Aces High

I had not known how the famous Red Baron was shot down. Thank you for carrying this movie. My dad and I watched it together.

I remember having watched this movie when I was about 11 or so in the movie Theater.I had forgotten the details of the movie except knowing that it showed the horrible reality of war.I'm so glad I was able to watch it again after all these years and really appreciate this movie's brilliance.

When you pop a new DVD in your player and the very first thing you see is "Cheezy Flicks", you know you are in for a rough flight. This movie does not disappoint in that regard, with the worst VHS-to-DVD conversion I've ever seen (my home VHS-to-DVD converter could have done better), visibly cheap hardware and props, and the poorest flying sequences of any of the other movies I'll be mentioning here. Considering that this film was produced in 1976, a full ten years after "The Blue Max" (see below), it's simply incredible how much better-looking the decade-older movie is. However, the one thing this movie does well is accurately capture the despair of the short-lived German pilots at the end of WWI. However, I really recommend you buy any or all of the below over this one, and then only circle back to "Aces High" if you really must have more.Buy all of these before forking out your hard-earned cash for "Aces High":-- "The Red Baron", a mostly historical account of this pilot that includes the best biplane action to be found in moviedom. If you only buy one of these movies, make it this one.-- "Flyboys", a historical story which comes close to the Red Baron in tone and flying action, and includes a couple circling combat scenes that are top-notch.-- "The Blue Max", a purely fictional account that nevertheless offers great flying action (that is surprisingly good for a 1966 film) and a compelling story.

They regularly classify this one as an anti-war film. But if that conjures up bizarre images of pompous idiot superiors, comically psychotic crazies, and pointless bloody troop offensives, that's not what "Aces" is about. There's no attempt to blame either opponent or humiliate anyone, the object being rather to demonstrate that war is never a glorious exercise for its participants. The movie doesn't preach, just shows you how things stood and lets you decide what the essence of war is, thus striking a fair middle ground between glorification and grotesque.Anyhow, details. The film essentially covers a week in the lives of a British Royal Flying Corps squadron ten miles from the western front in WWI France. Day one, replacement fighter pilot Lt. Stephen Crofts/Peter Firth reports to former Eton schoolmate/present commanding officer Maj. John Gresham/Malcolm McDowell, meets the rest of the crew including warm and well-adjusted elder Capt. "Uncle" Sinclair/Christopher Plummer and seriously shaken Lt. Crawford/Simon Ward. Over the next seven days, the new kid learns to fly and fight and hopefully better the average fighter pilot's life expectancy of two weeks (there's a statistic you remember). People die regularly on the daily patrols, manning their astoundingly rickety machines without even a parachute, while you too are sweating who might be next.The story line isn't innovative, but the acting by the four engaging leads and the expertly filmed action in the airborne battle scenes keep things tense and interesting. Not to be missed if you're into WWI in general or the pioneer flying days in particular.

This is a powerful movie with a strong cast. It is about a young squadron leader being slowly ground down by the burden of command in a tough and bitter war. A lot of things go wrong for him including the death one of his closest friends in a reconnaissance mission over the German lines. He also has to cope with the a new young replacement pilot whom he knew at school and whose sister is a romantic interest to him. He is prone to emotional outbursts and excessive drinking while still trying to carry-on as best he can. Moreover one of his pilots is so overwhelmed my PTSD that he can barely function. And of course, the casualties just keep on coming. The movie is somewhat reminiscent of the much earlier film, Dawn Patrol.Also, here is a full-size model depicting a World War One aerial reconnaissance mission.This exhibit is displayed at the Air and Space Museum in Washington DC.

Truly excellant movie about WWI fliers. The cinematography is truly fantastic. All star cast and reminded me of the Great "Battle of Britain" film, filmed around the time this was made. Other reviewers here tell that story much better, but you can feel the struggles these young folks went through pioneering Aviation in war. It tells the human story very well. I spent a lot of time reading about all the other actors and all were remarkable. You will enjoy.

An air of impending doom hangs over every scene in Aces High. Excellent scriptwriting and direction make the viewer feel that this impending doom embraces his own fate as well. Malcolm McDowell, Christopher Plummer, and Peter Firth, provide flawless performances as participants in this lottery of death. Aces High is replete with spectacular images of aerial fights, followed by brief periods of drinking and singing humorous songs, drinking and visiting the French female talent in town, drinking and more drinking. This movie combines the all-too-real with the surreal as if it's constructing a chromosomal double helix--until an explosion wipes the slate clean and the process repeats itself with new chromosomes, similar outcome. Aces High is a heavy but inspired piece of art, not to be missed. 5 stars

I used to watch this interesting 1976 movie on TV years ago and I was amazed by the well structured storyline that clearly showed the horrors of fighting and dying in the air during the first world war and the aerial footage were done using actual planes and real cameras, which is unique compared to all the special and sometimes pointless CGI animation that thankfully this film never has. This film is an anti-war story based on the screenplay, a journey's end' by R.C Sherriff but based in the air as well as the novel 'Sagittarius rising' by ww1 ace pilot Cecil Arthur Lewis. Very emotional and hard-hitting war movie and I have to admit I do remember nearly crying for one point. They are scenes of death and peril as with most films of this category so people who are sensitive of this need not see this. Although the storyline is fictional, some of it are based on real life events. Great actors Malcolm McDowell and Christopher Plummer are in this film, which I did not know until I started watching this. This DVD has sharp pictures and sound as well as a few extras that are worth seeing. Marvellous movie and I am delighted I brought the special version of this film when it became available on Amazon.

This film doesn't age at all it's over forty years old and still as good as when it was first released. Good acting Simon Ward is great as a burned out pilot as is Malcolm McDowell as the tarnished hero worshipped commanding officer. The aerial sequences are really good too.

A very good film about life of the fighter pilots of the RFC on the Western Front in the Royal Flying Corps, 76 Squadron, during WW1.There are some great aerial warfare sequences in the film, which stars Christopher Plummer, Peter Firth, Malcolm McDowell and Simon Ward.There are also appearances by Ray Milland, Trevor Howard, John Gielgud and Richard Johnson.

Still a classic film, even after all these years, based on Journey's End. Malcolm McDowell turns in an excellent performance as John Grisham, the commander of Squadron of RFC pilots on the Western front. The film portrays the interaction between himself, a new pilot from the same school and the pilots within the Squadron.

Classic - I think superior to the more recent adaption of Journey’s end