>An Afternoon with Tony and Greg: The Guns of Navarone
It’s always a pleasant surprise to uncover past works that have been re-released by the studios. Today, Columbia Pictures Home Entertainment re-released The Guns of Navarone as a 2-Disc DVD Set which features all of the original special features from the original release, plus more new and unique features for this one.
A number of years ago I had the great pleasure of producing an enjoyable documentary entitled “Memories of Navarone”. It was a great experience to talk both on camera and off with Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, James Darren, and Director J. Lee Thompson. Each man was warm, energetic, and brought a unique perspective to the camaraderie, professional, and personal experiences making the picture. I’m sad to say that three out of these four great men are no longer with us. Whenever I think about the history and talent behind the making of a great motion picture, I get a little choked up, and proud of the people who took the time to record these artists so that we can forever remember them and their work behind-the-scenes.
For me personally, it was my two hours talking with Anthony Quinn that I will never forget.
We threw out the guidelines and questions to Tony, and jumped right in to a spirited debate between the historian (me), and the elder statesman. Tony was a joy to talk to… we spoke about his career, Zorba the Greek, The Guns of Navarone, Lawrence of Arabia, and most importantly, about life, his family, and even the afterlife. Tony spoke of how he hoped he would return as a seagull… he loved the way that they majestically soured… I hope he got his wish.
Someday I hope to return to this interview and publish it. I’d never heard of a more candid interview with him, but most importantly, Tony became more than an icon, but a great human being and personally humble and full of life. I’ll never forget him, and my time with this project.
Gregory Peck surprised and delighted me when with his answer when he was asked what he felt about being a ‘reluctant hero’ in the film. Unlike today where you can get hours of unrelenting chit-chat from actors about how they prepare for a roll, Peck simply responded that “The script said that I was a reluctant hero, so I was a reluctant hero.” Simply and professionally put. I’ll miss him.
Go get yourself a copy of the new release of The Guns of Navarone. In addition to “Memories of Navarone” and the other original materials, there are ample new features and materials that make this new release enticing and well worth the purchase. The movie is a treat, and you’ll love the presentation. Cheers!
David C. Fein
P.S. During the end credits of “Memories of Navarone”, you’ll see a number of carefully selected behind-the-scenes and deleted scene photographs.
Select and watch some of the films of Anthony Quinn:
Select and watch some of the films of Gregory Peck:
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