Through a series of circumstances, a pair of Old West gunfighters end up as fighter pilots in World War I.Through a series of circumstances, a pair of Old West gunfighters end up as fighter pilots in World War I.Through a series of circumstances, a pair of Old West gunfighters end up as fighter pilots in World War I.
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Did you know
- TriviaThe film holds the record (2002) for the largest number of craftsmen and technicians employed on a dramatic feature, with 532. The crew built enormous sets for war scenes, constructed buildings that were to be exploded, and built airplanes similar to those used in 1917.
- GoofsIn this film the officers rank insignia were on their shoulder epaulets as on WWII and modern British Army officers uniforms. In the first world war officers rank was shown on the sleeve cuffs.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Siskel & Ebert: Something Wild/The Mission/Hoosiers/Sky Bandits (1986)
- SoundtracksWelcome to the Mess Hall
Composed by Slim Gaillard
Featured review
When two cowboys are captured in the old west trying to rob a bank, they are exiled to the front lines of World War I to fight alongside the British. They get into a bet to see if they can fly a Gunbus, they do but then end up in another base under an officer who is determined to hunt down a German airship.
I taped this film on the basis of the catchy name (it was called Gunbus in the UK) and I didn't really know what to expect from it in terms of plot, action etc so my expectations were pretty low. Surprisingly my low expectations were never even met once. The plot jumps around from the old west to WWI with little explanation, before we know it, the heroes are flying missions on German aircraft (despite not being able to fly). The film gets sillier towards the end as cars, broken aircraft etc are pieced together for an attack from the British it would be laughable if it wasn't so bad.
The effects are what you'd expect from a cheap film of this period awful. The back projections of the sky spins all over the place and the little model planes just look daft. The action stutters simply because it is so silly. Like another reviewer said, some of the designs are imaginative and daring (the big airship for one) but the effects aren't up to the job and the action just makes the whole thing silly.
The acting is pretty poor and isn't helped by the total lack of characters in the film. The lead actors have a bit of banter between them at the start but they stutter as they get lost in the silly mess that comes about. The only interesting things in the cast are a couple of pretty women, some really, really poor English accents and an appearance by Nicholas Lyndhurst from Only Fools & Horses.
Overall this is a pretty poor film. I'm sure some users will see it as trashy fun but I only see it as trashy. It doesn't really have anything of value going for it and all you're left with is the cracks in the film.
I taped this film on the basis of the catchy name (it was called Gunbus in the UK) and I didn't really know what to expect from it in terms of plot, action etc so my expectations were pretty low. Surprisingly my low expectations were never even met once. The plot jumps around from the old west to WWI with little explanation, before we know it, the heroes are flying missions on German aircraft (despite not being able to fly). The film gets sillier towards the end as cars, broken aircraft etc are pieced together for an attack from the British it would be laughable if it wasn't so bad.
The effects are what you'd expect from a cheap film of this period awful. The back projections of the sky spins all over the place and the little model planes just look daft. The action stutters simply because it is so silly. Like another reviewer said, some of the designs are imaginative and daring (the big airship for one) but the effects aren't up to the job and the action just makes the whole thing silly.
The acting is pretty poor and isn't helped by the total lack of characters in the film. The lead actors have a bit of banter between them at the start but they stutter as they get lost in the silly mess that comes about. The only interesting things in the cast are a couple of pretty women, some really, really poor English accents and an appearance by Nicholas Lyndhurst from Only Fools & Horses.
Overall this is a pretty poor film. I'm sure some users will see it as trashy fun but I only see it as trashy. It doesn't really have anything of value going for it and all you're left with is the cracks in the film.
- bob the moo
- Nov 16, 2003
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Gunbus
- Filming locations
- Wisley, Surrey, England, UK(some airfield shots)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $18,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $2,295,500
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $1,468,500
- Nov 2, 1986
- Gross worldwide
- $2,295,500
- Runtime1 hour 45 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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