Operation Crossbow

An operation whose activation and evaluation are shrouded in the smoke of Churchill's cigar, a low blow from producer pimp Ponti, who places Sophia Loren at the top of the credits and then lends her to the customer for only 15 minutes, while George Peppard, who wouldn’t have a part in his hair even if he stood right beside a V-1 combustion nozzle, occasionally faces unexpected character exits and a conclusion in an underground complex reminiscent of contemporary Bond films. From a technical standpoint, it corresponds to the time of its creation, mixing facts and fiction in ways that lack any significant appeal for the viewer. (12/04/2022)

With the scope of its scenes, Operation Crossbow is unambiguously a spectacle for the cinema, but some of its shortcomings would not go unnoticed even on the big screen: the unwillingness to take shortcuts, the overabundance of space dedicated to individual heroic actions and personal dramas (unlike in the same directors strictly “utilitarian” The Dam Busters), few charismatic actors (Richard Johnson brings to mind a poor imitation of a young Sean Connery). On top of that, Sophia Loren is cast in an utterly needless role only as an attraction for male viewers, though her name appears first in the credits (Carlo Ponti knew how to sell a film). I would add a star to my rating if I had seen Operation Crossbow on the big screen, ideally from a 70 mm print and without dubbing (thanks, at least, for the German subtitles). 70% (04/05/2011)