MMG - Rate this movie.... Battle Of Britain

[Speedy]

It's my second-favourite movie of all-time. Just pure warbird porrnnography from start to finish (oh, and Susannah York in her smalls, of course!)

A solid 5/5.

No kidding....for everyone who complains about Susannah York's part in the film....guys....she's in her knickers and stockings. Just shut up and enjoy the view.

[DarenC1]

[PeterA]

RIP.



PeterA

[Pathfinder]

So you're telling me there were warbirds in that movie too.....seriously? Will have to give it another look...

[DC3R4DC47]

Amen about Susan York, and amen about the flying,the finale still gives me chills.

[Chris Brame]

Oh yes. Right up there with TTT although it went with an all-star cast; another I taped off WGN. Here's a neat bit of trivia: in early 1982 I was in Mexico with one of my Aztec buddies. One evening the radio was playing some kind of soap opera and I was surprised to realize the incidental music was lifted from the BofB soundtrack! It wasn't a war-related story, either

[needle]

Definately one of my favorite movies.....but then I am slightly biased.

1. I'm a Brit.
2. My uncle was a WWII Royal Air Force fighter pilot (Hurricane).
3. My father was a WWII Royal Air Force pilot, and went on to serve a total of 38 years in the RAF.
4. I'm an ex-RAF pilot.
5. I get to see 2 of the aircraft used in the movie, almost every day, and I researched the complete history (from factory to museum) for one of them.

Needle.

[PeterA]

5. I get to see 2 of the aircraft used in the movie, almost every day, and I researched the complete history (from factory to museum) for one of them.

Needle.

Texas. Presumably not a Spitfire?

PeterA

[DarenC1]

AR213 was the first live Spitfire I ever got close to. And since she was used in Battle of Britain (not to mention Piece of Cake), she became my favourite Spitfire as a result.

[Jollygreenslugg]

Fantastic movie. Played a big part in my nascent warbird interest as a kid in the 80s.

Mind you, it is almost the archetypal movie for my pet bugbear - anachronistic hair styles. Susannah York is probably the worst for this!

Cheers,
Matt

[needle]

5. I get to see 2 of the aircraft used in the movie, almost every day, and I researched the complete history (from factory to museum) for one of them.

Needle.

Texas. Presumably not a Spitfire?

PeterA

Correct.....ironic isn't it. I believe the Mk VIII Spit, which I also pass almost every day, was still in India at the time of the filming of BofB.

[ZRX61]

Someone should have removed the doorbell...

[Steve Nelson]

I gave it five stars. A bit more fictionalized that TTT, but of course BoB attempts to chronicle a huge campaign lasting several months, rather than a specific battle. Naturally some events had to be compressed and simplified.

As for special effects, the crudely added explosions over full-size aircraf have already been mentioned, and the matte-lines in the blue screen shots are pretty obvious (but unavoidable with 60s era optical compositing.) Some of the miniature work was very good, like the Stuka attack, and various fighters and bombers being shot down, but one model shot sticks out as just awful..a matte shot of a formation of Heinkels approaching London. The models aren't very good to begin with, and the angle from which they were filmed doesn't match the background plate. There's also at least one or two scenes in which the tried to "pad out" a formation of aircraft by simply adding some tiny silhouettes into the background, which remain stationary as the camera moves.

I'm not entirely sure why they created fictional doppelgangers for Sailor Malan and Adolf Galland..perhaps it allowed the writers a bit more latitude. Galland of course was still alive, and worked as a technical advisor on the film. I don't know if any of the other actual historical figures presented were still living at the time or not.

The love story was a bit cheesy, but it was just a minor sub-plot..and wasn't crammed down your throat like The-Michael-Bay-Atrocity-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named.

All in all, I think BoB and TTT are by far the top two WWII aviaition films of all time.

SN

[DarenC1]

I'm not entirely sure why they created fictional doppelgangers for Sailor Malan and Adolf Galland..perhaps it allowed the writers a bit more latitude. Galland of course was still alive, and worked as a technical advisor on the film. I don't know if any of the other actual historical figures presented were still living at the time or not.

I think Malan was also a technical consultant on the film.

[JDK]

I think Malan was also a technical consultant on the film.

Not possible The film was 1969 -

Adolph Gysbert Malan DSO & Bar DFC & Bar (24 March 1910 – 17 September 1963)

(Wiki)

Park was still alive, as was ACM Douglas Evill. Trafford Leigh Malory had died in the war, of course, so his version of the Big Wing story was never able to be defended or justified by him, but only but the junior and intransigent Bader.

Dowding visited the set (as a very old man) and Tuck consultant but wasn't specifically depicted. I suspect 'Falke' and 'Skipper' were originated in the script stage to allow an amalgam of 'the fighter commander' which didn't vary from Sailor and Adolf as much as originally expected. Just a guess.

Regards,