This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.

not as good as all the hype

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

633 Squadron imbues the indomitable spirit and bravery of the airman during World War II but the dialogue is banal and the characters are opaque. As a result it is a mile wide wide in stature and vista with all the aerial action but only an inch thick on narrative. It's also made awkward for having an American as the hero. The bombastic musical theme is obviously very memorable for this subgenre, but it is played so many times to convey the airborne sequences it doesn't always fit. The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito airplanes are the stars of the film, and even if the effects are dated they are interesting for capturing the aircraft in flight. It is worth pointing out here that the real 617 RAF squadron which carried out similar missions on which the story is based were actually Avro Lancaster bombers.

633 SQUADRON is yet another men-on-a-mission WW2 movie about a group of bomber pilots tasked with taking down a Nazi fuel plant. The film is stylistically similar to THE DAM BUSTERS and just as entertaining, although the cast isn't quite up there with that classic film's ensemble players. The script for this one was written by SHOGUN and KING RAT scribe James Clavell.This film works very well as a whole and features some grand old-fashioned entertainment. Although many similar war flicks were made in the 1960s I always find them to be generally a lot of fun and eminently watchable too - they don't make them like this anymore. 633 SQUADRON also has the fortune to be blessed by a truly rousing orchestral score which makes the movie. The cast is a good mix of British and American players, all of whom do their jobs admirably, and the special effects are more than decent enough to bring the story to life. The ending is as dramatic, heroic, and tragic as you could wish for.

I used to love watching this movie when I was a kid. It is real Boys' Own stuff, just like those British booklet-sized war comics that Baby Boomers loved to read as boys. That's why it may not stand up well to audiences today: stereotypical stiff-upper-lipped characters not to mention pretty basic special effects. As other reviewers have said, it takes a few historical liberties. It doesn't pretend to be a docudrama like Dambusters. Despite all that, it's still good enough to keep you awake on a rainy Sunday afternoon. I don't think it deserves the really poor reviews given by some contributors and aviation purists.I was crazy about flying way back when, and the sight of all those magnificent de Haviland Mosquitoes flying flat out in formation at tree top level dodging fjords etc was quite thrilling. The theme music was very exciting too, and still is. When I hear it, I still see those Mosquitoes roaring along. It's so evocative, full of movement and aerial daring-do. It remains a classic movie theme, just like the ones from The Magnificent Seven or A Big Country. Maybe a case of a movie theme that is much more memorable than the movie it was written for. At the very least, check it out on Youtube.The lead actors do an uninspired but workmanlike job though the young "Norwegian" pilot looks about as Scandinavian as Victor Mature. He was more convincing as a Greek member of Gregory Peck's raiding party in The Guns of Navarone. If you're looking for deep characterization and Shakespearean insights, you'll be disappointed. And being made for the American market too, there's the obligatory romantic complication shoehorned into the plot. The only really silly thing about the movie is the ending. Air Vice Marshal Davis, played by Harry Andrews, waits for 633 Squadron to return from its near suicidal mission. Waiting in his staff car at the airfield, one of his underlings announces the terrible truth, that the entire squadron has been shot down with all crews probably dead. (Incidentally, did this EVER happen to an RAF squadron anywhere?) He pontificates with, "You can't kill a squadron." The viewer is tempted to shout, "Well, they bloody well have!" Then he is chauffeured off, with exaggerated gravitas, presumably to attend a "please explain" meeting with his superiors that may end in early forced retirement. Or maybe he's wondering where the dickens he's going to find twelve new Mosquitoes and crews. Don't you know there's a war on, Air Vice Marshal!If you've never seen this movie and you feel like a bit of uncomplicated, old-fashioned entertainment with some thrilling aerial photography and great theme music, you won't be disappointed. Just don't expect a winged Lukas or Spielberg production.

First, I must state that I was quite disappointed by the comment by a poster stating that the "lack of Americans saving the day" was the reason for so many low votes. That is ignorance to the highest degree. Winning WWII was a group effort with supreme contributions from many countries.I enjoyed what I saw, I thought the score was exceptional! While I am not a fan of current-day CGI-enhanced movies, the special effects, even for a 1964 movie, were below standard. It appeared to be a very low-budget film.It was a great story and one I would like to learn more about. Cliff Robertson put in his normal quality performance. And, how can you not like a movie with Angus Lennie! VNG