A classic World War 2 film features stars two legends of the big screen, and is hailed for its “astonishing” dog fight sequences. Battle of Britain (1969) tells the story of real life campaign of the same name which took place between July 10 and October 31 1940, in which RAF fighter aces and Allied pilots faced down Adolf Hitler’s forces and British society pulled together amid brutal Nazi bombing missions.
Directed by iconic Bond director Guy Hamilton, the film features a huge and star-studded ensemble cast, including Michael Caine, and Laurence Olivier, two of the most celebrated actors ever. Other major stars in it include Robert Shaw, Christopher Plummer, Susannah York, and Ian McShane. The war epic showed the impact of the battle on all sections of society, from the civiliations sheltering from the shelling in the London Underground, to the highest levels of British command.
Olivier plays Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF, Fighter Command, in a brooding performance as the nation’s fate hangs in the balance.
The film is perhaps most celebrated for its extraordinary depiction of aerial battles between the British and German pilots.
One Audience Reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes wrote that the move is “worth seeing just for the incredible aircraft and dog fight scenes” describing it as a “Sunday afternoon WW2 classic”.
Another said it is “probably one of the most underrated war movies of all time”, adding that theat “depictions of the aerial battles are nicely done. The special effects are dated but that doesn’t stop this movie from being great”.
A third called it one of “the best World War II movies of all time”.
They also said it includes “one of the best war movie scores ever and it’s nearly as good as Patton”.
Some voiced frustration with the lack of character development, with so many stars introduced only to have limited screen time.
Legendary film critic Roger Ebert wasn’t enamoured with the film, saying: “There are so many characters we never get involved. We can’t even keep them straight.
“The writers never solved the problem of incorporating the top-heavy special effects into their thin little plot.”
However, fans suggested the battle scenes made up for short-comings in the overall narrative, and it remains a beloved classic of the genre.
The film has a 79% score on Rotten Tomatoes’ Popcornometer, (which reflects the percentage of users who rated it 3.5 stars or higher).
Battle of Britain is available to rent or buy or Sky Store.