Spitfire

Original title: The First of the Few

1942
S
1h 58m

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

2.2K

YOUR RATING

Aircraft designer/patriot R. J. Mitchell, alarmed at growing German militarism, works to perfect a defense against the German Messerschmidt at the cost of his health.

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6 Photos

Adventure Biography Drama

Aircraft designer/patriot R. J. Mitchell, alarmed at growing German militarism, works to perfect a defense against the German Messerschmidt at the cost of his health.Aircraft designer/patriot R. J. Mitchell, alarmed at growing German militarism, works to perfect a defense against the German Messerschmidt at the cost of his health.Aircraft designer/patriot R. J. Mitchell, alarmed at growing German militarism, works to perfect a defense against the German Messerschmidt at the cost of his health.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

2.2K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Videos1

Trailer 3:09

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Photos6

David Niven and Leslie Howard in Spitfire (1942)

Leslie Howard and Rosamund John in Spitfire (1942)

Leslie Howard and Anne Firth in Spitfire (1942)

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
In the film Leslie Howard's Mitchell says he wants his new fighter to be "a bird that breathes fire and spits out death and destruction--a 'spitfire' bird", giving the aircraft its name. In reality, when RJ Mitchell was told the name the RAF had given to his design, he is supposed to have said, "That's the sort of bloody silly name they WOULD choose!"

Goofs
The Rolls Royce Merlin engine is not named after the character from the King Arthur legends. Rolls Royce named some of its engines after birds of prey, such as Merlin, Peregrine, Kestrel, Goshawk.

Quotes
Geoffrey Crisp: Mitch, what do really think I can get out of her?
Reginald J. Mitchell: Oh, two eighty five.
Geoffrey Crisp: [astonished] Two eighty-five? Mitch, this is 1927, not 1977!

Crazy credits
Opening credits prologue: Zero Day September 15th, 1940

Alternate versions
DVD version has a scene involving the British Schneider team visiting Italy for the flying competition. Scene involves Crisp 'chatting up' an Italian lady in a gondola.

Connections
Featured in Leslie Howard: The Man Who Gave a Damn (2016)

Soundtracks
Giovinezza
(uncredited)
Music by Giuseppe Blanc
Arranged by Roy Douglas

User reviews42

Review

Featured review

9/10

The first of the few

My father was one of the fighter pilots featured in this film (speaking part and "action " shots ) This film was part of his "war" ,if you like. To me ,this film represents the very best of British cinematography of its day and genre.I have some "stills " of the film and also quite a few w action shots (no pun intended !)on the open air set at RAF Ibsley in 1942. The soundtrack on most broadcast copies is rather poor,but the quality of the music score is beyond question.The composer ,william Walton was commissioned at the time but his music was not thought particularly noteworthy .It was not until the 1960's his music was accredited rightly in my view as a work of sheer brilliance. I agree with everything anthony Inglis has said in his commentary

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