For Those in Peril **** (1944, David Farrar, Ralph Michael, Robert Wyndham) – Classic Movie Review 9577

Charles Crichton directs Ealing Studios’ painstaking 1944 patriotic toast to the World War Two wartime RAF Air and Sea Rescue teams For Those in Peril, as disillusioned officer P / O Rawlings (Ralph Michael), who wanted to be in the Air Force, joins Flight Lieutenant Murray (David Farrar)’s unit and shows his courage and worth as he heads a mission to save a boat from mines.

This tense, credible war movie is carefully made by director Crichton in a convincing realist style that tells us a lot about attitudes and forgotten facts about the dark and dangerous time.

For Those in Peril is full of persuasive, stalwart turns from British troupers such as David Farrar, Ralph Michael and John Slater.

Also in the cast are Robert Wyndham, John Batten, Robert Griffith, Peter Arne, James Robertson Justice, Anthony Bushell, Tony Bazell, Leslie Clarke, Lyn Evans, David Wallbridge and William Rodwell.

For Those in Peril is directed by Charles Crichton, runs 77 minutes, is made by Ealing Studios, is released by Ealing Distribution (1944) (UK), is written by Harry Watt, J O C Orton and T E B Clarke, based on a short story by Richard Hillary, is shot in black and white by Douglas Slocombe and Ernest Palmer, is produced by Michael Balcon and S C Balcon (associate producer), is scored by Gordon Jacob and is designed by Duncan Sutherland.

The characters portrayed are fictitious, but the events are based on facts. It is a British picture recorded by Ealing Studios, Ealing, London.

Story writer Flight Lieutenant Richard Hillary was a Spitfire pilot during the Battle of Britain. He was shot down in 1940 but bailed out with bad burns and was rescued by the Margate lifeboat. He was killed in an airplane accident in 1943, aged 23, when his Bristol Blenheim crashed during a training exercise.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9577

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