MEMPHIS BELLE
UK, 1990, 107 minutes, Colour.
Matthew Modine, Eric Stoltz, Tate Donovan, D.B. Sweeney, Billy Zane, Sean Astin, Harry Connick Jr, Reed Diamond, John Lithgow, Jane Horrocks, David Strathairn.
Directed by Michael Caton Jones.
Memphis Belle was produced by David Putnam (Chariots of Fire, The Killing Fields. The Mission. It is set in 1943 and is a memoir of American flyers in Britain in the air conflicts of World War II. It is a tribute to all flyers.
The film uses the styles and even the familiar conventions of the World War II air films. The film focuses on the Memphis Belle (a significant bomber, the subject of a documentary by renowned director William Wyler during the war). It shows the crew of the Memphis Belle in their last of 25 missions. A competent group of young actors portray the crew - led by Matthew Modine (Full Metal Jacket, Birdie), Eric Stoltz (Mask, Some Kind of Wonderful) D. B. Sweeney, Billy Zane. John Lithgow has a significant guest role as the PR officer whose task it is to promote the crew of the Memphis Belle for raising consciousness of the War in the U.S. The film, like many of the war stories, focuses on one particular group, one particular mission and invites the audience to get to know the men, experience the danger of the situation, experience the combat and the mental and moral crisis. To this extent, the film involves its audience more and more as it progresses.
The stunt work and special effects are excellent for portraying the aerial combat. The film was directed by Michael Caton Jones, director of the 1989 film about the Profumo scandal, Scandal.
1. The impact of the film as a memoir, a tribute? A 1990 film remembering half a century earlier?
2. The English locations and countryside, the 40s? The world of the skies? Stunt work, special effects? The musical score, contemporary songs, the use of Danny Boy?
3. The title, the plane. its history, Dennis Dearbon and his naming the plane, what it stood for? (And its place in cinema history with William Wyler's film?)
4. The introduction with the voice over giving the background of the crew, their American backgrounds, variety, age, experience and lack of experience, the missions they had flown on and their war experience, the blend of the heroic and the ordinary?
5. The Public Relations officer and his trying to drum up interest and enthusiasm? His clash with the commander? Heroism and ordinariness? Interviewing each of the officers, the photos? The party and his faux pas in wanting three cheers? His organizing the welcome home party, the clash with the commander, the commander getting him to read the responses in the letters of parents and family of the dead men? (And the use of authentic footage for the background for the reading of these letters?) His anxiety waiting for the Memphis Belle to return, his organizing photos at the end?
6. Britain in the 40s, the war, American allies, the British welcoming the Americans? The celebrations - the party, the singer, the girl and her flirting with the men, bored with Rascal, interested in Virgil, the episode in the cockpit of the plane? The helping of the old farmer with his plough? The dangers of the war, the battles over Wester Europe, the bombings of Germany and Bremen? Against the Nazis? A united cause?
7. The waiting for the planes to come back, the last plane in, explosion on the ground? Dismay, fear? The camaraderie between the men, the barracks, the dance, each of their experiences - Rascal and his flirting, Virgil and the sexual encounter? Phil and his drinking and despair, Dennis talking to the plane?
8. The film showing only one mission, the audience getting to know each of the crew, sharing their experience, isolation with their positions in the plane, responsibility, guns, flying, navigation? Fear, action? Quick thinking? Wounding, suffering? Heroics?
9. The day of the mission, getting up, breakfast, Phil and his illness? The briefing? Getting ready, the men acting like kids? Danny and his poetry? Phil asleep? Luke and his bargain with Clay to go into the rear gunners area? The impact of Dennis' poetry and its themes of life and death, the war, the future?
10. The experience of the mission, flying the plane, the various tasks, mucking around? Under attack, the danger, the planes in the sky, the shooting, the flack? Planes shot down, exploding, crashing into one another? The rookies plane? Luke and his highflying, wanting to go and shoot, shooting and the plane crashing into the rookies? Danny and his photos? Rascal in the bombing turret, the gun getting stuck, his fear, being dragged out? The dropping of the bombs and Vail trying to see clearly? Phil and his fear, the navigation? Giving away his things?
11. Gene and Jack and the clash with the note on the back, the St. Anthony medal? The dropping of the bombs? The taking over leadership of the fleet? The engine on fire and the steep dive, recovering equally grim? Getting the wheels down? Dennis, his background in-furniture, the title of the plane? Serious, ordering everybody about, talking affectionately to the plane, drinking soup, keeping calm, his commands, the decision about the second run, following Luke's advice for the dive? The men thinking he was too strict?
12. Luke as the surfer, wanting to shoot, not prepared to trade his dog? His highflying talk? Going to the back, shooting, his dismay at the accident? Going back to the cockpit, obeying Dennis, the idea for the dive to extinguish the fire?
13. Phil and his fears, drinking, pessimism, ill, his work as a navigator, giving his things away, wanting the bombs dropped at any cost? Forcing Val to help Danny, the question of ejecting Danny? His energy in getting the wheels down?
14. Jack and Gene, sparing together, St. Anthony medal, Jack's wound, his harmonica broken, clashes, friendship?
15. Clay, his background in the brothel in New Orleans, singing at the dance, Danny Boy? In the turret, the model plane, letting Luke shoot? Kissing the ground at the end?
16. Danny, the Irish background, poetry, cheering up the rookies? Taking photos? Not worrying about the future? His grief for the rookies, wounded? Surviving?
17. Rascal and Virgil, their clashes, Rascal thinking he was sexy, the girl bored with him, his clashes with Virgil, in the gunner turret, afraid, being pulled out? Virgil and his seriousness, his plans for the fast food outlets? His meeting with the girl? Clashes with Rascal, efficient work on the plane, getting the wheels down, the danger of falling to the ground?
18. Val and his pretending to be a doctor, suave style? Helping Phil, accuracy for the dropping of the bombs, the truth about his background? His decision to eject Danny, helping him stay alive?
19. The young men, their lack of experience, one day's work and its effect on them and their maturity? Letting off steam? Hopes for the future, their decisions about their life after the war?
20. The overall effect of the film for the audience, sharing the experience, understanding the air battles of World War II? Themes of war? Anti-war? The important role of the isolated commander, concern about the men, writing the letters, listening to the voices of family and the horror of war?
