BATTLE OF BRITAIN
UK, 1969, 131 Minutes, Colour.
Laurence Olivier, Robert Shaw, Christopher Plummer, Susannah York, Ian McShane?, Michael Caine, Kenneth More, Trevor Howard, Patrick Wymark, Ralph Richardson, Michael Redgrave, Harry Andrews, Curt Jurgens, Nigel Patrick.
Directed by Guy Hamilton.
Battle of Britain is a spectacular attempt to remember the past, the heroism that invasion demands. A nation needs to remember its past and its capability of high morale to give it hope for the present. Battle of Britain is not jingoistic (it generally gives the Germans their due), but it is a proud morale booster and quite enjoyable as such. It might have been (and perhaps it really thinks it is) a national epic. The multi-starred cast does not get all that much opportunity to delineate strong characters. However the aerial sequences are quite moving, especially the presentation of aerial ballet to the music of Vaughan Williams.
1. The overall impact and success of this film? Its ambitions, big budget, stars, re-creation of the Battle of Britain, the presentation of the air battles? Audience expectations and fulfilment?
2. 1969 as the time for this tribute? The memory of those involved? The memories of patriotism and survival? The impact of the battle on a new generation?
3. The use of Panavision, colour, the world of the airfields and the pilots, the air? London during the Blitz, the officialdom during the war? The documentary style of so many of the sequences? An atmosphere, authenticity?
4. The importance of the battle and the musical ballet of the planes, the orchestrated music?
5. The presentation of English control of the war, Dowding and his burden, his character, the motivation for his decisions? His conscientiousness in assessing the situation? The various personnel involved in the control, their personalities, the work that they did, detail, suspense during the battle and the confrontation with the Luftwaffe?
6. The contrast with the fliers and their world, the details of life at the airfields, tiredness, youth, the details of battle, death and injury, the raids? The characters of Andy, Archie, Canfield and his command, the various authority figures? Skipper and his contribution?
7. How well did the film focus on the Harveys? Their different involvements in the war, their love for one another? Harvey and his being burnt, Maggie and her work in the war?
8. The presentation of the Germans, especially with Von Richter and negotiations? David Kelly and his negotiations?
9. The presentation of the Germans, their hopes, the German planes, the officials at the edge of France looking over the planes going, coming back?
10. How convincing was the presentation of the ordinary people during the Blitz, their suffering, the impact of death?
11. What was achieved in this re-creation of a particular crisis for Britain?
12. How convincingly did the film present values of patriotism, heroics, war, survival?
