Operation Crossbow
Seen it?1965 | 115 min | Drama, War, Thriller
Saturday Specialearly ratingWhy it’s a Saturday Special
It earned strong reviews (75% on Rotten Tomatoes), it made about 32 times its budget and it's still drawing plenty of interest. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who likes to be kept guessing and history buffs. If you loved Inglourious Basterds, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Tense, intense.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 55 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated PG-13. Probably too much for younger kids.
- Made in 1965: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Allied agents infiltrate the Nazi rocket complex at Peenemunde in order to obtain their secrets and sabotage the plant. The film alternates between German developments of the V-1 missile and V-2 rocket (with a German cast speaking their own language) and discovery by British Intelligence of the weapon.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
75% on Rotten Tomatoes, 70 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
6.7 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerStrong
$4 million worldwide on a $115K budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 106K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Michael Anderson
- Sophia LorenNora Van Ostamgen
- George PeppardLt. John Curtis
- Trevor HowardProfessor Lindemann
- John MillsGeneral Boyd
- Richard JohnsonDuncan Sandys
- Tom CourtenayRobert Henshaw
- Jeremy KempCaptain Phil Bradley
- Anthony QuayleBamford
- Lilli PalmerFrieda
- Paul HenreidGeneral Ziemann