The Mckenzie Break

[clearview]

Interesting film with different and original plot but badly let down by use of post WW2 jeep (or whatever make it was supposed to be), the use of the American 'term' Highway when referring to a main road in Scotland and Brian Keiths curious US, Irish, Scots mix of accents.



The sight of Brian Keith under a blanket with a female was uneccessary and detracted from the story. No doubt it was included for use in the film publicity and for the so called 'love interest' angle but it was 'silly' to say the least.



There are much better films of this genre around and in my opinion the producers wasted a wonderful opportunity to make this a film classic.

[MrDrakesDuck]

The sight of Brian Keith under a blanket with a female was uneccessary

Agreed, that was not a pretty sight.

[clearview]

Of course we need action in a war film but not this type of 'implied' action. The biggest 'boob' however was the inexcusable use of 'that' post war jeep thing.

[DB7]

Not a film I've ever thought too deeply about but always enjoyed.

[Iain1962]

Originally posted by clearview@Sep 5 2005, 07:16 PM

Interesting film with different and original plot but badly let down by use of post WW2 jeep (or whatever make it was supposed to be), the use of the American 'term' Highway when referring to a main road in Scotland and Brian Keiths curious US, Irish, Scots mix of accents.



The sight of Brian Keith under a blanket with a female was uneccessary and detracted from the story. No doubt it was included for use in the film publicity and for the so called 'love interest' angle but it was 'silly' to say the least.



There are much better films of this genre around and in my opinion the producers wasted a wonderful opportunity to make this a film classic.

Hi there.



I always quite liked this film but mainly because the premise is so interesting. Brian Keith's performance overall is pretty curious to say the least and it's defiinitely one of the film's weak points. It seriously undermines what should have been outstading scenes especially the one where he confronts the German officer about the murder of one of the latter's own men and tells him that he'll see him hang for the crime. Keith only succeeds in robbing this scene of all its dramatic power. This is a pity since he's normally a very reliable performer. The Southern Irish accent he adopts is at odds with his character's dialogue which makes it very clear that he's from the North and makes disparaging comments about those from the Republic.



Cheers.



Iain

[FX3]

Interesting film with different and original plot but badly let down by use of post WW2 jeep (or whatever make it was supposed to be), the use of the American 'term' Highway when referring to a main road in Scotland and Brian Keiths curious US, Irish, Scots mix of accents.

I always thought that the Jeep looked too modern, as well as the ferry that appears in the film that transports the escaping Germans in the furniture van across a river and the submarine looked well out of place.



However, even on a real big budget war film, Kelly's Heros, can be historically incorrect as the opening scene with Clint Eastwood driving a Willys/Ford MB Jeep in the rain with a single power operated wiper working away, for example. The WW2 jeeps only ever had twin hand operated wipers, so from the start of the film it lost all credibility for me, as well as at the end when they are throwing wooden boxes containing gold bullion around with ease and taking it all away on one army truck.

[christoph404]

I've always found this film to be very watchable and enjoyable when ever it crops up on TV. Unusual to see a reversal of the POW camp formula which makes it interesting and I think the story is quite taut. If the wrong type of period jeep has spoiled your enjoyment of the film I better not tell you that Steve McQueen rode a 1960s Triumph motorcycle in "The Great Escape" and you will be even more appalled to learn that "The Mckenzie Break" was not filmed in Scotland at all but in Ireland!