Battle of Britain (1969)

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  • BATTLE OF BRITAIN


    DIRECTED BY GUY HAMILTON
    PRODUCED BY BENJAMIN FISZ/JOHN PALMER/HARRY SALTZ\MAN
    SPITFIRE PRODUCTIONS/UNITED ARTISTS



    Information From IMDb


    Plot Summary
    Historical reenactment of the air war in the early days of World War Two for control of the skies over Britain as the new Luftwaffa and the Royal Air Force determine whether or not an invasion can take place.
    Written by John Vogel


    It is 1940, and the diabolical mind of Adolf Hitler is planning to bomb England into submission to his warped dreams of a 'Fortress Europe'. Standing between Britain's freedom & Hitler's terrifying plans is the R.A.F - dedicated pilots who took to the skies again & again in the face of overwhelming odds. The German Luftwaffe's planes outnumber the R.A.F's by more than 2 to 1 - 650 planes of the R.A.F. vs. 2,500 of the Luftwaffe! These odds. however, do not deplete the determination of the R.A.F. to stop Hitler, and as the Luftwaffe launches wave after wave of Heinkel 111 bombers against British cities, the R.A.F. responds, under the leadership of Air Vice Marshal Park and Squadron Leaders Canfield and Harvey who lead the newest pilots of the R.A.F. into confrontation after confrontation with the Luftwaffe's experienced veterans, with the aim of driving Hitler's forces away from Dover's white cliffs for good..
    Written by Derek O'Cain


    Full Cast
    Harry Andrews ... Senior Civil Servant
    Michael Caine ... Squadron Leader Canfield
    Trevor Howard ... Air Vice Marshal Keith Park
    Curd Jürgens ... Baron von Richter (as Curt Jurgens)
    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 ... Squadron Leader Edwards
    John Baskcomb ... Farmer (as John Bascomb)
    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 (as Andre Maranne)
    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 (as Wilfried Van Aacken)
    Reinhard Horras ... Bruno
    Karl-Otto Alberty ... General Jeschonnek - Luftwaffe Chief of Staff (as Karl Otto Alberty)
    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 (as Wolf Harnish)
    Rolf Stiefel ... Adolf Hitler
    Paul Angelis ... Albert (uncredited)
    Graham Armitage ... Radar Officer (uncredited)
    Hilda Barry ... Old Lady (uncredited)
    Nicky Beaumont ... Pilot - Föhn's Crew (uncredited)
    Kate Binchy ... Grace (uncredited)
    A.J. Brown ... Air Observer (uncredited)
    Günter Clemens ... Pilot - Falke's Crew (uncredited)
    John Comer ... Policeman (uncredited)
    Basil Dignam ... Tactical Records Officer (uncredited)
    Eric Dodson ... RAF Officer (uncredited)
    Harry Fielder ... Soldier (uncredited)
    Meriel Forbes ... Undetermined Role (uncredited)
    Gareth Forwood ... Alistair (uncredited)
    Paddy Frost ... Edith (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)
    Illona Linthwaite ... Wendy (uncredited)
    Reg Lye ... Workman (uncredited)
    David McKail ... Lac Arnold (uncredited)
    Harald Meister ... Pilot - Föhn's Crew (uncredited)
    George Merritt ... Civillian (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)
    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)
    George Roubicek ... Sergeant Pilot - Falke's Crew (uncredited)
    John Savident ... RAF Officer (uncredited)
    Clive Scott ... 'A' Station Pilot (uncredited)
    Kathleen St. John ... Old Lady (uncredited)
    Frank Sussman ... ADC in Intelligence Maps Office (uncredited)
    Nick Tate ... RAF Pilot (uncredited)
    Reg Thomason ... RAF Sergeant (uncredited)
    Chris Tranchell ... 'A' Station Pilot (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)
    Dagobert Walter ... Hans Falke (uncredited)
    David Webb ... RAF Officer (uncredited)
    Peter Wesp ... Pilot - Föhn's Crew (uncredited)
    Alister Williamson ... Air Raid Warden (uncredited)


    Writing Credits
    James Kennaway (screenplay) and
    Wilfred Greatorex (screenplay)
    Derek Dempster book "The Narrow Margin"
    Derek Wood book "The Narrow Margin"


    Original Music
    Ron Goodwin


    Cinematography
    Freddie Young


    Trivia
    The large number of aircraft collected for this production made it the 35th largest air force in the world.


    27 Spitfires in various degrees of repair were found for the film, 12 of which could be made airworthy. Only six Hurricanes where found, three of which were made flyable. The Messerschmitt 109 where all retired from the Spanish Air Force. The production company bought them all, about 50 of them, and put 17 of them back in flying condition. They are in the movie flown by Spanish Air Force pilots, and members of the Confederate Air Force. The 32 Heinkels, with crews, were on loan for free from the Spanish Air Force, where they still were used for transport and target towing. Two of them were eventually bought by the production company and flown together with the 17 Messerschmitts to England for further shooting. The two Junkers 52 were also on loan from the Spanish Air Force.


    According to the book written about the making of the movie the production crew used more ammunition (blanks of course) to film the movie - due to the fact that directors re-shoot scenes numerous times - than were actually used in the real battle.


    Adolf Galland, the Luftwaffe pilot who fought during Battle of Britain, who later became the youngest German general at the age of 29, was hired as a technical advisor.


    American special effects creator John P. Fulton was going to do the special effects for this film. However, he died in England before principal photography began.


    There were to have been scenes featuring Lord Beaverbrook. Alec Guinness was hired to play Lord Beaverbrook, but these scenes were cut from the script shortly before filming.


    Towards the end of the film, a British Spitfire flyer shoots down a German bomber, which then falls over central London before crashing into a railway station. This actually happened, (although the fighter used in the real incident was a Hurricane, not a Spitfire and the bomber was a Dornier Do17 rather than a Heinkel 111). The RAF pilot didn't shoot the bomber down, though; he had run out of ammo when he spotted the bomber apparently trying to attack Buckingham Palace. In desperation, he rammed the bomber, taking off the tailplane. The fuselage then crashed into Victoria Station. Incredibly, he managed to parachute to safety. His own plane rammed into the ground at 350 mph. It was buried so deep that the authorities just left it there. In May 2004 the former RAF pilot was on hand as the remains of his aircraft were unearthed to make way for a new water main. Remarkably, part of the incident was captured on film, the tailplane fluttering down and the fuselage section (minus the wings outboard of the engines, which were torn off by aerodynamic forces) plummeting towards the ground.


    Over 60% of RAF Fighter Command aircraft during the Battle of Britain were Hawker Hurricanes. Due to the lack of Hurricanes in flying condition when the movie was filmed, the bulk of the air-to-air combat scenes use the more famous (and better fighter) Supermarine Spitfire. During the actual battle, whenever possible squadrons flying the Spitfire would engage the German fighters escorting bomber formations while the lower-performance (but better gun platform) Hurricanes engaged the bombers. Shooting down German bombers was the critical key since the bombers were attacking RAF airfields in the first phase of the battle and cities after the Luftwaffe changed target priorities. The film accurately depicts the British need (and desire) to destroy bombers to protect their air defense infrastructure and later protect civilian targets. For similar reasons (the lack of working aircraft of the right type) Spitfires and Hurricanes are shown flying together in tactical formations whereas in reality RAF squadrons flew one or the other type of fighter exclusively. Due to different performance characteristics, the two aircraft would not fly and fight together.


    In the real Battle of Britain, there were other German airplanes used, mainly Messerschmitt 110 fighters, Dornier 17 bombers and Junkers 88 bombers. At the time of making the film, there were no flying examples of these aircraft.


    The Heinkel 111 bombers were in fact Spanish built CASA 2111 bombers, Heinkel 111 H constructed under license, but with Rolls-Royce Merlin engines and many other modifications. The Rolls engines were more powerful than the original Junkers Jumo and so the planes had more performance. In fact, all the real airplanes used on the film, except the Junkers Ju 52 (also Spanish built CASA 352) had British-built Rolls Royce Merlin engines.


    The Junkers 87 Stuka dive bombers used in the film are model airplanes filmed in Malta, the only ones not real (the Percival Prentice aircraft which had been modified to represent Junkers 87 aircraft were found to be too dangerous to use). Their dive-bombing technique is not very real: Stukas will usually dive to 60-90º and release their bombs while diving (not pulling up).


    When Air Vice Marshal Park first visits Squadron Leader Harvey, a double was used in place of Trevor Howard for the shot of him jumping out of the Hurricane because, as Guy Hamilton said, "You don't have elderly actors jumping out of elderly planes".


    The recently closed St Katherine's Dock was used for some of the bombing scenes, the site of the warehouse is now a hotel. At the time of the filming, only that dock had closed in London at the time of filming and had been badly damaged during the blitz.


    Most of the extras in the scenes filmed in East London and Aldwich underground station were survivors of the Blitz. Some of the extras pulled out because the scenes were "too real" and brought back painful memories.
    Link this trivia
    The scenes at Fighter Command were filmed on location at RAF Bentley Priory, the actual headquarters of Fighter Command during WW2. Air Chief Marshall Dowding's original office complete with the original furniture were used.


    Many mock-ups of Spitfires and Hurricanes were made in the months prior to filming. Some had lawn mower engines fitted and could be taxied around the airfield, but if they braked too hard they would flip up onto their nose. This happened several times in front of the cameras and some of the footage was eventually used in the film.


    A B-25 Mitchell bomber, owned and piloted by Jeff Hawke and his co-pilot Duane Egli, was converted into a camera plane. Cameras were fitted into the nose, tail, dorsal and belly turrets, the nose being fitted with an optically perfect dome. The plane was painted in many bright colors so it would look different from all angles and would be easily seen by other planes. It was nicknamed the "Psychedelic Monster". Eventually flown back to USA it sat derelict for many years in New Jersey before being restored back to flying condition in Florida. Flown in air shows for many years as "Chapter XI", referring to the high cost of flying, but later repainted as "Lucky Lady".


    The Spitfires, Hurricanes, Messerschmitts and Heinkels were repainted into authentic 1940 colors, but were so perfectly camouflaged that they could not be seen against the ground or sky. Most of the aerial scenes were filmed with cloud in the background so the aircraft could be seen.


    The white "smoke" from damaged engines was made by injecting cooking oil into the exhaust manifold.


    The scene of Göring accusing Kesselring of betrayal as his train departed was based on a real event. In the actual event Göring had left in such a hurry that electrical and telephone wires between train and the station building were left connected. These were broken and left trailing from the carriage when the train departed. Director Guy Hamilton had wanted to include this in the scene but thought it would look too comic.


    The character of Section Officer Maggie Harvey is based on Air Commodore Dame Felicity Peake, who was a young section officer at RAF Biggin Hill in 1940. The scene of Harvey being ordered to put her cigarette out, and Harvey yelling back Warrant Officer Warrick, was based on a real event.


    The character that Harry Andrews plays is called Senior Civil Servant in PR and cast lists. He is called Sir Austin Stokes in paperwork regarding the film production.


    The planes used as Bf 109s were actually Spanish Hispano HA-1112 Buchons. Basically a Bf 109 with a Rolls Royce Merlin engine, the nose of the plane looks completely different that of a German Bf 109.


    The Heinkel 111 as shown in the movie had only three 7.92 machine-guns total. To the rear, front and belly. A common criticism of the HE111 during the actual battle of Britain was that it was inadequately armed to deal with the enemy fighters. Later models added left and right machine-guns.


    Sir William Walton was first hired to write the score, which would have been his last. Because of his advanced age, he turned to friend Sir Malcolm Arnold for assistance with the orchestrations (which Arnold supplied, as well as writing additional cues). Producer Harry Saltzman rejected the score, stating it wasn't long enough. Ron Goodwin was hired to write a new score, but when told he would be replacing one of Walton's, his first reaction was, "Why?" Goodwin eventually wrote the replacement score, but Laurence Olivier threatened to have his name removed from the credits if none of Walton's original was used. For this reason, Walton's original music was kept for the "Battle in the Air" sequence towards the end of the film.


    Trevor Howard replaced Rex Harrison at the 11th hour.


    When Air Marshal Göring asks what the two German officers needed to win the battle, the second officer says, "A squadron of Spitfires." That scene was based on Adolf Galland's request to Hermann Göring during the actual event.


    Timothy Dalton auditioned for a minor part as an RAF pilot.


    During principle photography, the real Lord Hugh Dowding, ill and confined to a wheelchair, visited the set representing his office, and met Laurence Olivier who was portraying him in this film.


    The movie lost $10 million worldwide.


    This film became regarded as a patriotic tribute to "the few," that many of those involved in the production, actors and technicians, reduced their normal fees to work on this film. Much of the large budget went toward the acquisition, restoration, modification, maintenance and operation of the vintage aircraft.


    Isla Blair has said in interviews a huge chunk of her part was cut from the final print.


    Cuts turned Sarah Lawson's role into a non speaking one.


    Houses in Peckham Rye, South London, were used as some of the blitz scenes. These houses at the time were being cleared to make way for the North Peckham and Camden Estate housing projects that were completed during the 1970s. Many of the scenes were filmed in houses while they were being demolished.


    The Duxford Airfield, near Cambridge agreed for one of it's hangers to be destroyed for the film. The hanger in question was considered unsafe for preservation. The other three hangers are still intact and are used as an air museum.


    In the beginning of the movie there is a scene with a beach filled with abandoned equipment and weapons. This scene is meant to show the aftermath of the Allied retreat from Dunkirk and the French mainland.
    Link this trivia
    This film's closing epilogue is a famous quote from Winston Churchill. It states: "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few" Winston Spencer Churchill. In some versions of the movie, the quotation differs from the above mentioned and instead reads "This is not the end; it is not even the beginning of the end, but it may be the end of the beginning." Of course, this quote is also being attributed to "Winston Spencer Churchill".


    This film's dedication is in "In tribute to the Allied pilots
    who took part in the Battle of Britain."


    The closing credits cite the following statistics relating to the number of pilots / air force personnel (AFP) from various countries who took part in the Battle of Britain and the number from each country who were killed in action (KIA): American (AFP: 7; KIA: 1); Australian (AFP: 21; KIA: 14); Belgian (AFP: 26; KIA: 6); Canadian (AFP: 88; KIA: 20); Czech (AFP: 86; KIA: 8); Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy (AFP: 56; KIA: 9); Free French Forces (aka Forces Françaises Libres, FFL) (AFP: 13; KIA: 0); Irish (AFP: 8; KIA: 0); Israeli (AFP: 1; KIA: 0); New Zealander (AFP: 73; KIA: 11); Polish (AFP: 141; KIA: 29); R.A.F. (Royal Air Force) and other Commonwealth (AFP: 1822; KIA: 339); South African (AFP: 21; KIA; 9) and Southern Rhodesian (AFP: 2; KIA: 0). These figures total to 446 people killed in action (KIA) from 2365 pilots / air force personnel (AFP).


    The number of German losses (i.e. killed in action (KIA)) during the Battle of Britain are tabled during this movie's closing credits. Bomber Crews KIA: 1176; Stuka Crews KIA: 85; Fighter Bomber Crews KIA: 212; Fighter Pilots KIA: 171; Missing Crews, believed to be KIA: 1445. Therefore, according to this movie, German losses from the Battle of Britain amounted to 3089.


    The Jackdaw Inn, located in Denton near Canterbury, Kent, features in scenes based around the first on-screen meeting of Colin and Maggie Harvey - Christopher Plummer and Susannah York. It also serves to place the event in historical context of the story with a muster of the Local Defence Volunteers (LDV) outside.


    Actor W.G. Foxley, who plays Squadron Leader Evans, was an RAF navigator whose face and hands were badly burned attempting to rescue a fellow crew member after a bomber crash in 1944. Due to his injuries he lost and eye and several fingers, as well as his other facial injuries.


    This movie was made about twenty-six years after the Frank Capra Why We Fight documentary, The Battle of Britain (1943), considered to have the same or similar title to this movie. The slight difference in wording of the titles is that the later picture drops the definite article (i.e. the "the") in its title.


    Goofs
    * Anachronisms: As Andy and Skipper exit the white cottage, we see a modern-style plastic doorbell button, an up-and-over garage door and a 1960s exterior lamp.


    * Anachronisms: Set in 1940, the German army's convoy in Nazi-occupied France contains at least three Mack B-Series trucks, which were only built from 1952 to 1966. The Germans are also shown riding in US half-tracks.


    * Revealing mistakes: At the beginning of the film, an Me109 strafes a Hurricane. The 109 is over the Hurricane before the bullets strike the ground and airplane.


    * Factual errors: At the end of the movie a list showing all of the non-UK pilots flying for the RAF is shown. At the end of the list they mention one Israeli pilot flying for the RAF. Israel was not formed until 1947, and in fact the pilot in question was from British Mandated Palestine. The one Icelandic pilot flying for the RAF in the Battle of Britain is not mentioned, neither are the pilot from Egypt, one from Austria nor the two from Jamaica.


    * Revealing mistakes: Though tarmac runways at the bombed Duxford airfield show black areas, actual explosions take place on grass surfaces only. German bombs somehow 'skip' the tarmac runways.


    * Continuity: During the dogfight sequence when Canfield his shot down by German fighters, the shot of his aircraft exploding in mid air as it heading for the ground is not a Spitfire, but Canfield flies a Spitfire during the film and during this all important scene. He is seen taking off in one immediately prior to this sequence.


    * Continuity: Cockpit shots of the German bombers repeatedly show the same Heinkel pilot who dies two or three times.


    * Factual errors: When the Germans first start the daylight bombings of London, a group of boys is seen playing in the river. As the German bombers approach, two boys start to argue about the type of aircraft approaching. One boy says "Messerschimitt" and the other says "Heinkel". However, the subtitler translated it as "Iron Cross".


    * Revealing mistakes: In the scene of Heinkels taking off, you can clearly see the painted Spanish Air Force roundel on the upper surface of the wing, under the "German" paint scheme.


    * Anachronisms: Many of the female extras have 1960s hair styles.


    * Continuity: On "Eagle Day" the Germans begin their bombing raids and Air Vice Marshal Park orders the squadrons to scramble. The clock in the command center doesn't change, even though Park admits that several of the squadrons took "six or seven minutes," to scramble.


    * Factual errors: When Goering is being addressed, the English subtitles translate "Reichsmarschall" (Marshal of the Reich) as Vice Marshal.


    * Continuity: Harry Andrews' character is seen seated at his desk, wearing glasses, reading Dowding's letter to Churchill. As Dowding enters the room Andrews turns to speak to him and his glasses are now absent. The timing of the scene precludes him removing them as part of the action.


    * Miscellaneous: In the scene where Kenneth More is talking to Susannah York and the Germans start to bomb the airfield; the blast from the first bomb landing in the distance is heard at the same time as the blast occurs. Both actors react to the true sound seconds later, making them look rather slow on the uptake.


    * Miscellaneous: When Hitler is giving the speech about the bombing of London in retaliation of that of Berlin, he is incorrectly translated. He talks about 'kilograms' of bombs being dropped, the translation gives only 'number of bombs' and not the correct number at that.


    * Revealing mistakes: During scenes shot in the British cockpits it becomes obvious that many of the British aircraft have been painted on the inside of the cockpit canopies. All the real aircraft are seen to gently rise and drop through out the scene, but the aircraft painted on the canopies stay put in their positions. Sometimes a distant aircraft will partially overlay the closer real aircraft.


    * Factual errors: The cast credits are stated to be in alphabetical order and are actually presented in three groups in alphabetical order within each group, but in the second group the name John Baskcomb is mis-alphabetized, and so is Alf Jungermann in the third group.


    * Factual errors: In scenes within Bentley Priory, the map of London shows the GLC boundary as it would have been after 1967 and not the LCC boundary as it was in 1940.


    * Revealing mistakes: When the character "Jamie" dismounts from his Hurricane at the beginning of the film, the head of the actual pilot he was sitting in front of is visible moving around.


    * Crew or equipment visible: During the Stuka raid on the radar stations, the guidance wires are clearly visible as on Stuka that crashes into the ground.


    * Factual errors: The subtitles on the screen incorrectly translate a German fighter pilot as saying, "Indiana break left." What he actually says is "Indians, break left," Indians being common Luftwaffe fighter code for enemy aircraft.


    * Continuity: When the German convoy is headed toward the Channel, we see the barges numbered #123 and #237; these barges pass in front of the camera three times.


    * Factual errors: In the attack from Norway, when the lead aircraft is attacked head on, it's clear that the camera viewpoint - supposedly that of the German pilot being attacked - is turning with the fighters as the Spitfires are maintaining a steady distance and the background sky is moving, rather than closing fast with a steady background as would be the case with a real head-on attack.


    * Revealing mistakes: A Spitfire gets bombed during a take off run and crashes into a truck which explodes. The stuntman who runs away from the truck can clearly be seen waiting for his cue to start running. Audible aircraft tire squealing is heard on a grass field. The truck also explodes just before the Spitfire actually hits it.


    * Revealing mistakes: (At 01:30) A Polish flight of Hurricanes is flying in formation with Messerschmitt 109s (the 109s at the rear). The 109s can be easily distinguished from the Hurricanes by their tailplane struts.


    * Anachronisms: After the blitz, a car is seen driving around a side street. On this street is a concrete lamp post. That particular design of post did not appear until the 1950s as did the sodium bulbs


    * Anachronisms: The white cottage has a modern, 1960s, wooden door.


    * Anachronisms: In one airfield bombing scene, a Land Rover is seen driving on the airfield. The first Land Rovers did not go into production until 1948.


    * Continuity: When Dowding is walking down the long hallway on his way to meet with the Permanent Secretary of State for Air there, is a voice-over of him reading his letter arguing against sending more fighters to provide air support for the Battle of France. At the conclusion he properly states his name: H.C.T. (Hugh Caswall Tremenheere) Dowding. But when the camera shows the letter the signature is H.B.T. Dowding, not H.C.T.


    * Anachronisms: At the beginning of the final battle sequence the contrail of a jet airliner at high altitude can clearly be seen.


    Filming Locations
    Bentley Priory, Middlesex, England, UK (Nr Stanmore)
    Dragon Road, Camberwell, London, England, UK
    El Corporo air base, Sevilla, Andalucía, Spain
    France
    Huelva's beach, Huelva, Andalucía, Spain
    North Weald Aerodrome, North Weald, Essex, England, UK
    Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK (studio)
    RAF Duxford, Duxford, Cambridgeshire, England, UK
    RAF Hawkinge, Hawkinge, Kent, England, UK
    San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, País Vasco, Spain
    St Katharine's Dock, Wapping, London, England, UK
    Tablada air base, Tablada, Sevilla, Andalucía, Spain
    The Jackdaw Pub, Denton, Barham, Kent, England, UK (Nr Hawkinge)


    Memorable Quotes

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

    Edited 3 times, last by ethanedwards ().

  • Battle of Britain is a 1969 British Second World War film directed by Guy Hamilton,
    and produced by Harry Saltzman and S. Benjamin Fisz.
    The film broadly relates the events of the Battle of Britain.
    The script by James Kennaway and Wilfred Greatorex was based on the book
    The Narrow Margin by Derek Wood and Derek Dempster.


    The film endeavoured to be an accurate account of the Battle of Britain,
    when in the summer and autumn of 1940 the British RAF inflicted a strategic defeat
    on the Luftwaffe and so ensured the cancellation of Operation Sea Lion –
    Adolf Hitler's plan to invade Britain.
    The film is notable for its spectacular flying sequences,
    in contrast with the unsatisfactory model work seen in Angels One Five (1952)
    and on a far grander scale than had been seen on film before;
    these made the film's production very expensive.


    One to add to the classics.
    I thought this an excellent film.
    An enormous amount of effort was put into making this movie,
    as realistic and hopefully as factual as possible.
    Some of the finest British, and German actors
    put credible performances into this production



    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

    Edited 3 times, last by ethanedwards ().

  • Hi

    I must admit it is one of my favourite war films with an excellent cast. I can imagine why it was not popular however as many people overseas would not believe that it actually happened.
    As was shown on the day that we shot down so many German bombers that even the politicians didn't believe it.

    Regards

    Arthur

    Walk Tall - Talk Low

  • I haven't heard of this movie before, but it sounds EXCELLENT! Having been reading about that time period with my children in their history studies, I'm even more interested in seeing it. Britain was a formidable foe, to be sure!!

    Mrs. C :angel1:



    Chester, if you want to see it, it's very easy to find. It's on DVD and should be available in any store.

    Also, the part about the British fighter ramming the German bomber, then falling to earth and being buried for years under a London street. I saw the program they made about that. It was on either The History Channel or The Military Channel and it was quite interesting watching them unearth it. And I think the excavators were totally taken by surprise by the find. But, as they brought it up, they had the pilot there and all the people who were gathered around were really thrilled to meet a real hero.

  • Hi All,
    The aircraft that you were thinking about was actually discovered by underground search radar. The place of impact was sealed off for a weekend so that it could be excavated. It wasn't far from Victoria Station. On another note, Duncan Lamont became a school teacher before he took up acting and actually taught at a school I attended, Oxford Gardens Primary, in London. A lot of the area that was depicted in the East End was literally nothing but bomb sites into the 1960's. We were bombed out twice where we lived. We played on these sites for quite q while until the local "Bobby" turned up and chased us away.
    Redcap

    RACMP - For the troops With the troops

  • This week marks the 70th.aniversary of The Battle Of Britain,
    so a good time to feature some great British war movies.


    Battle of Britain was a superb war movie featuring a star studded
    array of top British, Commenwealth and European actors.
    It was notable for its time for the portrayal of the Germans
    by subtitled German-speaking actors.


    From Wikipedia


    Here is the true story of the
    Battle Of Britain

    Best Wishes
    Keith
    London- England

  • Cheers Keith, this is another Brit favorite of mine. I love it when ""Goring"" asks a German Squadron Leader what can he get for them? and his reply was: "A squadron of Spitfires" which was actualy said by the officer im speaking of.

    Es Ist Verboten Mit Gefangenen In Einzelhaft Zu Sprechen..

  • Thank you Keith, your a god send and work miracles and I cant give you enouygh thanks to show my gratitude for your help. ;-))

    Take care and will start seeeing you all as often as possible till after the New Year. Im doing some volunteering for the Salvation Army wanting to give back somehting this year ;-))

    Es Ist Verboten Mit Gefangenen In Einzelhaft Zu Sprechen..