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The Blue Max ()

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A young pilot in the German air force of 1918, disliked as lower-class and unchivalrous, tries ambitiously to earn the medal offered for 20 kills.
Director:
Writers:
Stars:
Awards:
  • Won 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 5 nominations.
  • See more »
Reviews:

Photos and Videos

106 photos | 1 video

Cast verified as complete

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...
Lt. Bruno Stachel
...
General Count von Klugermann
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Countess Kaeti von Klugermann
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Willi von Klugermann
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Hauptmann Otto Heidemann
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Holbach
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Kettering
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Corporal Rupp
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Ziegel
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Fabian
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Elfi Heidemann (as Loni Von Friedl)
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Feldmarschall von Lenndorf (as Friedrich Ledebur)
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Von Richthofen aka The Red Baron
Hugo Schuster ...
Hans. Elderly Servant
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The Orator
Roger Ostime ...
The Crown Prince
Ray Browne ...
Pilot
Timothy Parkes ...
Pilot
Ian Strauss ...
Pilot (as Ian Kingsley)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Warren Crosby ...
(uncredited)
...
Countess Kaeti von Klugermann (uncredited) (voice)

Directed by

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John Guillermin

Written by

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Jack Hunter ... (novel)
 
Ben Barzman ... (adaptation) and
Basilio Franchina ... (adaptation)
 
David Pursall ... (screenplay) &
Jack Seddon ... (screenplay) and
Gerald Hanley ... (screenplay)

Produced by

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Christian Ferry ... producer
Elmo Williams ... executive producer

Music by

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Jerry Goldsmith

Cinematography by

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Douglas Slocombe ... director of photography

Editing by

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Max Benedict

Editorial Department

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Norman Cohen ... assembly editor
Elizabeth Thoyts ... assistant editor

Casting By

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Stuart Lyons

Production Design by

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Wilfred Shingleton ... (as Wilfrid Shingleton)

Art Direction by

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Fred Carter

Makeup Department

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Pat McDermott ... hairdresser
John O'Gorman ... makeup artist: Ursula Andress
Charles E. Parker ... head makeup artist (as Charles Parker)
Tony Sforzini ... makeup artist: George Peppard (as Tony Sfortzini)
Jay Sebring ... hair designer: George Peppard (uncredited)

Production Management

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René Dupont ... production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Seamus Byrne ... third assistant director
Jack Causey ... assistant director
Derek Cracknell ... assistant director
Anthony Squire ... director: aerial unit

Art Department

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Tony Curtis ... assistant art director
Brian Doyle ... plasterer
Terry Ackland-Snow ... draughtsman (uncredited)
Peter Melrose ... scenic artist (uncredited)
Joseph Musso ... production illustrator (uncredited)

Sound Department

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Richard Best Jr. ... assistant sound editor
John Cox ... sound
Chris Greenham ... sound editor
Claude Hitchcock ... sound
Bob Jones ... sound

Special Effects by

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Maurice Ayers ... special effects
Ron Ballanger ... special effects
Karl Baumgartner ... special effects
Gerry Johnston ... special effects assistant / special effects (uncredited)

Stunts

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Ken Byrne ... aerial stunts
Tim Clutterbuck ... aerial stunts
Pat Cranfield ... aerial stunts
Tim Healey ... aerial stunts
Peter Hillwood ... aerial stunts
Joan Hughes ... aerial stunts
Darby Kennedy ... aerial stunts / stunt coordinator
Roger Kennedy ... aerial stunts
Liam Mulligan ... aerial stunts
Derek Piggott ... aerial stunts
Taffy Rich ... aerial stunts

Camera and Electrical Department

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Skeets Kelly ... aerial photographer / camera operator / photographer: second unit
Donald C. Rogers ... photographer: second unit
Chic Waterson ... camera operator
Mike Fox ... focus puller: second unit (uncredited)
Ginger Gemmel ... camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
Jimmy Stilwell ... camera assistant: aerial unit (uncredited)
Robin Vidgeon ... focus puller (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department

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Elsa Fennell ... wardrobe supervisor
John Furniss ... wardrobe creator: Miss Andress

Music Department

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Jerry Goldsmith ... conductor / music adaptor (uncredited)
Arthur Morton ... composer: source music (uncredited) / music adaptor (uncredited) / orchestrator (uncredited)
National Philharmonic Orchestra ... music performed by (uncredited)

Script and Continuity Department

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Helen Whitson ... continuity

Transportation Department

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Arthur Dunne ... transportation captain (uncredited)

Additional Crew

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Johnny Maher ... air engineer
William O'Kelly ... production liaison: Ireland
Willy Roe ... runner
Allen Wheeler ... air supervisor

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

The tactics of a German fighter pilot offend his aristocratic comrades but win him his country's most honored medal, the Blue Max. The General finds him useful as a hero even though his wife also finds him useful as a love object. In the end the General arranges for him to test-fly an untried fighter. Written by Ed Stephan

Plot Keywords
Taglines MIRACLES IN THE AIR! See more »
Genres
Parents Guide View content advisory »
Certification

Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • Le crépuscule des aigles (France)
  • Der blaue Max (Germany)
  • Las águilas azules (Spain)
  • Ölüm emri (Turkey, Turkish title)
  • Der wilde Baron (West Germany)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 156 min
Country
Language
Color
Aspect Ratio
Sound Mix
Filming Locations

Box Office

Budget $5,000,000 (estimated)

Did You Know?

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Trivia Fox wasn't able to rent any of he surviving WWI planes still extant, so they built their own. The aircraft were later used in "Darling Lily" and "You Can't Win Them All." See more »
Goofs The German award called the "Pour le Mérite" (a.k.a. the Blue Max) was awarded at the beginning of the war to pilots who shot down 8 enemy aircraft; that was later raised to 16. The requirement was never 20 as depicted here. See more »
Movie Connections Featured in The Amazing Howard Hughes (1977). See more »
Soundtracks Deutschlandlied See more »
Quotes Willi von Klugermann: By the way, Stachel... there's an impression around that... you care more about your unconfirmed kill than you do about Fabian's death.
[long pause]
Bruno Stachel: Perhaps it's force of habit. In the trenches, we couldn't even bury the dead; there were too many of them. I've never had the time... to discuss them over a glass of champagne.
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