The Guns of Navarone

The Guns of Navarone Cinema Poster Country UK Directed by J. Lee Thompson Release Date 1961 Language English, Greek, German Studio Columbia Pictures Corporation Distributor Columbia Pictures Main Cast Character Actor Mallory Gregory Peck Andrea Anthony Quinn Miller David Niven Brown Stanley Baker Franklin Anthony Quayle Pappadimos James Darren Maria Irene Papas Jensen James Robertson Justice Barnsby Richard Harris Anna Gia Scala

The Guns of Navarone is a 1961 World War II action film directed by J. Lee Thompson and based on the bestselling novel written by Alistair MacLean (Where Eagles Dare, When Eight Bells Toll). The film stars Gregory Peck and David Niven as British commandos who lead a mission to destroy a pair of deadly German batteries before they can devastate an Allied naval convoy. Force 10 from Navarone, a feature film sequel based on Maclean's novel and starring Harrison Ford and Robert Shaw was released in 1978.

The following weapons were used in the film The Guns of Navarone:

WARNING! THIS PAGE CONTAINS SPOILERS!

Handguns

1934 Mauser Pocket Pistol

Lt. Muesel (Walter Gotell) uses a M1934 Mauser as his sidearm. After overpowering Muesel, Keith Mallory (Gregory Peck) appropriates his Mauser.

Mauser 1934 - .32 ACP.

Muesel with his Mauser M1934.

Mallory with Muesel's stolen Mauser M1934.

Supressed Mauser M1934 Pistol

Pappadimos's sidearm is a Mauser M1934 which he always uses with a silencer attached. In the end gunbattle, he gives the Beretta to his sister, Maria (Irene Papas) so she can be armed in the end gunbattle but it is confiscated by Mallory after Maria shoots Anna. As is especially noticeable when Mallory shoots the guard who asks for coffee, it does not cycle or eject when fired.

Maria uses her brother's suppressed Mauser M1934 to execute the traitor, Anna.

Mallory uses the Mauser M1934 with a silencer to kill some German guards.

Luger P08 Artillery

When the group is captured, SS Captain Sessler (George Mikell) uses a Luger P08 to torture Franklin by hitting his injured leg with it.

Luger P08 Artillery Model - 9x19mm.

Sessler with the Luger in hand.

Sessler prepares to strike Franklin's hurt leg with the Luger.

Enfield No.2

The commandos bring Enfield No.2 revolvers as their sidearms. Roy Franklin (Anthony Quayle) uses one to try and commit suicide, (in order not to be a burden for the team so they can complete the mission), but is stopped at the last second by Miller (David Niven). In the beginning of the film, when Mallory recruits Andrea (Anthony Quinn), he pulls out an Enfield from his shoulder holster but then puts it back when he recognizes Mallory.

Enfield No.2 Mk.1*

Franklin pulls his Enfield in his suicide attempt.

Mallory, holding Franklin's revolver, chides him while holding the Enfield.

Andrea conceals the Enfield behind a newspaper.

Andrea holsters the Enfield. Note the lack of a hammer as found on regular revolvers.

Submachine Guns

Sten Mk I

Corporal Miller (David Niven) and others are seen with and using a Sten Mk I in several scenes.

Sten Mk I Submachine gun - 9x19mm

Major Franklin (Anthony Quayle) firing his Sten at german soldiers. This seems to be the only time where a Sten gun is seen firing with blanks, as compared to the prop-guns seen in other scenes.

Captain Mallory (Gregory Peck) with his Sten Mk I. Note the bolt safety notch which is fitted at the bottom on Mk I, as opposed at the top on Mk II.

Andreas (Anthony Quinn) with his own Sten

Corporal Miller with his Sten Mk I (David Niven) Note the excellent trigger discipline. Niven had actual combat experience during World War II, serving with (among other units) the British Commandos. He ended the war as a lieutenant-colonel. He received the American Legion of Merit from Eisenhower himself at the war's end.

Sten Mk II

Several of the commandos bring Sten Mk II submachine guns with them (modified with a shortened barrel), and use them often against German soldiers. Andrea Stavros (Anthony Quinn) uses a Sten gun at the beginning of the film when a German patrol boat arrives at the Greek fishing boat boat. He kills several Germans with it who climb aboard his boat and also kills several German soldiers with the same gun in the final firefight. Spyros Pappadimos (James Darren) kills several Germans and then confronts their officer (who also has a Sten gun. How the officer got one is unknown) with the Sten. With one exception, (Major Franklin firing his Sten at German soldiers during the ship-battle), all scenes where an actor fires a Sten gun, a prop gun is actually used. This gun is fitted with a small flame device to represent the guns flash (in slow motion you can see that the actors aren't actually pressing the guns trigger in time with the shots).

Sten Mk II Submachine gun - 9x19mm

Pappadimos fires at the Germans using his prop Sten gun.

The German officer (Bob Simmons) returns fire with his own prop Sten. Note there is no bolt nor even a line for the bolt.

Sten Mk IIS

Spyro's sister Maria Papadimos carries a SOE supplied Sten Mk IIS with an integral silencer, these weapons were dropped to Resistance units all over Europe during World War II.

Sten Mk IIS - 9x19mm

Character Maria with her silenced Sten. She is never seen firing it.

MP40

The common weapon of the German Army in the film is the MP40 , which is unrealistic. The MP40 was mostly issued to NCO's and other specialist troops. It was not standard issue for line troops. They would have used Mauser rifles.

MP40 - 9x19mm

Andrea, (Anthony Quinn) firing an MP40.

MP40 - 9x19mm. Note that the weapon's bolt is in closed position, meaning it won't fire until the soldiers racks the bolt to open position.

Mallory's team held at gunpoint by two Germans with MP40s.

A German soldier holds his MP40 on Andrea.

Rifles

Unknown sniper rifle - Possibly a Karabiner 98k Sporter

Andreas (Anthony Quinn) carries an unknown bolt-action rifle and kills four Germans with it when they climb the hill. After that, he never fires it again but is seen holding it several times. It is possibly the rifle is a Karabiner 98k Sporter.

Andrea takes aim

Mauser Karabiner 98

Some Germans use Mauser Karabiner 98k rifles, but the MP40 is far more common in the film.

Karabiner 98k - German manufacture 1937 date - 7.92x57mm.

Unknown bolt action rifle

Anna (Gia Scala) is seen carrying a rifle on her back early in the movie. She never fires it nor reveal any details of the type of rifle.

Anna and Mallory (Gregory Peck)

Machine guns

A German vehicle is seen carrying a Browning 1919 at one point in the movie.

Browning M1919A4 - .30-06 Springfield

A Browning MG is seen attached to the vehicle on the bottom left of the pic.

Bren Gun

On the fishing boat, Pappadimos keeps a Bren gun hidden under a sail he is mending when the German patrol boat arrives. When the Germans discover who they are, Pappadimos opens fire, tearing a hole in the sail and guns down several sailors. The Bren gun is never seen after that, presumed lost when the fishing boat is smashed on the rocks.

Bren Mk1 - .303 caliber

Private Spyro Papadimos (James Darren) firing his Bren LMG.

Oerlikon 20mm Cannon

The German patrol boat is armed with an Oerlikon 20mm Cannon.

Oerlikon Cannon - 20mm

A view of the 20mm the instant the commando-team opens fire from the fishingboat. Note the impact-smoke on the left side of the 20mm bulletscreen

Rear view of the weapon as the gunner is killed.