If you’re a fan of classic aviation cinema, you’ve probably seen the big hitters. Twelve O'Clock High gets the leadership nerds excited. Memphis Belle has that glossy 90s nostalgia. But then there’s The War Lover. Released in 1962, this movie is a weird, gritty, and often uncomfortable look at what happens when a man loves combat just a little too much. It isn't a "rah-rah" recruitment film. It’s a character study wrapped in the rattling aluminum skin of a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Honestly, it’s one of Steve McQueen’s most overlooked performances, and it deserves a lot more credit for being ahead of its time.
Most people come for the planes. They stay for the psychological wreckage.
What The War Lover Gets Right (And Wrong) About Combat
The film is based on John Hersey’s 1959 novel. If that name sounds familiar, it should; Hersey was the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who wrote Hiroshima. He knew war. He knew the stench of it. When Hollywood got its hands on the story, they kept a surprising amount of that darkness intact. The plot follows Buzz Rickson—played by McQueen—a pilot who is basically a god in the cockpit but a total disaster on the ground. He’s the guy you want leading the formation when the Flak is thick, but you wouldn’t trust him with your sister, your car, or your peace of mind.
Steve McQueen was already a rising star, but this role allowed him to lean into his "King of Cool" persona while showing the rot underneath. Robert Wagner plays his co-pilot, Ed Bolland. Bolland is the moral center, the "normal" guy who just wants to survive and go home to his girl. The friction between them isn't just about a woman—though there is a love triangle with Shirley Anne Field—it’s about their fundamental souls. One man views war as a tragic necessity. The other views it as the only time he feels alive.
The Real Stars: The B-17s
We have to talk about the aircraft. This was 1962. There was no CGI. There were no digital "fill-ins" for the sky. If you see a B-17 on screen, it’s a real B-17. The production actually managed to find three airworthy Flying Fortresses in the United States and flew them across the Atlantic to England. Imagine that for a second. These were 20-year-old planes at the time, making a trans-Atlantic hop just for a movie.
The flying sequences were filmed at Bovingdon, a former RAF and USAAF base. Because they only had a few planes, they used clever camera angles and a bit of stock footage to make it look like a full combat box. But the interior shots? They’re cramped. They’re loud. You can almost smell the oil and the sweat.
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One of the most legendary stories from the set involves the "buzz job." McQueen, who was a notorious speed freak and thrill-seeker in real life, allegedly wanted to fly the B-17 himself. The stunt pilot, a legendary aviator named John "Jeff" Hawke, performed a low-level pass that was so dangerously close to the ground it made the film crew scramble for cover. That shot made it into the movie. It’s visceral. It’s terrifying. It’s the kind of thing modern directors would be too scared (or too insured) to try today.
Why Buzz Rickson is the Anti-Hero We Forgot
The "war lover" movie trope usually gives us a hero who learns a lesson. Buzz Rickson doesn't learn lessons. He is a sociopath with a flight suit.
McQueen plays him with this twitchy, repressed energy. He’s arrogant. He ignores orders. He treats his crew like extensions of his own ego. It’s a fascinating contrast to the "Greatest Generation" mythos that was so prevalent in the early 60s. Back then, war movies were often about the collective, the team, the brotherhood. Rickson is the opposite. He’s an island.
The Psychological Edge
Critics at the time were a bit mixed. Some found the romance subplot—the "lover" part of the title—to be a bit dragging. And yeah, the scenes in London can feel a bit like a standard 60s melodrama. But when the movie focuses on the tension in the cockpit, it’s a masterclass.
There’s this specific scene where Rickson is forced to deal with a damaged plane. Most pilots would be terrified. Rickson? He’s grinning. He’s in his element. It’s basically a cinematic exploration of "Combat High." Psychologists have actually studied this—the idea that some individuals find a level of clarity and euphoria in extreme danger that they cannot replicate in civilian life. The War Lover was talking about this decades before The Hurt Locker made it a mainstream conversation.
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Technical Accuracy and the Bovingdon Ghost
The film used three specific B-17s:
- N9563Z
- N17101 * N9323Z
If you're an aviation geek, you know these tail numbers are legendary. One of them actually ended up being used in 12 O'Clock High (the TV series) later on. The production designers went to great lengths to make the nose art and the squadron markings look authentic to the 8th Air Force. They weren't just making a movie; they were recreating a very specific, very deadly period of 1943.
The realism extends to the tactics. You see the "combat box" formation. You see the struggle to maintain altitude. You see the devastating effect of Luftwaffe fighters. While The War Lover might not have the massive budget of a Spielberg production, its limitations actually make it feel more intimate. You aren't watching 1,000 planes; you’re watching one crew in one plane trying not to die while their pilot acts like a madman.
The Ending That Still Divides Fans
I won't spoil the frame-by-frame details for those who haven't seen it, but the climax involves a raid on Kiel. It’s messy. It’s chaotic. And the way Rickson’s story concludes is incredibly symbolic. It suggests that a man built for war has no place in a world at peace.
Some viewers find the ending frustrating. They want redemption. They want Rickson to realize the error of his ways and become a "good man." But that’s not what this movie is about. It’s about the fact that war attracts—and sometimes creates—people who are fundamentally broken.
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How to Watch It Today
Finding The War Lover isn't always easy. It’s not usually on the front page of Netflix. You usually have to hunt for it on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) or buy a physical Blu-ray copy. Sony released a decent restoration a few years back that cleans up the black-and-white cinematography beautifully.
The black-and-white choice was intentional, by the way. By 1962, color was the norm for big features. But director Philip Leacock wanted it to blend seamlessly with real wartime newsreel footage. It works. It gives the whole film a documentary-like feel that color would have ruined.
Actionable Takeaways for Movie Buffs
If you're going to dive into this classic, here is how to get the most out of it:
- Watch for the "Buzzing" Scene: Keep an eye out for the B-17 flying incredibly low over the airfield. That wasn't a model or a trick. That was a real pilot risking a multi-ton bomber for a single shot.
- Compare it to the Novel: If you can find a copy of John Hersey's book, read it. It’s much more explicit about Rickson’s psychological state and the sexual undertones of his obsession with the plane.
- Check the Tail Numbers: For the aircraft historians, trying to spot the differences between the three B-17s used in the film is a fun (if difficult) challenge.
- Focus on McQueen’s Eyes: He doesn't have a lot of "big" dialogue scenes. Most of his acting is done through stares and subtle facial tics. It’s a masterclass in screen presence.
The War Lover remains a haunting piece of cinema. It’s a reminder that the "Good War" wasn't always good for the people fighting it, even the ones who were "heroes." It’s gritty, it’s loud, and it’s deeply cynical. In other words, it’s exactly the kind of movie they don't make anymore.
Next Steps for the History Enthusiast:
To truly appreciate the context of the film, look into the history of the 8th Air Force and the strategic bombing campaign over Germany in 1943. Researching the "Flying Control" procedures of that era will also help clarify the tension between Rickson and the ground commanders. If you're interested in the aircraft themselves, many aviation museums still house B-17s; seeing one in person provides a chilling perspective on just how thin that "protective" aluminum skin really was. Finally, compare this film to McQueen's later work in The Great Escape to see how his portrayal of the "soldier" evolved in just a few short years.