Two of my all time heroes in one film. Two of my favourite actors. And the greatest title tune ever. We have been spoiled by 'The Dam Busters' the best war film ever made and I mean EVER. 'Saving Private Ryan'? No heart. Some people boringly evaluate films according to the sensitivities of today, and not when the film was made. Who cares about the dog's name? These men in Bomber Command were fighting real racial genocide and paying with their lives. God save us from such a thing happening again.
Barnes Wallis was such a brilliant chap, and Redgrave does him so well. He was actually working right up to his death at 90, he apparently designed a better plane than Concorde but the Government turned it down, surprise. And 'Gibbo' Guy Gibson, of course Richard Todd has only ever acted one way, but he is SO right in this film. Everything works. The cast are brilliant. Apart from the dodgy explosions the effects stand up very well. It is beautifully written.Gibson's simple line 'I have some letters to write' at the end says all that needs to be said without self indulgent emoting. People mistakenly confuse wearing your heart on your sleeve with 'caring'. I would sit these people down in front of The Dam Busters.' As the lessons of history are forgotten, as history is despised and untaught in schools, the statue of the Bomber Command chief Arthur Harris is defaced in London, a city that bore the brunt of German bombs unflinchingly, this film stands as a gleaming reminder of the time when we knew what we were fighting was right, and that we were the vanguard for Christian civilisation. That makes this classic film as much of an historical document as any of the greatest treasures of mankind. It has those messages and they are chrystal clear. And for that reason alone I might agree with a previous contributor and call it the greatest film ever made. The happiest of happy accidents. They could never make it again.
The tears run down my cheeks every time I see it. No 'love' story can do that. A wonderful, wonderful film.
Barnes Wallis was such a brilliant chap, and Redgrave does him so well. He was actually working right up to his death at 90, he apparently designed a better plane than Concorde but the Government turned it down, surprise. And 'Gibbo' Guy Gibson, of course Richard Todd has only ever acted one way, but he is SO right in this film. Everything works. The cast are brilliant. Apart from the dodgy explosions the effects stand up very well. It is beautifully written.Gibson's simple line 'I have some letters to write' at the end says all that needs to be said without self indulgent emoting. People mistakenly confuse wearing your heart on your sleeve with 'caring'. I would sit these people down in front of The Dam Busters.' As the lessons of history are forgotten, as history is despised and untaught in schools, the statue of the Bomber Command chief Arthur Harris is defaced in London, a city that bore the brunt of German bombs unflinchingly, this film stands as a gleaming reminder of the time when we knew what we were fighting was right, and that we were the vanguard for Christian civilisation. That makes this classic film as much of an historical document as any of the greatest treasures of mankind. It has those messages and they are chrystal clear. And for that reason alone I might agree with a previous contributor and call it the greatest film ever made. The happiest of happy accidents. They could never make it again.
The tears run down my cheeks every time I see it. No 'love' story can do that. A wonderful, wonderful film.