633squad

Here's a strange cinematic oddity from the annals of World War II cinema. In the wave of war films
that slammed into theatres in the 1960s and early 1970s, there were two films that featured the
RAF Mosquito crews. "633 Squadron" was the first of this duo by United Artists, soon followed by
"Mosquito Squadron."

This film features Cliff Robertson as an American volunteer with the RAF and commander of the
633 Mosquito Squadron. Their objective is to fly deep into Nazi-held Norway and bomb the fuel
plants for the V rocket program.

There is great footage of operational Mosquitos in this flick and RAF and World War II enthusiasts
will eat the scenery and costuming alive with their eyes. Remember, this is a 1960s flick, so don't
expect much in the way of wowing special effects. There's lots of model work to appreciate, and of
course the actual Mosquito planes.

Written by James Clavell, the author of "Shogun," and Howard Koch, the story is a fairly solid war
drama with action, courage, and a lot of rah-rah selfless sacrifice. Contrived in some places?
Sure! But can you hate it? Almost impossible. It's so well intentioned, it's a film you just have to
smile at.

What is rather frustrating about this story is the role of Cliff Robertson, a fine actor by all accounts,
but a narrative anachronism within the plot. What is a sole member of the Eagle Squadron doing in
the RAF bomber group? And if he is part of the bomb group, he's no longer with the Eagle
Squadrons and should remove those patches off his shoulders! And if it were me, I'd get rid of that
red bandana around his neck, too.

My other peeve is George Chakiris. I find him to be an odd personality no matter what he's in. His
hair is also a major distraction. In this 1964 flick, it's already a pompadour of amazing proportions.
By the time he guest starred on the "Wonder Woman" television series in 1977, it was out of
control. The film is set in the 1940s, so why can't his hair reflect that?

Oh well, it's still a fun ride and the Mosquitos are awesome.