IMDb > Memphis Belle (1990)
Memphis Belle
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Memphis Belle (1990) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 27 | slideshow) Videos (see all 2)
Memphis Belle (1990) -- Open-ended Trailer from Warner Bros.
Memphis Belle (1990) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
6.7/10   8,464 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 12% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Writer (WGA):
Monte Merrick (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Memphis Belle on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
12 October 1990 (USA) more
Genre:
Plot:
The "Memphis Belle" is a World War II bomber, piloted by a young crew on dangerous bombing raids into Europe... more | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win & 2 nominations more
User Comments:
Bandit's At Five O'clock more (74 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Matthew Modine ... Capt. Dennis Dearborn

Eric Stoltz ... Sgt. Danny "Danny Boy" Daly
Tate Donovan ... 1st Lt. Luke Sinclair

D.B. Sweeney ... Lt. Phil Lowenthal

Billy Zane ... Lt. Val "Valentine" Kozlowski

Sean Astin ... Sgt. Richard "Rascal" Moore

Harry Connick Jr. ... Sgt. Clay Busby

Reed Diamond ... Sgt. Virgil Hoogesteger (as Reed Edward Diamond)

Courtney Gains ... Sgt. Eugene McVey
Neil Giuntoli ... Sgt. Jack Bocci

David Strathairn ... Col. Craig Harriman

John Lithgow ... Lt.Col. Bruce Derringer

Jane Horrocks ... Faith
Mac McDonald ... Les (as Mac Macdonald)
Jodie Wilson ... Singer
more
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Additional Details

Runtime:
107 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Black and White (archive footage) | Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.66 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)
Certification:
UK:12 (cinema release) | UK:PG (video rating) (cut) | Iceland:L | Norway:10 (theatrical rating) | Australia:M (original rating) | Australia:PG (cable rating) | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 | South Korea:15 (DVD rating) | Sweden:11 | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG
Company:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The top turret gunners of the real Memphis Belle were Leviticus "levy" Dillon, Eugene Adkins, and Harold Loch. more
Goofs:
Factual errors: When Danny is talking to the new Radio Operator from Mother and Country, Danny is a seasoned veteran with 3 stripes up and a rocker. This indicates hes a staff sergeant. The newbie has 3 up and 3 down indicating a master sergeant. This is highly unlikely given the newbies age and time in service. It is not likely that he would be outranking a veteran bomber crewman. more
Quotes:
[Rascal has just blown up a fighter]
Richard Rascal Moore: And your mother, too!
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Jeopardy!: (#22.40)" (2005) more
Soundtrack:
I Know Why (and So Do You) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
28 out of 36 people found the following comment useful.
Bandit's At Five O'clock, 29 September 2004
8/10
Author: sol1218 from brooklyn NY

True story of the valiant B-17 bomber "Memphis Belle's" 25th and last bombing run over the German port city of Bremen on May 17, 1943. Having flown 24 bombing missions over Nazi occupied Europe since it's first bombing run on November 7, 1942 over the city of Brest France this if successful, it's 25th bombing run, would be the planes and crews ticket out of WWII.

It had been determined by the US general staff that 25 bombing and combat missions over Europe were the limit that a bomber crew, in order to keep casualties down, can take before they start to fall apart from the stress and cease to be effective. The crew of the "Memphis Belle" are the first to almost reach that goal, 25 successful bombing missions.

The unbelievably ferocious German resistance from it vaunted Luftwaffa and ground anti-aircraft batteries over the skies of Europe cost the USAAF and RAF some 35,000 planes, fighters and bombers, and their crews, over 150,000 airmen, during the bombing of Germany and German controlled Europe from 1942 to 1945. Thats just how savage and bitter the fighting was for air supremacy over that war-torn continent.

Stirring story with fine performances from the "Memphis Belle's" Captain Dennis Dearborn, Matthew Modine, on down. As the legendary bomber weathers wave after wave of deadly German ME 109 Messershmitt fighter planes from the sky and massive and murderous German AK AK anti-aircraft fire from the ground. As the "Memphis Belle" flies over Bremen and drops it's bomb payload and then limps back to England. With it's crew battered and bloody but safe and alive to be the first bomber crew to survive 25 missions over German controlled Europe.

The spectacular air combat photography was the best I've ever seen in a war movie and the cast was on par with the "Memphis Belle" with no one outshining the others but all equal up to their task just like the famed bomber was.

Back on the ground there was another drama played out with officer Col. Harriman, David Strathaim, who sent out the "Memphis Belle" and the other 23 B-17's of his bomber squadron on their mission over Bremen Germany. Col. Harriman didn't go along with Col. Derringer, John Lithgow, the US public relation officer who seemed too eager to reward the "Memphis Belle" crew with honors and glory even before they successfully finished their 25th mission. Not realizing that he was making the bombers crew and Col. Harriman very nervous with his not understanding how dangerous their mission was and even possibly jinxing them.

Tense and terrific the movie has already become a war classic without the false heroics that was so common in war movies made during WWII by Hollywood in order to boost the US morale at home and on the battlefield. The crew of the "Memphis Belle" were just as normal and scared as anyone of us would be if we were in the same situation that they were in. But it was that very fear that brought the best in strength and courage out of them and made them the hero's that they eventually became.

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