DigiGuide Library

Programme Information

Laurence Olivier stars as Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding, the man who has to marshal a depleted British fighter force against incessant Luftwaffe attacks in the summer of 1940. While he's fighting for more planes to combat the German aerial invasion, pilots such as Squadron Leaders Skipper and Harvey have to take the strain of daily combat, constantly staring death in the face. The film is an earnest look at the realities of war, from both sides of the divide. Guy Hamilton was no stranger to directing action movies and he was greatly assisted in capturing the many breathtaking aerial dogfights by Oscar-winning cinematographer Freddie Young. Edited for language and violence.

Keywords:

Action, Adventure, Drama, War, Historical, History, Based-on-True-Story, World War, Movie, Film, Movies, Films, WWII, WW2, World War 2

Additional Information:

(1969) (UK) (3 Star)

Cast:

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

Supporting Cast:

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
Robert Shaw	.... Squadron Leader Skipper
Patrick Wymark	.... Air Vice Marshal Trafford Leigh-Mallory
Susannah York	.... Section Officer Maggie Harvey
Michael Bates	.... Warr. Off. Warrick

Directors:

Guy Hamilton

Writers:

Wilfred Greatorex
James Kennaway

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