Noutions Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

TrueHello Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Curt Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.

bob-790-196018 This movie about skydivers has some terrific aerial photography of their stunts and some masterful camera-work involving their activities on the ground. Unfortunately those earthbound activities don't add up to a convincing drama.Under John Frankenheimer's direction, the drama that unfolds as the three skydivers encounter the people of a small Kansas town is visually very pleasing. There is a fine nighttime sequence, seemingly choreographed to look almost dance-like, in which we follow Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr from her house, through the neighboring streets, to a playground. In general Frankenheimer makes innovative use of the camera to make us feel part of the action.Unfortunately, the story that unfolds while the skydivers are on the ground seems strangely unrelated to the scenes in the air. There is a vague sense that the skydivers have grown weary of their nomadic lives, but that's about it as far as motivation is concerned. For example, it doesn't explain why--SPOILER ALERT--Burt Lancaster's character commits suicide. In fact, both he and Deborah Kerr--obviously both fine actors--give inert performances in this movie. When Gene Hackman shares the screen with them, he blows them away.The critics have pointed out that this movie contains a lot of what could be called Americana in its views of small-town mid-American life, but I saw nothing of special interest in the way the town is presented. As for the scenes with the school orchestra, they have nothing to do with the ongoing story, except that, on the day of the big Forth of July parade, the orchestra finds the streets empty since everyone has gone to see the final skydive.Like other reviewers, I was taken aback to see glimpses of Deborah Kerr in the nude. Very out of character given her previous roles. But this was 1969, when it seems that every one in the arts--movie makers, novelists--had to bare it all, figuratively or otherwise.

ma-cortes On a 4th of July weekend , three air stunt parachutists (Burt Lancaster, Gene Hackman and Scott Wilson as Malcolm though John Phillip Law was first cast but had to be replaced because of an injury to his wrist) arrive to carry out their skills at a small Kansas town located in Midwest . The trio of barnstorming skydivers are hosted at house ownership a dysfunctional and unhappy marriage (Deborah Kerr , William Windom) . The inhabitants of the small town feel both attracted and threatened to the skydivers . Meanwhile , they go to a top-less club (according to director the dancers in the go-go club were local Kansas girls, not city girls, because they looked authentic) where meet a sexy woman (Sheree North) . At the end takes place a dangerous fall to death, as when jumping is not only a way to live, but a way to die, too . This dramatic picture is packed with skydiving , romance , love story and the drama is maintained throughout. The picture relies heavily on the doomed romance that flares up between Elizabeth well played by Deborah Kerr and Rettig magnificently performed by Burt Lancaster until a surprising final when tension explodes with an impressive skydiving show . Interesting screenplay which manages to catch the growing ambivalent and disillusionment of travellers in search of money and the quiet desperation of a marriage ; it was written by Willian Hanley , based on the novel by James Drought . There aren't special effects but ¨stunts¨ who make it astounding . Experienced but amateur skydivers, most with several thousand jumps to their credit , were brought in from California to double for the actors . During the filming at the airfield in Benton, Kansas, the director , wanted to get a real, horrified reaction from the extras playing the audience, so he had a Mannequin dressed like a skydiver and tied it under a helicopter which ascended a couple of hundred feet, then released the dummy . The skydiving equipment the Gypsy Moths use in the film was sport parachuting state-of-the-art for the late 1960's . The picture collaborated to create the ¨ skydiving genre film ¨ , thus many years later were shot various movies about this sport : ¨Break Point¨ (Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves) , ¨Terminal velocity¨ (with Charlie Sheen and Natassja Kinski) and ¨Cutaway¨ (Tom Berenger and Stephen Baldwin) . Appropriate cinematography by Philip Lathrop with good aerial scenes though is necessary a perfect remastering . Adequate musical score fitting to tension by the master Elmer Bernstein .The motion picture was compellingly directed by John Frankenheimer , though being slow-pace, and some moments boring . It is considered to be one of Frankenheimer's less satisfying works and failed at box office ; however being one of John Frankenheimer's two favorites of the films he has directed . In the beginning he worked for TV and turned to the cinema industry with The Young Stranger (1957) . Disappointed his with first feature film experience he came back to his successful television career directing a total of 152 live television shows in the 50s. He took another opportunity to change to the big screen , collaborating with Burt Lancaster in The Young Savages (1961) and Birdman of Alcatraz(62) ending up becoming a successful director well-known by his skills with actors and expressing on movies his views on important social deeds and philosophical events and film-making some classics as ¨The Manchurian candidate , Seven days of May and The Train¨. Rating : 6 , well worth seeing. The flick will appeal to Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr fans .

ozthegreatat42330 Directed by John Frankenheimer, best known for his political thrillers, this is one of the few films to take a serious look at the increasingly popular thrill sport of sky diving. Burt Lancaster, Gene Hackman and Scott Wilson represent three different points of view of sport parachuting. For Hackman it is a business, for Wilson it is about escape and acceptance, for Lancaster it is something more personal. Seven gifted amateur sky divers did over 2000 jumps to create the stunt work in this film. Between uncooperative winds and rain and with settings in parts of seven different Kansas locations they managed to pull together this film, which will have you on the edge of your seat all the way through. Excellent supporting turns are put in my Debra Kerr and William Windom

James Jones When action scenes for "Gypsy Moths" were about to be shot, mostly at the Benton,Kansas airfield, I was 18 and living in Wichita. Due to my interest in acting, mainly in High School productions, I, along with my five brothers and sisters and Mother who was a bit of a ham herself, answered a "cattle call" for crowd scenes at Benton Airfield. Because I was Burt Lancaster's general height and build and was the same size, 42 Long, I was upgraded to Stand-in for him and ended up standing in for all the principle male characters except Gene Hackman who used his brother. There was a scene in a park in El Dorado, KS where Deborah Kerr and Burt Lancaster sit on a merry-go-round and talk. He then stands up and leans in rather closely to Ms. Kerr. The director wanted to change the lighting on that particular shot to compensate for Mr. Lancaster's new position. He called for the "Seconds" to take the actors' places while they fine tuned the lighting. At that moment Deborah's stand-in was over by the swings, in the process of losing the greasy chili which had been catered that night and couldn't answer the call. John Frankenheimer was upset by her failure to report and acted like he was about to fire her, but, always the gracious lady, Ms. Kerr said she was fine just sitting there and would stand in for herself. The scene required that Burt Lancaster lean in to the point that their faces are mere inches apart. There she was, the consummate professional and I, standing in for Mr. Lancaster, was face to face with an actress I had loved ever since seeing her in such films as "From Here to Eternity" and "The King and I". It's understating my uneasiness by saying I was sweating bullets and worrying about my breath. She sensed my discomfort and proceeded to ask me questions like what I aspired to be (she didn't say 'when I grew up', which was, to me, just more evidence of her class) to set me at ease. At the time I was very interested in an acting career and she said that if I ever got to Hollywood to look her up and she would get me an appointment with her agent. What amazed me about the exchange was that I realized she was serious and would very probably have taken the time out of her busy schedule to do just that. My esteem for her grew many fold that night. Although I understand she now lives in Switzerland, I have often thought that even though I am in my 50's and gave up the thought of acting professionally years ago, it would be great if she still lived in Hollywood and I was able contact her. I would remind her of what she said 36 years ago and ask when she would be able to take me to see her agent. At 85 years old, I wouldn't be surprised if she said, "Give me a couple of minutes and we'll go over right now." Deborah Kerr, I still love you and I always will.