The War Lover is a 1962 British black-and-white war film directed by Philip Leacock and written by Howard Koch loosely based on the 1959 novel, The War Lover by John Hersey, altering the names of characters and events but retaining its basic framework. It stars Steve McQueen, Robert Wagner, Shirley Anne Field, Ed Bishop and features a young Michael Crawford. The war itself is not the most important element of the film. Instead it focuses on the character of Buzz Rickson and his determination to serve himself and get what he wants – in the process antagonizing everyone. In 1943, Captain... Buzz Rickson is an arrogant B-17 pilot stationed in England during World War II. When a bombing mission is aborted because clouds obscure all potential targets, Rickson ignores the order to turn around, dives under the clouds and completes the job, at the cost of one of the bombers in his squadron and its entire crew. Rickson revels in the fighting and destruction; when he is assigned to drop propaganda leaflets, he makes his displeasure felt by buzzing the airfield.
more
| Release date: | 1962 |
| Directed by: | Philip Leacock |
| Runtime: | 105 Minutes |
| Producer: | Arthur Hornblow, Jr. |
| Music by: | Richard Addinsell |
| Screenplay by: | John Hersey, Howard Koch |