The Dam Busters (1955)

Director:

Michael Anderson

Writers:

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

Release Date:

16 July 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | War

Tagline:

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

Plot:

True story of how the British attacked German dams in WW2 by using an ingenious technique to drop bombs where they would be most effective.

Plot Keywords:

Bomb | Flood | Bomber | Dam | Scientist

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 nominations

Cast

Michael Redgrave	...	Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S.
Ursula Jeans	...	Mrs. Wallis
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
Patrick Barr	...	Captain Joseph (Mutt) Summers, C.B.E.
Edwin Styles	...	Observer at Trials
Hugh Moxey	...	Observer at Trials
Anthony Shaw	...	R.A.F. Officer at Trials
Basil Sydney	...	Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Harris (now Marshal of the Royal Air Force) G.C.B., O.B.E., A.F.C.
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.
Laurence Naismith	...	Farmer
Harold Siddons	...	Group Signals Officer
Frank Phillips	...	B.B.C. Announcer
Richard Todd	...	Wing Commander Guy Gibson, V.C., D.S.O., D.F.C.
Brewster Mason	...	Flt / Lt. R. D. Trevor-Roper, D.F.C., D.F.M.
Tony Doonan	...	Flt / Lt. R. E. G. Hutchison, D.F.C. (as Anthony Doonan)
Nigel Stock	...	Flying / Off. F. M. Spafford, D.F.C., D.F.M.
Brian Nissen	...	Flt / Lt. A. T. Taerum, D.F.C.
Robert Shaw	...	Flt / Sgt. J. Pulford, D.F.M.
Peter Assinder	...	Plt / Off. G. A. Deering, D.F.C.
Richard Leech	...	Squadron Leader H. M. Young, D.F.C.
Richard Thorp	...	Squadron Leader H. E. Maudslay, D.F.C.
John Fraser	...	Flight Lieutenant J. V. Hopgood, D.F.C.
David Morrell	...	Flight Lieutenant W. Astell, D.F.C.
Bill Kerr	...	Flight Lieutenant H. B. Martin, D.S.O., D.F.C., A.F.C. (now Wing Commander)
George Baker	...	Flight Lieutenant D. J. H. Maltby, D.S.O., D.F.C.
Ronald Wilson	...	Flight Lieutenant D. J. Shannon, D.S.O., D.F.C.
Denys Graham	...	Flying Officer L. G. Knight, D.S.O.
Basil Appleby	...	Flight Lieutenant R. C. Hay, D.F.C.
Tim Turner	...	Flight Lieutenant J. F. Leggo, D.F.C.
Ewen Solon	...	Flight Sergeant G. E. Powell
Harold Goodwin	...	Wing Comdr. Gibson's Batman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Breslin	...	Crew member (uncredited)
Edward Cast	...	Crew Member (uncredited)
Richard Coleman	...	RAF Officer (uncredited)
Peter Diamond	...	Tail Gunner (uncredited)
Gerald Harper	...	Mocking RAF Officer (uncredited)
Arthur Howard	...	RAF Pay Clerk In NAAFI (uncredited)
Lloyd Lamble	...	Collins (uncredited)
Philip Latham	...	Flight Sergeant (uncredited)
Patrick McGoohan	...	Guard on Door (uncredited)
Jack McNaughton	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Nina Parry	...	Barnes Wallace's Daughter (uncredited)
Edwin Richfield	...	RAF Officer (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Anderson

Writing credits
Paul Brickhill		(book)
Guy Gibson		(based on Wing Comdr. Gibson's own account in "Enemy Coast Ahead") (as Wing Comdr. Gibson)
R.C. Sherriff		(screenplay)

Original Music by
Leighton Lucas		(music score)

Cinematography by
Erwin Hillier		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Richard Best

Casting by
Robert Lennard
G.B. Walker		(as G. B. Walker)

Art Direction by
Robert Jones

Makeup Department
Hilda Fox	....	hairdresser (as Hilda Winifred Fox)
Stuart Freeborn	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Gordon Scott	....	production manager
W.A. Whittaker	....	production supervisor (as W. A. Whittaker)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Street	....	assistant director
Frederic Goode	....	assistant director: location (uncredited)
Jeremy Summers	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Bill Beavis	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Peter Glazier	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Wallis Smith	....	draughtsman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Leslie Hammond	....	sound recordist
Harold V. King	....	recording director (as H. V. King)
Arthur Southgate	....	dubbing editor
Eric Bayman	....	boom operator (uncredited)
H. Blackmore	....	dubbing crew (uncredited)
Len Shilton	....	dubbing crew (uncredited)
Hugh Strain	....	assistant boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
George Blackwell	....	special effects
Gilbert Taylor	....	special effects photography

Visual Effects by
Ronnie Wass	....	optical effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Erwin Hillier	....	aerial photography
Norman Warwick	....	camera operator
Steve Birtles	....	electrician (uncredited)
Bob Penn	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Kelvin Pike	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Kelvin Pike	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Ronnie Pilgrim	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Val Stewart	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
Brian West	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Tony White	....	focus puller: second unit (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Philip Barnikel	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Joan Warwick	....	assembly cutter (uncredited)

Music Department
Louis Levy	....	musical director

Transportation Department
Eddie Frewin	....	unit driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Robert Clark	....	director in charge of production
Thelma Orr	....	continuity
J.N.H. Whitworth	....	technical adviser (as Group Captain J. N. H. Whitworth D.S.O. D.F.C.)

Production Companies

• Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC) (presents) (as Associated British Picture Corporation Limited)

Distributors

• Associated British-Pathé (1954) (worldwide) (theatrical) (distributed throughout the World by) (as Associated British-Pathe Ltd.)
• Warner Bros (1955) (USA) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Congress Video Group (????) (USA) (VHS)
• MediaOutlet.com (????) (USA) (DVD)
• StudioCanal (2013) (Germany) (DVD)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1988) (UK) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (????) (UK) (DVD)

Other Companies

• A.V. Roe Ltd.  the producers wish to acknowledge also the valuable help received from (as Messrs. A.V. Roe & Co. Ltd.)
• Air Ministry, The  the producers wish to acknowledge the extensive facilities accorded by (as the Air Ministry)
• Associated British Studio Orchestra  music score performed by (as The Associated British Studio Orchestra)
• Members of 617 Squadron  they wish also to record their appreciation of the approval willingly given to the telling of this story by all those represented in it and by the next of kin of, who, from this or later operations, did not return (as the many members of 617 Squadron)
• Members of the Royal Air Force  the producers wish to acknowledge the extensive facilities accorded by (as members of the Royal Air Force)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

124 min | USA:105 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | UK:U | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:L | Australia:G (DVD rating) | Norway:12 | USA:Approved (PCA #17528)

Filming Locations:

Associated British Elstree Studios, Shenley Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC)

Trivia:

To avoid unwanted reflections, in numerous scenes, the actors have the lenses removed from their goggles and replaced with blank card. In the "this is bloody dangerous!" scene, it is very noticeable on the bomb aimer's goggles.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The Castle above the Eder-Dam is shown on the southern-side of the lake. In reality, this castle is on the northern side.

Quotes:

Flight Lt. H.B. Martin, DSO, DFC, AFC:[looks out cockpit canopy at the Moehne as the attack formation arrives, and flak starts coming up] There it is, boys. Bit aggressive, aren't they? Someone's woken them up. What do you think about it, Bob?
Flight Lt. R.C. Hay, DFC:My goodness. It's... It's big, isn't it? Can we really break *that*?

Movie Connections:

Edited into Attack on the Iron Coast (1968)

Soundtrack:

The Dam Busters

Don't forget Star Wars!

I plowed through the most recent 5 user reviews of this movie, burrowing past the recitations of historical minutiae and the quibbles about its 50 year old (un)special effects, and thought to myself that everyone missed the point.

Yes, the effects are crude -- the film was made in 19-fricking-54, people! Yes, it gets some of the historical details wrong -- it's entertainment, people! The real point is that it's a fantastic yarn, told with great skill and excitement. When I first saw it (as a teen, before Star Wars) I was glued to the screen. I still am today. And evidently, I'm not alone because in 1977 a certain geeky film maker from Northern California stole a large portion of Dam Busters, mixed in a heapin' helpin' of Hidden Fortress, and peppered it all with a dash of Laurel & Hardy & Flash Gordon, calling it Star Wars.

So I'm giving props where props are due. Don't miss this classic.