I remember following news of the making of Battle of Britian, and as a 10 year old airplane nut and future pilot/flying fanatic, I was stunned at the hardware that was assembled for it. But somehow I never got around to seeing it until now.
One thing is certain: nothing like this will ever be filmed again. No one could assemble the vintage airplane fleet, get the necessary government permissions and most importantly, secure the insurance!
From the Brit point of view, this has to be a national historic treasure. Amateur historians can argue over the ultimate impact of the battle on the outcome of the war; they like that kind of misery. The bottom line is that the battle was an enormously important cultural event for the British people that still resonates today. The DVD is first-rate and I'm sure no one growing up in Britain will get to age 12 without seeing it.
Many reviewers have raved about the aerial sequences; the five minute, nearly dialog-free climactic battle scene is remarkable stuff. The film is also unflinching in its depiction of the sudden, yet horribly slow deaths many of the pilots suffered, making it an unusually honest war film for the 60's.
But...wherever we're on the ground, we're struggling to stay awake. With the possible exception of Robert Shaw, no one in the enormous A-list cast makes an impression that lasts longer than a few seconds. The entire Plummer/York marital conflict subplot is not only unnecessary, it's also half-formed and never resolves; it just vanishes near the end. The movie just vanishes at the end as well, but that's in keeping with history.
If you're looking for gripping drama, look elsewhere. But if you have an interest in the history or aviation in general, you must see this.
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