The Battle of Britain (1969)
As I’ve said before, by the time the 1960s rolled around, WWII movies had to be exceptional. The genre had been mastered twenty years earlier, so what else was left to be said or shown? I appreciated the work that went into The Battle of Britain, but it was quite slow. I didn’t find myself rooting for any of the characters, and I didn’t pick up on the “Dear God, we might lose the war” feeling that most authentic WWII films captured. In fact, it didn’t really feel like a WWII movie. It could have been about any number of wars, as long as the costumes were changed.
If you like the cast, though, you might enjoy this one. Christopher Plummer and Susannah York play a married couple both serving the Commonwealth (he’s Canadian). They see each other when they can, but it’s not always full of “this could be the end” kisses and declarations of love. Michael Caine and Robert Shaw play squadron leaders in the RAF as they prepare for a large-scale attack after Dunkirk. Laurence Olivier is the head honcho who plans everything out. Countless other English actors flocked to be a part of this Richard Attenborough war drama, including Kenneth More, Trevor Howard, Harry Andrews, Michael Redgrave, Ian Richardson, and Ian McShane. On the German side, Curd Jurgens had to swallow his distaste for the Nazi Party and portray Baron von Richter. Couldn’t Hollywood take pity on these German refugees instead of stuffing them in Nazi uniforms as often as possible? I guess not.
The flight scenes are really spectacular, and if you find aerial sequences exciting, you might really like this movie. I’m more riveted by ground action, but it’s all a matter of taste. I’m sure there are lots of people who list The Battle of Britain as one of the best WWII movies ever made. You can give it a chance, but if you’re not swept up in it by the first half hour, the next two hours probably won’t grab you.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. Some of the flight scenes have a swooping or swerving camera, and that will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Ric Vani" for posting!
More Curd Jurgens movies here!
More Susannah York movies here!
If you like the cast, though, you might enjoy this one. Christopher Plummer and Susannah York play a married couple both serving the Commonwealth (he’s Canadian). They see each other when they can, but it’s not always full of “this could be the end” kisses and declarations of love. Michael Caine and Robert Shaw play squadron leaders in the RAF as they prepare for a large-scale attack after Dunkirk. Laurence Olivier is the head honcho who plans everything out. Countless other English actors flocked to be a part of this Richard Attenborough war drama, including Kenneth More, Trevor Howard, Harry Andrews, Michael Redgrave, Ian Richardson, and Ian McShane. On the German side, Curd Jurgens had to swallow his distaste for the Nazi Party and portray Baron von Richter. Couldn’t Hollywood take pity on these German refugees instead of stuffing them in Nazi uniforms as often as possible? I guess not.
The flight scenes are really spectacular, and if you find aerial sequences exciting, you might really like this movie. I’m more riveted by ground action, but it’s all a matter of taste. I’m sure there are lots of people who list The Battle of Britain as one of the best WWII movies ever made. You can give it a chance, but if you’re not swept up in it by the first half hour, the next two hours probably won’t grab you.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. Some of the flight scenes have a swooping or swerving camera, and that will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Ric Vani" for posting!
More Curd Jurgens movies here!
More Susannah York movies here!