From director Lewis Gilbert (Alife, You Only Live Twice, Educating Rita), I had seen bits and pieces of this British war film from clips shown on two countdown shows, so I was certainly interested. Based on the true story, it is 1928, where the young and hyperactive Douglas Bader (BAFTA nominated Kenneth More) is joining as a cadet for the Royal Air Force of Cranwell, where despite not caring for rules he succeeds in training and is posted to No. 23 squadron at Kenley. Next he starts learning how to fly a plane, and has a very promising few turns, but then in 1931 he makes a wrong move and ends up accidentally crashing his plane and is in a near-death state, and unfortunately he has both his legs amputated. During recovery Douglas starts learning how to use a new pair of artificial legs, first wooden and straight, and then ones that can bend, and during this he meets and often goes out with Thelma Edwards (Muriel Pavlow), who he later marries. He is frustrated that he cannot find a job back in the RAF as a pilot, he would be forced to work behind the desk, so while he tries to get back into the sky he works for Shell Oil. World War II begins and Douglas does manage to talk himself back into being a pilot for the RAF again, taking part in the Battle of Britain, being made commander for a squadron of mostly Canadian men. Then his plane is shot down, but he managed to parachute to safety, only to be taken as a POW (prisoner of war), and after managing to escape a few times he ends up in Colditz Castle, and the Nazis threaten to take his legs away if he keeps trying. In the end, Douglas, after being released, succeeds in taking down many enemy planes, and the film ends in 1945 when he leads a team of pilots for a celebratory flyover. Also starring Lyndon Brook as Johnny Sanderson, Lee Patterson as Stan Turner, Alexander Knox as Mr. Joyce, BAFTA nominated Dorothy Alison as Nurse Sally Brace, Michael Warre as Harry Day, Sydney Tafler as Robert Desoutter, Howard Marion-Crawford as 'Woody' Woodhall, Jack Watling as Peel, Nigel Green as Streatfield, Anne Leon as Sister Thornhill and Batman's Michael Gough as Flying Instructor Pearson. More creates a very amicable character, the most interesting scenes are him learning to walk, but the flying scenes and occasional battles are good viewing too, it is a film that makes you proud to be British, a most watchable Second World War biographical drama. It won the BAFTA for Best British Film, and it was nominated for Best British Screenplay and Best Film from any Source. It was number 78 on The Ultimate Film, and it was number 59 on The 100 Greatest War Films. Very good!
Review of Reach for the Sky
