The War Lover (1962)

Director:

Philip Leacock

Writers:

John Hersey (novel)
Howard Koch (writer)

Release Date:

25 October 1962 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | War

Tagline:

John Hersey's Major Novel of World War II

Plot:

Buzz Rickson is a dare-devil World War II bomber pilot with a death wish. Failing at everything not involving flying...

Plot Keywords:

Pilot | Bomber | Bomber Pilot | Courage | Airplane

Cast

Steve McQueen	...	Capt. Buzz Rickson
Robert Wagner	...	1st Lt. Ed Bolland
Shirley Anne Field	...	Daphne Caldwell
Gary Cockrell	...	2nd Lt. Marty Lynch
Michael Crawford	...	Sgt. Junior Sailen
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ed Bishop	...	Col. Vogt (as Edward Bishop)
Bernard Braden	...	Flight Surgeon Randall
Tom Busby	...	Sgt. Farr
Charles De Temple	...	Capt. Braddock
Louise Dunn	...	Hazel
Robert Easton	...	Sgt. Handown
Bill Edwards	...	2nd Lt. Max Brindt
Arthur Hewlett	...	Vicar
Chuck Julian	...	Lamb
Bob Kanter	...	2nd Lt. Haverstraw
Sean Kelly	...	Capt. Woodman
Richard Leech	...	Maj. Murika
Justine Lord	...	Street Girl
Neil McCallum	...	Sully
George Sperdakos	...	Sgt. Bragliani
Jerry Stovin	...	Col. Emmet
Viera	...	Singer
Al Waxman	...	Sgt. Prien

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | West Germany:16 (f) | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:X

Filming Locations:

Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, UK

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Warren Beatty turned down the lead role.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The short life vests the bomber crews wear are clearly post-war issue, not World War II-era "Mae Wests."

Quotes:

Daphne Caldwell: Have you ever been in love, Captain? I'm serious, have you?
Captain Buzz Rickson: In wartime you don't fall in love, you make love. You know what I mean?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School (2005)

A morality play that came true.

I was a Steve McQueen fan long before he was a major megastar. A couple of years after this movie was made, I met a really nice, shy girl who was also a big fan of his. Scarlette even had an autographed photo! One night we saw The War Lover together at a drive-in. We were both such fans that we actually WATCHED most of the movie!!!

This is a great morality play. Yes, there are some major faults in the screen play, a few really corny plot lines and it bends the original John Hersey book's literary track a bit, but it still has a tightly woven script, with a steady pace and a clear moral message. No matter how good you are at your job, your moral compass is the only thing that will ultimately guide your life. Buzz lost or never had a moral compass. Consequently he was headed nowhere but just didn't know it. His life ended abruptly, and in a way that denounced his raw talent as a pilot, because a bankrupt soul cannot endure.