In 1940, the Royal Air Force fights a desperate battle against the might of the Luftwaffe for control of the skies over Britain, thus preventing the Nazi invasion of Britain.
Harry Andrews
Senior Civil Servant
Michael Caine
Squadron Leader Canfield
Trevor Howard
Air Vice Marshal Keith Park
Curd Jürgens
Baron von Richter
Ian McShane
Sgt. Pilot Andy
Kenneth More
Group Capt. Baker
Laurence Olivier
Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding
Nigel Patrick
Group Capt. Hope
Christopher Plummer
Squadron Leader Colin Harvey
Michael Redgrave
Air Vice Marshal Evill
Ralph Richardson
Sir David Kelly - British Minister to Switzerland
Robert Shaw
Squadron Leader Skipper
Patrick Wymark
Air Vice Marshal Trafford Leigh-Mallory
Susannah York
Section Officer Maggie Harvey
Michael Bates
Warrant Officer Warwick
Robert Flemyng
Wing Cmdr. Willoughby
Isla Blair
Mrs. Andy
Barry Foster
Sqd. Leader Edwards
John Baskcomb
Farmer
Edward Fox
Pilot Officer Archie
Tom Chatto
Willoughby's Assistant Controller
W.G. Foxley
Squadron Leader Evans
James Cosmo
Jamie
David Griffin
Sgt. Pilot Chris
Jack Gwillim
Senior Air Staff Officer
André Maranne
French NCO
Myles Hoyle
Peter
Anthony Nicholls
Minister
Duncan Lamont
Flight Sgt. Arthur
Nicholas Pennell
Simon
Sarah Lawson
Skipper's Wife
Andrzej Scibor
Ox
Mark Malicz
Pasco
Jean Wladon
Jean Jacques
Wilfried von Aacken
Gen. Osterkamp
Reinhard Horras
Bruno
Karl-Otto Alberty
General Jeschonnek - Luftwaffe Chief of Staff
Helmut Kircher
Boehm
Alexander Allerson
Maj. Brandt
Paul Neuhaus
Maj. Föhn
Dietrich Frauboes
Field Marshal Milch (Inspector General, Luftwaffe)
Malte Petzel
Col. Beppo Schmidt (Luftwaffe Intelligence)
Alf Jungermann
Brandt's Navigator
Manfred Reddemann
Maj. Falke
Peter Hager
Field Marshal Albert Kesselring
Hein Riess
Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring
Wolf Harnisch
Gen. Fink
Rolf Stiefel
Adolf Hitler
Nikki Van der Zyl
Dubbing (voice)
Tony Allen
NCO in Plotting Room (uncredited)
Paul Angelis
Albert (uncredited)
Graham Armitage
Radar Officer (uncredited)
Hilda Barry
Old Lady (uncredited)
Roy Beck
French Soldier / RAF Pilot (uncredited)
Kate Binchy
Grace (uncredited)
Ernest Blyth
Civilian Watching German Bomber Crash (uncredited)
A. J. Brown
Air Observer (uncredited)
Daniel Brown
Refugee (uncredited)
Fay Bura
Woman in Air Raid Shelter (uncredited)
Mary Burleigh
Minor Role (uncredited)
Bill Burns
RAF Officer (uncredited)
Pauline Chamberlain
Woman in Church Hall Shelter (uncredited)
Massimo Ciprari
German Soldier (uncredited)
Günter Clemens
Pilot - Falke's Crew (uncredited)
John Comer
Policeman (uncredited)
Les Conrad
RAF Sergeant (uncredited)
Victor Croxford
Refugee (uncredited)
George Curtis
Man in Air Raid Shelter (uncredited)
Basil Dignam
Tactical Records Officer (uncredited)
Eric Dodson
RAF Officer (uncredited)
Jim Dowdall
German Pilot (uncredited)
Hugh Elton
Docker (uncredited)
Harry Fielder
Soldier (uncredited)
Meriel Forbes
Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Gareth Forwood
Alistair (uncredited)
Paddy Frost
Edith (uncredited)
Hugh Futcher
RAF Ground Crew (uncredited)
Brian Grellis
RAF Cpl. Ernie (uncredited)
Michael Guest
General Staff Officer (uncredited)
Barry Halliday
'A' Station Pilot (uncredited)
Paul Hansard
Karl (uncredited)
Vincent Harding
ADC to Hitler (uncredited)
Pat Heywood
WRAF Cpl. Seymour (uncredited)
Stuart Hoyle
'A' Station Pilot (uncredited)
Desmond Jordan
General Staff Officer (uncredited)
Geoffrey King
Air Observer (uncredited)
Jack Le White
Archie's Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Aileen Lewis
Woman in Air Raid Shelter (uncredited)
Illona Linthwaite
Wendy (uncredited)
Maureen Lipman
Radar Operator (uncredited)
Reg Lye
Workman (uncredited)
David McKail
Lac Arnold (uncredited)
Harald Meister
Pilot - Föhn's Crew (uncredited)
Rosalind Mendleson
Refugee (uncredited)
George Merritt
Civilian (uncredited)
Hilary Minster
Pilot - Falke's Crew (uncredited)
Ingo Mogendorf
Pilot - Falke's Crew (uncredited)
Richard Morant
Replacement Pilot - Red Section 'Red 2' (uncredited)
Richardson Morgan
British Embassy Valet (uncredited)
Steve Morley
Boy Watching Archie's Parachute Landing (uncredited)
Christopher Morris
Boy (uncredited)
Geoffrey Morris
Air Observer (uncredited)
Norman Morris
RAF Sergeant in Shelter (uncredited)
Douglas Nottage
Sergeant Pilot - Föhn's Crew (uncredited)
Hugo Panczak
Pilot - Falke's Crew (uncredited)
Clifford Parrish
Kelly's Butler (uncredited)
Eileen Peel
Lady Kelly (uncredited)
David Quilter
'A' Station Pilot (uncredited)
Pam Rose
WAF in the Plotting Room (uncredited)
George Roubicek
Sergeant Pilot - Falke's Crew (uncredited)
John Savident
RAF Officer (uncredited)
Clive Scott
'A' Station Pilot (uncredited)
Jack Sharp
Old Man (uncredited)
Albert Shepherd
Soldier at Self-Propelled Gun (uncredited)
Sadie Slade
Radio Operator (uncredited)
Kathleen St John
Old Lady (uncredited)
Philip Stewart
Man in Air Raid Shelter (uncredited)
Frank Sussman
ADC in Intelligence Maps Office (uncredited)
Nick Tate
RAF Pilot (uncredited)
John Tatham
Fighter Command Officer (uncredited)
Reg Thomason
RAF Sergeant (uncredited)
Chris Tranchell
'A' Station Pilot (uncredited)
Joseph Tregonino
Refugee (uncredited)
Paul Tropea
Peasant Boy (uncredited)
Rosetta Tropea
Peasant Girl (uncredited)
Michael Trubshawe
Air Observer (uncredited)
Alan Tucker
Charlie (uncredited)
Franz Van Norde
Pilot - Föhn's Crew (uncredited)
Mickey Varey
Rescue Worker (uncredited)
Dagobert Walter
Hans Falke (uncredited)
David Webb
RAF Officer (uncredited)
Peter Wesp
Pilot - Föhn's Crew (uncredited)
Alister Williamson
Air Raid Warden (uncredited)
Fred Wood
Rescue Worker (uncredited)
Director
Guy Hamilton
Novel
Derek Dempster
Novel
Derek Wood
Screenplay
James Kennaway
Screenplay
Wilfred Greatorex
April 14, 2020
7
Stirring chest beater for those prepared to indulge.
You don't need me to give you a history lesson here, Battle Of Britain, much like 98% of all war movies is a glossed up extension of an historical event, if you want history then go read all the serious historian comments instead.
Wanna read about a film? OK, Battle Of Britain is something of a frustrating love of mine, I'm not one to be over enthused as regards jingoistic fervour, but there are a handful of films that really have me pounding my chest like some flag waving King Kong clone, Battle Of Britain, in spite of the obvious flaws is one such film. The plus points will always outweigh the bad for me, as a top array of acting talent line up to tell the tale of the British Air Force fighting the good fight against the German Air Force for control of British air space - and thus stopping the Nazis from invading England on the south coast. It should be noted that the film gains extra credit for giving the due respect to the other European countries that also fought in the Battle for the skies in 1940.
The aerial sequences are a delight, it's easy to see where the main portion of the budget went here, be it dogfights or squadrons looming ominously in the sky, the effects are never less than good, and some of the POV cockpit shots firmly have the blood pumping. The climatic battle (played out to an almost operatic score) is deftly shot and is a riveting reel of film that pays you back for having sat through one of the film's flaws, that of the sadly scripted moments of tedium.
True enough to say that the film is a bit overlong, and whilst it's smart in portraying the reality of pilots under prepared, it just comes across as at times like boorish filler, while the inevitable love interest strand involving Susannah York is not only pointless, it's also bloody annoying. The score is hit and miss as well, at times Ron Goodwin & Henry Walton's music lights up the proceedings as the planes swoop and conquer, but does the operatic switch for the film's final battle enhance the picture? I would say no because the harshness of battle gives way to swan lake like indulgence, it's not for me I have to say.
Still, I don't think anyone is proclaiming this as a masterpiece, it entertains far above average, and for this viewer at least, it makes me proud for a couple of hours at least. Lest we ever forget the real life heroes of The Battle of Britain. 7/10
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$12,000,000.00
Revenue:
$0.00