Movie Briefing - ‘The Blue Max’

I first saw this movie soon after it was released in 1966 and I enjoyed it as much today as I did then.

This movie has a compelling story line and looks at some of the dynamics that changed many glorified Knights of the Air into the cold-blooded killers that ‘total’ war demanded.

The Blue Max was Germany’s top medal at that time and has an interesting history all of its own – the inscription is Pour Le Merite.

The flying sequences are superb. There is a replica Pfalz (which currently lives in New Zealand at the Omaka Heritage Collection). replica SE5s, Fokker DVIIs and Triplanes. When massed aircraft are required the ubiquitous Tiger Moth fills in for both British and German machines.

If you have seen the BBC series Piece of Cake, you will probably remember a bridge
scenario in an early episode.
I think its forerunner may well have come from this movie. Derek Piggott MBE, known to glider pilots everywhere flew the Blue Max scenes.

I read a review on wikipedia that says Richard Bach was also one of the unaccredited pilots but I can’t find this reference in any of Bach’s books. He does mention piloting in Von Richtofen and Brown – “I shot down the Red Baron, and so what.” which sounds like an excellent companion DVD to the Blue Max. It has just been re-released in the US
Wikipedia also credits much of the stunt flying to Derek Piggott

If you like the movie and are interested in WW1 aircraft you might find the Aircraft Recording CD’s of interest:

Wind In The Wires

Sounds of Ghosts of the Great War

And if you really want to get in the mood you could always consider an Open Cockpit Flying Scarf!