Battle of the V-1 *** (1958, Michael Rennie, Patricia Medina, David Knight, Esmond Knight, Christopher Lee, Carl Jaffe, Peter Madden) – Classic Movie Review 13,409

‘The TRUE story behind the attempt to destroy London!’ The 1958 British war film Battle of the V-1 is a lively adventure about World War Two Polish patriots Stefan (Michael Rennie) and Tadek (David Knight) targeting a Nazi rocket site.

‘The TRUE story behind the attempt to destroy London!’ ‘Tribute to the RAF and the gallant men and women who saved Britain!’  ‘They Saved London – A Tribute to the RAF and Polish Resistance’ ‘RAF Blasts Rocket Bases With 1,000 Bombers!’

Director Vernon Sewell’s significant 1958 British black and white war film Battle of the V-1 [Missiles from Hell] [Unseen Heroes] stars Michael Rennie, Patricia Medina, David Knight, Esmond Knight, Christopher Lee, Carl Jaffe, and Peter Madden.

Battle of the V1 is a lively, if cost-conscious Boy’s Own war adventure film about World War Two Polish patriots Stefan (Michael Rennie) and Tadek (David Knight) targeting a Nazi rocket site.

A Polish Resistance group discovers details of the manufacture of the German V-1 Flying Bomb at Peenemünde in 1943. They pass on information to convince London service chiefs to launch a bombing raid and steal a V-1 that lands in a field during testing and arrange for its transport back to the UK

A more lavish and ambitious production might be better, but, on the plus side, it is a bit different from the usual rut of World War Two movies, and lifted by its fascinating historical basis, the always interesting detail, and stalwart acting from the reliable cast.

The screenplay by Jack Hanley and Eryk Wlodek is based on the 1955 novel They Saved London by Bernard Newman.

The Peenemünde Army Research Centre was founded in 1937 as one of five military testing grounds under the German Army Weapons Office, developing several guided missiles and rockets, including the V-2.

Release date: 25 August 1958 (UK).

There are two versions: it either runs 104 minutes (UK) or 82 minutes (US). There are three versions now. It was shot in black and white but there is also a colorized version.

Sewell claimed his film ‘made a fortune’. That would be because it was one of the few internationally released British movies despite not being made at a big UK studio. Instead, it was made at Brighton Studios, Sussex, and at nearby Shoreham-on-Sea. The studio closed in the mid-1960s and the site became flats.

The opening credits clue us in: ‘Extract from Winston Churchill’s Parliamentary Statement, July 6th 1944. “During the early months of 1943 reports were received through many and varied Intelligence sources that the Germans were developing a weapon with which they proposed to bomb London”.’

And the closing narration takes us out: ‘The flying bomb attack on Britain began on June 13th, 1944. Well prepared plans were immediately put into operation. Of the 11,000 bombs launched, only 2,000 reached London. Had Hitler’s original plan been fulfilled London would without doubt been completely destroyed. Further, had the flying bomb campaign been launched six months earlier, well as General Eisenhower had written, our invasion of Europe would have proved difficult, if not impossible.’

The cast

The cast are Michael Rennie as Stefan, Patricia Medina as Zofia, Milly Vitale as Anna, David Knight as Tadek, Esmond Knight as Stricker, Christopher Lee as Brunner, John G Heller as Fritz, Carl Jaffe as General, Peter Madden as Stanislaw, George Pravda as Karewski, Gordon Sterne as Margraaf, Carl Duering as Scientist, Harold Siddons as Wing Commander Searby, George Pastell as Eryk, Henry Vidon as Konim, Jan Conrad as Wlodek, Tom Clegg as Anton, Geoffrey Chater as Minister of Defence, Julian Somers as Reichfuhrer, Gertan Klauber as SS Guard, Richard Pearson as Senior RAF Officer, Frank Thornton as British Scientist, and Patrick Waddington as Air Marshal.

Battle of the V-1 [Missiles from Hell] [Unseen Heroes] is directed by Vernon Sewell, runs 104 minutes (UK) or 82 minutes (US), is made by Criterion and John Bash Films Corporation, is released by Eros Films, is written by Jack Hanley and Eryk Wlodek, is shot in black and white by Basil Emmott, is produced by George Maynard, and is scored by Robert Sharples.

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,409

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