This isn't war, but it certainly is entertainment. With that proviso safely out of the way, one can definitely award a medal to director John Guillermin (later to make the Towering Inferno) and his cameraman on as riveting, bloody and thoroughly convincing series of World War One aerial dogfights as you are ever likely to see - to which a throbbing music score by Jerry Goldsmith gives additional excitement. Perhaps Guillermin's utter concentration on such conviction explains why his ground scenes are so unworthy in comparison. But James Mason does manage to make an impression as the suavely convincing Count von Klugermann - Jeremy Kemp has one of his best film roles as his ruthless pilot nephew - and there is also a famous love scene between Ursula Andress and George Peppard in which Ursula, although naked to the waist, remains miraculously covered by a towel around her neck.

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