The Dam Busters (1955)

The story of how the British attacked German dams in WWII by using an ingenious technique to drop bombs where they would be most effective.

Director:

Michael Anderson

Writers:

Paul Brickhill (book), Guy Gibson (based on Wing Comdr. Gibson's own account in "Enemy Coast Ahead") (as Wing Comdr. Gibson)

Stars:

Richard Todd, Michael Redgrave, Ursula Jeans

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Todd	...	Wing Commander Guy Gibson, V.C., D.S.O., D.F.C.
Michael Redgrave	...	Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S.
Ursula Jeans	...	Mrs. Wallis
Basil Sydney	...	Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Harris (now Marshal of the Royal Air Force) G.C.B., O.B.E., A.F.C.
Patrick Barr	...	Captain Joseph (Mutt) Summers, C.B.E.
Ernest Clark	...	Air Vice-Marshal The Hon. Ralph Cochrane (now Air Chief Marshal) G.B.E., K.C.B., A.F.C.
Derek Farr	...	Group Captain J. N. H. Whitworth, D.S.O., D.F.C.
Charles Carson	...	Doctor
Stanley Van Beers	...	Sir David Pye, C.B., F.R.S.
Colin Tapley	...	Doctor W. H. Glanville, C.B., C.B.E.
Frederick Leister	...	Committee Member
Eric Messiter	...	Committee Member
Laidman Browne	...	Committee Member
Raymond Huntley	...	Official, National Physical Laboratory
Hugh Manning	...	Official, Ministry of Aircraft Production

Storyline

The British are desperate to shorten the length of WW2 and propose a daring raid to smash Germany's industrial heart. At first the objective looks impossible until a British scientist invents an ingenious weapon capable of destroying the planned target.

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Plot Keywords:

risk | year 1943 | bouncing bomb | air crew | elite team | 

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Taglines:

The dramatic true-life story of the men who broke the Nazis' back!

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Genres:

Drama | History | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 July 1955 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Dambusters

Filming Locations:

RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

124 min

Sound Mix:

Mono Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The dog used in filming to play the part of Nigger was also called Nigger.

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Goofs

After the first failure of the full size test bomb, Guy Gibson, Bob Hay and Barnes Wallis are saying goodbye to each other. Bob Hay's mouth moves but what he says to Barnes Wallis is not heard. (at around 25 mins)

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Quotes

Flight Lt. A.T. Taerum, DFC: [Taerum consults his charts] Skipper, groundspeed two-zero-three. We'll be there in one hour and ten minutes. We'll be over the Dutch coast in two minutes.
Flying Officer F.M. Spafford, DFC, DFM: [Sees Dutch coast approaching] There it is now. Stand by front-gunner, we're going over.

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Connections

Referenced in Waterscope '43 '22 '15 (2012)

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Soundtracks

The Dam Busters
March
by Eric Coates

User Reviews

Tally-Ho!(etc.)

By God, this is as definitive as a war film gets. It's on every year, and is as much a part of Christmas as getting drunk and Monopoly. Everyone in this Sceptred isle knows the theme to Dam Busters, and it causes more people to stand up and salute than God Save The Queen. It has moustachioed R.A.F boys, politely bespectacled scientists, laughable special effects, and an entirely predictable ending. It's a British institution, and I don't know where we'd be without it. You can keep your devolution and your New Labour, I've got Dam Busters and I'm not bloody budging.