that we have to know about but are not shown. The serious espionage military action follows a surefire formula and the characters remain unruffled throughout the action whenever they have an opportunity to react. Anderson and scenarists Emeric Pressburger of "One of Our Aircraft is Missing," Derry Quinn, and Ray Rigby of "The Hill" struggle to enliven this tight-lipped melodrama with elements of surprise and terror in a narrative that takes its toll on all the Allied characters trapped behind enemy lines in what boils down to a suicidal mission. The action opens with German scientists trying to figure out why their flying bombs crash. As one Nazi scientist explains to Peppard, they are experiencing trouble with vibration. Eventually, photos of mysterious launching ramps intrigue the British into bombing the site as well as sending in skilled saboteurs who are specialists in rocket propelled technology. Peppard, Courtenay, and Jeremy Kemp volunteer to bail out over enemy country and carry out sabotage. No sooner have the British parachuted in than the V-1 rockets start raining down terror on London. Our heroes have to figure out some what to expose a factory some 80 feet underground. Peppard holds a number of factory workers at gun point while he opens the launch windows so the British bombers can see where the plant is. The explosions that devastate the factory are terrific, especially as the Nazis attempt to launch one missile during the bombing raid. Sophia Loren's last scene comes as quite a shock and adds fiber to this thriller. The sensation that anybody can die enhances the tension in the atmosphere. Sadly, "Operation Crossbow" misses the mark and amounts to little more than a respectable wartime white-knuckler. Altogether, "Operation Crossbow" amounts to a flawed, heavy-handed, but traditional World War II thriller with the Germans as the in-name-only villains and the Allies as the heroes. Composer Rod Goodwin of "Where Eagles Dare" and "633 Squadron" provided the exceptional orchestral music.

Operation Crossbow is a solid espionage thriller set in WWII. The plot concerns the British/Allies attempt to get saboteurs inside German rocket facilities. The British have taken huge hits from the V1 and the other Allies rightly fear the more deadly V2. Three candidates are selected, given credentials allowing them to pose as Dutch engineers, and sent off to infiltrate and help destroy the Reich's most secret weapons development program.Not being a WWII scholar, I'm not sure how historically accurate Operation Crossbow really is. But really, who cares? Operation Crossbow was never meant to be a scholarly work – it's a piece of fluff entertainment. And for the most part, it succeeds at being entertaining. While the movie may get off to a slow start, the action and suspense of the third act make up for most all of the films perceived shortcomings. The film's finale in an underground Nazi rocket facility is very reminiscent of James Bond and just as thrilling. And even if the movie does get off to a slow start, I found the bits about Nazi test pilot Hannah Reitsch interesting. Most of the cast is excellent. With few exceptions, George Peppard and the rest of the cast turn in fine performances. There are some nice special effects sequences worth mentioning. In particular, the bombing of London was very well handled. The only significant complaints I can come up with involve Trevor Howard and Sophia Loren. Howard's not necessarily bad in his role, but his character, the eternally pessimistic Professor Lindemann, is so annoying I wanted to wring his neck each time he popped-up on screen. As for Sophia Loren, she's a wonderful actress and I enjoy most of her work, but in all honestly, Operation Crossbow would have been a tighter, more enjoyable movie without her. Her character brings ZERO to the movie and her scenes are not important to what came before or what comes after. Her screen time is limited to 15 or 20 minutes that only serve to kill the film's flow. She may get top billing, but that's for her name only. Still, even with these flaws, I've always enjoyed Operation Crossbow and can easily rate it a 7/10.