United Artists. Director Guy Hamilton; Producer Harry Saltzman, S. Benjamin Fisz; Screenplay James Kennaway, Wilfred Greatorex; Camera Freddie Young; Music Ron Goodwin, William Walton; Art Director Maurice Carter
Laurence Olivier
Trevor Howard
Michael Caine
Ralph Richardson
Susannah York
Michael Redgrave
Battle sequences in the air are splendidly conceived and sweepingly dramatic, though sometimes repetitious.
The $12 million-plus film strikes a happy medium between action and human interest. Stressed admirably are the strained headaches of the RAF top brass as they tackled the perilous problems. The battle fatigue, the difference of opinion on tactics, the shortage of planes and pilots, and the dreadful anxiety of time running out are all revealed.
Standouts among the stars are Laurence Olivier as Sir Hugh Dowding, Fighter Command's supremo, and Trevor Howard as the tight-lipped, dedicated Air Vice-Marshall Keith Park.
Some of the star names are woefully wasted, notably Michael Caine, Patrick Wymark and Kenneth More, all playing routine parts.
(Color) Widescreen. Available on VHS, DVD. Extract of a review from 1969. Running time: 133 MIN.
Contact Variety Staff at
news@variety.com