This beautifully filmed epic features British actors whose names only be mentioned by their last: Olivier, Redgrave, Richardson for the veterans; Caine and Plummer for newer stars. And they are just a few, the male stars, joined in by one lovely British beauty as well (Susannah York). it is historically a sequel to a film that was never made by this title, "Battle of France", mentioned in the lengthy prologue before the flashy credits roll by. Having taken a beating at Dunkirk, the British empire needs to re-group to become strong again to prevent London from being flattened and the rest of the country taken over. "Beware of the Hun in the Sun" is spoken during an officer's training course that utilizes British humour as a method of training. There are also scenes of women in training, with York particularly touching as she grieves over the covered bodies she comes upon after an air strike.
One thing that is amazing in this movie is that the scenes of the German soldiers has them speaking in their native language without the benefit of subtitles. Even then, it is easy to understand what is going on, and that creates a deeper sense of reality. The Germans, most of them young and very good looking, are made out to be more human here than practically any movie about World War II that I have ever seen. Many of the other movies have them as outwardly charming and polite, then angry and plotting once the unknowing enemy is out of the room. Here, it it obvious that these young man have been manipulated to really believe in what they are fighting for, as repulsive as it is in perspective. Often in movies about the war have them speaking perfect English without a trace of an accent unless it is British or very American. The fact that they are so well mannered and civilized in this movie makes their actions all the more shocking, and even sad as young lives are taken before they have the chance to be rehabillitated.
A scene hinting at the bombing of London is followed by the bombing of Berlin, and for once in a war movie, we get to see the crowded streets of the city before the raid occurs looking as if it was mid-town Manhattan on a hot summer night. This is followed by a scene in an enormous public place where Hitler is heard speaking, never seen except from long shots and from behind. This stadium is so enormous that is enough to make this be labeled as a horror film as close-ups of Gerrman residents (most frighteningly female "children of the fuhrer") are panned over. The music is strong throughout with German marches being joined with reprisals of "Berkeley Square" throughout. Subtle strains of music make the more emotional scenes quite unforgettable, particularly the scene of a British soldier who, after visiting his wife in a church basement where she works aiding air raid victims, tries to help a family stranded. and returns to the church to find that it has been bombed. There are a series of amusing results of what happens when pilots bail out of their hit planes, one crashing into a greenhouse, another landing in a hay field where the workers continued even though planes were attacking each other from above.
The photography is the star here with the stars reduced to cameos or supporting roles. No actor can command a leading part here, but the camera man can, and the outdoor vistas they provide are amazingly beautiful. The battle scenes, of various flight patterns of the hundreds of planes from both sides, are sophisticated and choreographed as if it was a ballet of aircraft. Even the explosions (of which there are many) are artistic in the way they land on the green vistas below. Art doesn't always have to be pleasant, and this makes no effort to hide the fact that war is hell, that people die in the most brutal of ways, and that the mission to protect British soil was as important to them as cultural cleansing was to the Nazi's. There is no shortage of blood in the battle scenes, just enough to show the impact of fighter planes being impailed by bullets. At just over two hours, this is a fascinating historical record given the lavish MGM treatment that would have made their old leader, Louis B. Mayer, very proud. My only compaint was the lack of intent, both sides simply fighting each other because a war was going on even though the audience knew in advance the main reasons for their conflicts. Key elements of what lead to the Nazi's going after the British was greatly needed to make this story complete.
One thing that is amazing in this movie is that the scenes of the German soldiers has them speaking in their native language without the benefit of subtitles. Even then, it is easy to understand what is going on, and that creates a deeper sense of reality. The Germans, most of them young and very good looking, are made out to be more human here than practically any movie about World War II that I have ever seen. Many of the other movies have them as outwardly charming and polite, then angry and plotting once the unknowing enemy is out of the room. Here, it it obvious that these young man have been manipulated to really believe in what they are fighting for, as repulsive as it is in perspective. Often in movies about the war have them speaking perfect English without a trace of an accent unless it is British or very American. The fact that they are so well mannered and civilized in this movie makes their actions all the more shocking, and even sad as young lives are taken before they have the chance to be rehabillitated.
A scene hinting at the bombing of London is followed by the bombing of Berlin, and for once in a war movie, we get to see the crowded streets of the city before the raid occurs looking as if it was mid-town Manhattan on a hot summer night. This is followed by a scene in an enormous public place where Hitler is heard speaking, never seen except from long shots and from behind. This stadium is so enormous that is enough to make this be labeled as a horror film as close-ups of Gerrman residents (most frighteningly female "children of the fuhrer") are panned over. The music is strong throughout with German marches being joined with reprisals of "Berkeley Square" throughout. Subtle strains of music make the more emotional scenes quite unforgettable, particularly the scene of a British soldier who, after visiting his wife in a church basement where she works aiding air raid victims, tries to help a family stranded. and returns to the church to find that it has been bombed. There are a series of amusing results of what happens when pilots bail out of their hit planes, one crashing into a greenhouse, another landing in a hay field where the workers continued even though planes were attacking each other from above.
The photography is the star here with the stars reduced to cameos or supporting roles. No actor can command a leading part here, but the camera man can, and the outdoor vistas they provide are amazingly beautiful. The battle scenes, of various flight patterns of the hundreds of planes from both sides, are sophisticated and choreographed as if it was a ballet of aircraft. Even the explosions (of which there are many) are artistic in the way they land on the green vistas below. Art doesn't always have to be pleasant, and this makes no effort to hide the fact that war is hell, that people die in the most brutal of ways, and that the mission to protect British soil was as important to them as cultural cleansing was to the Nazi's. There is no shortage of blood in the battle scenes, just enough to show the impact of fighter planes being impailed by bullets. At just over two hours, this is a fascinating historical record given the lavish MGM treatment that would have made their old leader, Louis B. Mayer, very proud. My only compaint was the lack of intent, both sides simply fighting each other because a war was going on even though the audience knew in advance the main reasons for their conflicts. Key elements of what lead to the Nazi's going after the British was greatly needed to make this story complete.