Battle of Britain ** (1969, Michael Caine, Trevor Howard, Harry Andrews, Laurence Olivier, Robert Shaw, Christopher Plummer, Kenneth More, Susannah York) – Classic Movie Review 7706

Director Guy Hamilton’s 1969 Battle of Britain is a well-meaning and respectful but insufficiently exciting all-star extravaganza made to mark the 30th anniversary of the 1940 aerial attack on England. However this historical re-enactment is a painstaking, reverential labour of love by all concerned.

Battle of Britain is given takeoff by few excellent star cameos (especially from Laurence Olivier as Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding, Trevor Howard as Air Vice Marshal Keith Park, and Kenneth More as Group Captain Baker), the gripping close-quarter contact between fighter aircraft and some stirring patriotic moments.

But, out and out the best things about it are the thrilling aerial photography and the rousing William Walton- Ron Goodwin music score. Unfortunately the screenplay by James Kennaway, Wilfred Greatorex and S Benjamin Fisz, based on the book by Derek Dempster and Derek Wood, just has not got the strength to do justice to these great events.

Battle of Britain was a bit out of its time in 1969 and seemed old fashioned in the Swinging Sixties era. The public did not really want to know, it was costly at $17,000,000, and it lost money.

It stars Laurence Olivier, Robert Shaw, Michael Caine, Christopher Plummer, Kenneth More, Susannah York, Trevor Howard, Ralph Richardson, Nigel Patrick, Edward Fox, Robert Flemyng, Patrick Wymark, Michael Redgrave, Curt Jurgens, Barry Foster, Harry Andrews, Michael Bates, Isla Blair, Duncan Lamont, Sarah Lawson, Jack Gwillim, James Cosmo, Anthony Nichols and Nicholas Pennell.

Battle of Britain is directed by Guy Hamilton, runs 132 minutes, is made by Spitfire Productions, released by United Artists, is written by James Kennaway, Wilfred Greatorex and S Benjamin Fisz, based on the book by Derek Dempster and Derek Wood, is shot in Technicolor by Freddie Young and Bob Huke, is produced by Harry Saltzman and S Benjamin Fisz, is scored by William Walton and Ron Goodwin, and is designed by Sydney Streeter.

It is the film debut of Scots actor James Cosmo.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7706

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