The "Guns of Navarone"

Romans 8


Part 1
“Guns of Navarone” is a classic! If you’ve never watched it, I highly recommend it!

The year is 1943 and, in an attempt to turn the tide of the war in their favor by drawing Turkey into the war, the Germans placed 2,000 British soldiers in an encampment on the Aegean island of Kiros. The only accessible sea route to from Kiros is by Navarone, on which the Germans have placed massive radar controlled antiaircraft cannons – the most accurate and technologically advanced at the time! Unsuccessfully, the British have tried repeatedly by air and sea to rescue their men. Each attempt was met with the loss of the entire squadron or flotilla from the guns of Navarone!


In a last-ditch effort, six days before the next rescue attempt, the British muster Keith Mallory (Gregory Peck), an expert mountaineer, because the only way into Navarone is from an unmonitored, insecure 400-foot cliff that must be climbed - at night, in a storm. After the expedition’s leader, Major Roy Franklin (Anthony Quayle) is injured during the climb, Mallory takes the lead of this rescue team of 7: Andrea Stavros (Anthony Quinn), a Colonel in the Greek army; Corporal Miller (David Niven), an explosives expert; Spyros Pappadimos (James Darren); and "The Butcher" Brown (Stanley Baker), an engineer and expert knife fighter.


The team meets up with the local Greek resistance, which eventually leads them to the city of Navarone. All the while they are chased and captured by the Germans. Andrea Stavros falls in love with one of the resistance, Maria Pappadimos, who is Spyros’ sister! Intrigue deepens and the plot twists, when Miller discovers his explosives have been tampered with and suspects Anna, another resistance member.


While Mallory and Miller are contemplating Anna’s fate, Maria shoots her dead!


Winding back and forth on the narrow Greek island roads, from one stolen vehicle to another, in stolen German uniforms, from one inescapable near death situation to another, the team finally reaches the heavily fortified caves which house the guns of Navarone. Miller sets all the explosives, detonators, and a triggering device on an elevator shaft used in the missile transport system to load the guns. All the time the German forces are feverishly working their way into the cavern, having been shut off by Mallory and Miller upon their entrance.


Of course, Mallory and Miller barely escape the German forces that have broken through the massive steal doors at the cave’s entrance and jump into the sea from cave’s opening from which the gun barrel protrude. Awaiting them are the remaining few members of the demolition team and they are swept away to safety. In the distance, the camera pans out and we see the British flotilla passing in the distance. Noticed by the Germans, they now turn their energy and attention to sinking the ships, no longer Mallory and Miller.


To heighten the suspense, Mallory and his crew watch as one . . . . . two . . . . .three salvos are fired from the massive cannons. Nothing! Defeat is written on the faces of each team member. All their sacrifices, loss of friends and colleagues, injuries, etc., are to no avail. Their mission – failed. When all of a sudden – KA-BLEWY! Miller’s trigger makes contact – at last - and initiates a chain of one massive explosion after another. It’s as though that entire side of the island is exploding! Success - mission accomplished!


The flotilla of 6 British ships sail past Navarone and are able to free the 2,000 British captives.


It’s at this point in the movie, my wife asks, “I wonder if we’re like those 2,000 prisoners?” Honestly and sadly, I had forgotten about those prisoners – the purpose of the entire story!

The prisoners had no idea anything was taking place on their behalf. They had no idea strangers were going to such great lengths, placing their lives on the line, for their personal benefit. They sat in their own situation and probably could not see past the current condition in which they found themselves. Honestly, who can? Everything – this entire story - unknown to them. All they could see was what they had seen day-in and day-out for who knows how long: barbed-wire fences, German prison guards, bad food, maltreatment, discontent, drudgery, hopelessness, etc.


How much are we like those 2,000!?! Often, in whatever circumstance/ situation/ condition we find ourselves, that’s all we can see. I wonder what God is orchestrating in my life that is unknown and blind to me at this time – that may someday see or never see. However, rest assured God has assembled a team and is working great things we cannot see. He is our rescuer!

Again, thanks for visiting!!

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Mike