The Night of the Generals HD Movie Download

Trivia

Both Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif found themselves in a contractual bind due to earlier agreements signed when their fame was yet to peak. Consequently, they accepted smaller fees than expected for their roles in this 1966 film, although they made sure to claim their entitled lavish living expenses. Despite a budget of 5.2 million dollars, the film had only earned three million dollars by 1972. Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif felt indebted to producer Sam Spiegel for their star-making roles in "Lawrence of Arabia" (1962) and reluctantly agreed to act in this movie, despite their reservations. Filmmaker Yves Boisset recalled an incident where Peter O'Toole arrived on set intoxicated for a scene but managed to perform perfectly before returning to his alcoholic state. During shooting in Warsaw, Poland, in winter, Omar Sharif, dressed in uniform, entered a café to warm up but was mistaken for a real soldier due to his costume. The patrons panicked and denied him service. Donald Pleasence's fee for the film exceeded the combined fees of Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif, even though he had higher billing, due to an old contract agreement. The Polish army contributed soldiers to play German soldiers in the film, bringing their own weapons and vehicles, some of which were not period-accurate. "The Blue Max" was among the last films to face heavy censorship before the abolition of the Production Code Administration in 1968. The film's depictions of sexual behavior posed challenges for the censors. Producer Sam Spiegel gifted Christopher Plummer a Rolls-Royce as payment for his role as Field Marshal Rommel. Charles Gray and Donald Pleasence appeared in the same year's James Bond movie "You Only Live Twice" (1967), with Pleasence portraying Ernst Stavro Blofeld, a role Gray would later play in "Diamonds Are Forever" (1971). Gore Vidal and Robert Anderson contributed uncredited script revisions to the film. Despite disagreeing with the film's theme, Omar Sharif accepted the role due to his friendship with Peter O'Toole. "The Blue Max" marked the on-screen reunion of Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif after "Lawrence of Arabia." They appeared together in subsequent films as well. A real-life 1961 Pan Am Boeing 707-321 was depicted as landing in Hamburg in the film. Peter O'Toole and Tom Courtenay portrayed contrasting characters, with one as a war-driven general and the other as a passive corporal, similar to their roles in "Doctor Zhivago." Gore Vidal initially wanted Sir Dirk Bogarde for Major Grau's role, but Sam Spiegel objected. Donald Pleasence, Nigel Stock, and Gordon Jackson, who played German soldiers in "The Blue Max," previously portrayed British prisoners in "The Great Escape" (1963). Corporal Hartmann (Sir Tom Courtenay) drove General Tanz (Peter O'Toole) around Paris in a 1936 Hispano-Suiza K6. Producer Sam Spiegel selected Anatole Litvak to direct the film because Litvak owned the rights to the novel. Major Grau's (Omar Sharif) car in Poland was a c.1936 Mercedes-Benz 170V (W136), while General Tanz's (Peter O'Toole) car was a 1936 Maybach DS8 "Zeppelin." The DVD version of the film contains incorrect English subtitles that do not match the spoken dialogue in certain scenes. Omar Sharif had a unique connection to David Lean, having co-starred with Peter O'Toole in "Lawrence of Arabia" and later with Tom Courtenay in Lean's epic "Doctor Zhivago."