Top 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsMost Popular Video GamesMost Popular Music VideosMost Popular Podcasts
    Release CalendarBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Reach for the Sky

  • 19561956
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 2h 3m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
2.8K
YOUR RATING
Kenneth More in Reach for the Sky (1956)
Biopic of RAF Group Captain Douglas Bader who, after having lost both legs, flew a British fighter plane during WW2.
Play trailer3:02
1 Video
99+ Photos
BiographyDramaWar
Biopic of RAF Group Captain Douglas Bader who, after having lost both legs, flew a British fighter plane during WWII.Biopic of RAF Group Captain Douglas Bader who, after having lost both legs, flew a British fighter plane during WWII.Biopic of RAF Group Captain Douglas Bader who, after having lost both legs, flew a British fighter plane during WWII.
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
2.8K
YOUR RATING
    • Lewis Gilbert
    • Paul Brickhill(book "The Story of Douglas Bader)
    • Lewis Gilbert(screenplay)
    • Vernon Harris(additional scenes)
  • Stars
    • Kenneth More
    • Muriel Pavlow
    • Lyndon Brook
    • Lewis Gilbert
    • Paul Brickhill(book "The Story of Douglas Bader)
    • Lewis Gilbert(screenplay)
    • Vernon Harris(additional scenes)
  • Stars
    • Kenneth More
    • Muriel Pavlow
    • Lyndon Brook
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 36User reviews
    • 5Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 BAFTA Award

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 3:02
    Watch Trailer

    Photos120

    Charles Carson in Reach for the Sky (1956)
    Russell Waters in Reach for the Sky (1956)
    Michael Warre in Reach for the Sky (1956)
    Eric Pohlmann in Reach for the Sky (1956)
    Kenneth More in Reach for the Sky (1956)
    Victor Beaumont and Kenneth More in Reach for the Sky (1956)
    Paul Carpenter in Reach for the Sky (1956)
    Philip Levene and Kenneth More in Reach for the Sky (1956)
    Ronald Adam in Reach for the Sky (1956)
    Howard Marion-Crawford and Kenneth More in Reach for the Sky (1956)
    Trevor Bannister in Reach for the Sky (1956)
    George Rose in Reach for the Sky (1956)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Kenneth More
    Kenneth More
    • Douglas Bader
    Muriel Pavlow
    Muriel Pavlow
    • Thelma Bader
    Lyndon Brook
    Lyndon Brook
    • Johnny Sanderson
    Lee Patterson
    Lee Patterson
    • Turner
    Alexander Knox
    Alexander Knox
    • Mr. Joyce
    Dorothy Alison
    Dorothy Alison
    • Nurse Brace
    Michael Warre
    • Harry Day
    Sydney Tafler
    Sydney Tafler
    • Robert Desoutter
    Howard Marion-Crawford
    Howard Marion-Crawford
    • 'Woody' Woodhall
    • (as Howard Marion Crawford)
    Jack Watling
    Jack Watling
    • Peel
    Nigel Green
    Nigel Green
    • Streatfield
    Anne Leon
    • Sister Thornhill
    Charles Carson
    Charles Carson
    • Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding
    Ronald Adam
    Ronald Adam
    • Air Vice-Marshal Leigh-Mallory
    Walter Hudd
    Walter Hudd
    • Air Vice-Marshal Halahan
    Basil Appleby
    • Crowley-Milling
    Philip Stainton
    • Police Constable
    Eddie Byrne
    Eddie Byrne
    • Flight Sergeant Mills
      • Lewis Gilbert
      • Paul Brickhill(book "The Story of Douglas Bader)
      • Lewis Gilbert(screenplay)
      • Vernon Harris(additional scenes)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    The Cruel Sea
    7.4
    The Cruel Sea
    The Dam Busters
    7.4
    The Dam Busters
    Sink the Bismarck!
    7.1
    Sink the Bismarck!
    The Colditz Story
    6.9
    The Colditz Story
    Above Us the Waves
    6.6
    Above Us the Waves
    Ice Cold in Alex
    7.7
    Ice Cold in Alex
    Pursuit of the Graf Spee
    6.6
    Pursuit of the Graf Spee
    Angels One Five
    6.4
    Angels One Five
    Hell, Heaven or Hoboken
    6.9
    Hell, Heaven or Hoboken
    Carve Her Name with Pride
    7.2
    Carve Her Name with Pride
    The Desert Rats
    6.7
    The Desert Rats
    Genevieve
    7.1
    Genevieve

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In the same year this film was released Douglas Bader caused great controversy with his racist remarks on the public statements of African Commonwealth nations in regard to the Suez Crisis. In response to some of the more recent Commonwealth countries criticizing white colonial rule and the Anglo-French invasion of Egypt, Bader said they could "bloody well climb back up their trees".
    • Goofs
      When Bader is demonstrating his ability to fly the Hurricane to his new squadron of Canadian pilots, there is a long cut of the plane flying upside-down in a straight line. This was impossible in the Hurricane, as it had a gravity-fed carburettor. If you look carefully at the clouds, and how the sunlight reflects from them, the image has clearly been inverted.
    • Quotes

      Bader: [Bader is at a sanatorium in recovery and listening to a fellow patient complain about pains to one of his legs] . Have it off, old boy, have it off.

    • Alternate versions
      Originally released in Great Britain at 135 minutes; cut by 12 minutes before the American premiere.
    • Connections
      Featured in Century of Cinema: Cinema of Unease: A Personal Journey by Sam Neill (1995)
    • Soundtracks
      Love Is the Sweetest Thing
      (uncredited)

      Written by Ray Noble

    User reviews36

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    Stirring stuff.
    'The channels are blocked? Then we'll ruddy well UNblock 'em!' This is the point in the film where I feel like cheering, as it perfectly sums up Bader's 'can do, will do' approach. It's the true story of Douglas Bader, a young flying enthusiast who went on to be a fearless WW2 Spitfire pilot, losing both legs in the process. His struggle to walk again, his courting of a pretty girl and his later formation of 'the big wing' in the fight against the Nazi invasion are laid out here with gusto, verve and a little humour. Kenneth More is excellent as Bader, using his natural, relaxed acting technique to give the part a free-wheeling energy. The very pretty Muriel Pavlow plays his wife who grows increasingly concerned at his derring-do, and there is a solid cast of British regulars of the time. The music is stirring, the direction brisk and the story itself is straight out of a Boys' Own comic. What more could you ask for? A perfect Sunday afternoon film.
    helpful•14
    1
    • g-hbe
    • Oct 16, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 27, 1956 (Ireland)
      • United Kingdom
      • English
      • French
      • German
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • RAF Kenley, Kenley, Surrey, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • The Rank Organisation
      • Angel Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 2 hours 3 minutes
      • Black and White

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Kenneth More in Reach for the Sky (1956)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Reach for the Sky (1956) officially released in India in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.