Battle of Britain
In 1940, the Royal Air Force fights a desperate battle against the might of the Luftwaffe for control of the skies over Britain, thus preventing an attempted Nazi invasion.
Director(s)
Guy Hamilton
David Bracknell
Derek Cracknell
Elaine Schreyeck
Vincent Winter
Dickie Bamber
Terence A. Clegg
Mike Gowans
Richard Jenkins
Garth Thomas
June Faithfull
Joan Kirk
Josephine Knowles
Where to watch
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Cast & crew
Christopher Plummer
Squadron Leader Colin Harvey
Michael Caine
Squadron Leader Canfield
George Roubicek
Sergeant Pilot - Falke's Crew (uncredited)
Nikki Van der Zyl
Dubbing (voice)
Robert Shaw
Squadron Leader Skipper
Paul Angelis
Albert (uncredited)
Guy Hamilton
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Elaine Schreyeck
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Fred Wood
Rescue Worker (uncredited)
Jack Gwillim
Senior Air Staff Officer
André Maranne
French NCO
Derek Cracknell
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Curd Jürgens
Baron von Richter
Harry Fielder
Soldier (uncredited)
Edward Fox
Pilot Officer Archie
David McKail
Lac Arnold (uncredited)
Hilary Minster
Pilot - Falke's Crew (uncredited)
Susannah York
Section Officer Maggie Harvey
Jim Dowdall
German Pilot (uncredited)
Trevor Howard
Air Vice Marshal Keith Park
Ian McShane
Sgt. Pilot Andy
Nick Tate
RAF Pilot (uncredited)
Pam Rose
WAF in the Plotting Room (uncredited)
Rosetta Tropea
Peasant Girl (uncredited)
Harry Andrews
Senior Civil Servant
Vincent Winter
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Duncan Lamont
Flight Sgt. Arthur
Alister Williamson
Air Raid Warden (uncredited)
John Tatham
Fighter Command Officer (uncredited)
Laurence Olivier
Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding
Pauline Chamberlain
Woman in Church Hall Shelter (uncredited)
James Cosmo
Jamie
Michael Redgrave
Air Vice Marshal Evill
Ernest Blyth
Civilian Watching German Bomber Crash (uncredited)
Anthony Nicholls
Minister
Reg Thomason
RAF Sergeant (uncredited)
John Savident
RAF Officer (uncredited)
Gareth Forwood
Alistair (uncredited)
Ralph Richardson
Sir David Kelly - British Minister to Switzerland
Maureen Lipman
Radar Operator (uncredited)
David Quilter
'A' Station Pilot (uncredited)
Michael Trubshawe
Air Observer (uncredited)
Barry Foster
Sqd. Leader Edwards
Michael Bates
Warrant Officer Warwick
Hugh Elton
Docker (uncredited)
Joseph Tregonino
Refugee (uncredited)
Paul Tropea
Peasant Boy (uncredited)
Frank Sussman
ADC in Intelligence Maps Office (uncredited)
Alexander Allerson
Maj. Brandt
Helmut Kircher
Boehm
Hugh Futcher
RAF Ground Crew (uncredited)
Fay Bura
Woman in Air Raid Shelter (uncredited)
David Bracknell
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Dickie Bamber
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Philip Stewart
Man in Air Raid Shelter (uncredited)
Basil Dignam
Tactical Records Officer (uncredited)
Hilda Barry
Old Lady (uncredited)
George Curtis
Man in Air Raid Shelter (uncredited)
Daniel Brown
Refugee (uncredited)
Jack Sharp
Old Man (uncredited)
Norman Morris
RAF Sergeant in Shelter (uncredited)
Terence A. Clegg
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Mary Burleigh
Minor Role (uncredited)
Rosalind Mendleson
Refugee (uncredited)
Kenneth More
Group Capt. Baker
Nigel Patrick
Group Capt. Hope
Patrick Wymark
Air Vice Marshal Trafford Leigh-Mallory
Robert Flemyng
Wing Cmdr. Willoughby
Isla Blair
Mrs. Andy
John Baskcomb
Farmer
Tom Chatto
Willoughby's Assistant Controller
W.G. Foxley
Squadron Leader Evans
David Griffin
Sgt. Pilot Chris
Myles Hoyle
Peter
Nicholas Pennell
Simon
Sarah Lawson
Skipper's Wife
Andrzej Scibor
Ox
Mark Malicz
Pasco
Jean Wladon
Jean Jacques
Wilfried von Aacken
Gen. Osterkamp
Reinhard Horras
Bruno
Karl-Otto Alberty
General Jeschonnek - Luftwaffe Chief of Staff
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
Rolf Stiefel
Adolf Hitler
Tony Allen
NCO in Plotting Room (uncredited)
Graham Armitage
Radar Officer (uncredited)
Kate Binchy
Grace (uncredited)
A. J. Brown
Air Observer (uncredited)
Bill Burns
RAF Officer (uncredited)
Massimo Ciprari
German Soldier (uncredited)
Günter Clemens
Pilot - Falke's Crew (uncredited)
John Comer
Policeman (uncredited)
Les Conrad
RAF Sergeant (uncredited)
Victor Croxford
Refugee (uncredited)
Eric Dodson
RAF Officer (uncredited)
Meriel Forbes
Undetermined Role (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)
Harald Meister
Pilot - Föhn's Crew (uncredited)
George Merritt
Civilian (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)
Clive Scott
'A' Station Pilot (uncredited)
Albert Shepherd
Soldier at Self-Propelled Gun (uncredited)
Sadie Slade
Radio Operator (uncredited)
Kathleen St John
Old Lady (uncredited)
Chris Tranchell
'A' Station Pilot (uncredited)
Alan Tucker
Charlie (uncredited)
Franz Van Norde
Pilot - Föhn's Crew (uncredited)
Mickey Varey
Rescue Worker (uncredited)
Dagobert Walter
Hans Falke (uncredited)
David Webb
RAF Officer (uncredited)
Peter Wesp
Pilot - Föhn's Crew (uncredited)
Mike Gowans
-
Richard Jenkins
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Garth Thomas
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June Faithfull
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Joan Kirk
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Josephine Knowles
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Details
Reviews
John Chard
Stirring chest beater for those prepared to indulge. You don't need me to give you a history lesson here, Battle Of Britain, much like 98% of all war movies is a glossed up extension of an historical event, if you want history then go read all the serious historian comments instead. Wanna read about a film? OK, Battle Of Britain is something of a frustrating love of mine, I'm not one to be over enthused as regards jingoistic fervour, but there are a handful of films that really have me pounding my chest like some flag waving King Kong clone, Battle Of Britain, in spite of the obvious flaws is one such film. The plus points will always outweigh the bad for me, as a top array of acting talent line up to tell the tale of the British Air Force fighting the good fight against the German Air Force for control of British air space - and thus stopping the Nazis from invading England on the south coast. It should be noted that the film gains extra credit for giving the due respect to the other European countries that also fought in the Battle for the skies in 1940. The aerial sequences are a delight, it's easy to see where the main portion of the budget went here, be it dogfights or squadrons looming ominously in the sky, the effects are never less than good, and some of the POV cockpit shots firmly have the blood pumping. The climatic battle (played out to an almost operatic score) is deftly shot and is a riveting reel of film that pays you back for having sat through one of the film's flaws, that of the sadly scripted moments of tedium. True enough to say that the film is a bit overlong, and whilst it's smart in portraying the reality of pilots under prepared, it just comes across as at times like boorish filler, while the inevitable love interest strand involving Susannah York is not only pointless, it's also bloody annoying. The score is hit and miss as well, at times Ron Goodwin & Henry Walton's music lights up the proceedings as the planes swoop and conquer, but does the operatic switch for the film's final battle enhance the picture? I would say no because the harshness of battle gives way to swan lake like indulgence, it's not for me I have to say. Still, I don't think anyone is proclaiming this as a masterpiece, it entertains far above average, and for this viewer at least, it makes me proud for a couple of hours at least. Lest we ever forget the real life heroes of The Battle of Britain. 7/10
CinemaSerf
It's 1940 and the ebullient Reichsmarschall (Hein Riess) arrives in his powder blue uniform to inspire his invincible Luftwaffe in their imminent reduction of the RAF to a pile of bombed out aerodromes and blazing aircraft. Across the channel, Sir Hugh Dowding (Sir Laurence Olivier) is trying to organise His Majesty's forces - outnumbered by something like four to one, to thwart that ambition. The next couple of hours demonstrate just how the British - helped by a disparate collection of dispossessed European allies from Poland, Czechoslovakia and France as well as many from Commonwealth nations fought the eponymous battle. Rather than just follow an historical chronology, though, the narrative uses the lives and loves of a series of characters - from both sides of the water - to illustrate the horrors of war, the strains on relationships and the strength of friendships and loyalty. We know what happened, so there's little jeopardy, but a combination of Ron Goodwin's scoring and some superb aerial photography help to elevate this above any accusations that it's a propagandist, even gloating, exercise. It's hard to imagine anyone being able to assemble quite the cast that Guy Hamilton has here and each familiar face plays a part in presenting this collage of stories and events the empowered the battle for the very survival of the nation against an enemy that was well equipped, disciplined and believed God was on it's side, too.
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