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Amazon.co.uk Review
Reach for the Sky was a box-office hit in 1956 and rightly remains a fondly regarded classic of British cinema. Kenneth More is ideally cast as Douglas Bader, the gifted pilot who loses both legs in a pre-war air crash, only to play a major role in the Battle of Britain, rise to the rank of Group Captain and become a war hero. Based on Paul Brickhill's biography, this is an "official" history maybe, but Lewis Gilbert's screenplay and direction are historically accurate and informed by that very British humour, of which More was a natural. The film is graced by a decent supporting cast and a typically "widescreen" score from John Addison.
On the DVD: Reach for the Sky is vividly reproduced in 16:9 anamorphic format and decent mono. There are subtitles for the hard of hearing and detailed biographies of More, Gilbert and Barder. The original theatrical trailer is included, but it would also have made sense to include an interview or documentary footage of Bader himself. --Richard Whitehouse
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This classic film tells Bader's tale. Kenneth More portrays Bader as a really nice guy, which is not really what the real Bader was like, but some artistic licence is forgivable in film. His relationship with Thelma is well depicted, as are the aerial combat scenes. One of the advantages of Black and White films is the ability to use actual WW11 combat footage. It certainly looks better than when special effects are used. All the flying scenes are great, except that the spitfires used are late marks, with the 'bubble' canopy. This is an annoying thing for air buffs like myself, but in this case we can forgive it, since the all round quality of the picture makes up for it.
I consider Bader's tale one of the most inspiring in history, and it is a story that will live on thanks to this film.
The later part of the movie includes some "good for the period" special effects of the Battle of Britian using a mix of real footage, model shots and actual combat footage. If you want to see Nicholson VC's actual footage of the wingless and tailess Dornier crashing onto Victoria Station after he rammed it in 1940 - it is included. Purists will spot the odd Spitfire being shot down by another Spitfire. Made with the co-operation of the RAF the Hurricanes were presumably dug out of mothballs as they had not flown in over 10 years when the movie was made. The Spitfires are post-war marks - presumably as they were easily available and jar the eye when flown in "1940". However if you don't care about this sort of nit-pick - it certainly doesn't detract from the movie.
The film also perpetuates and explains Bader's "Big Wing" tactic and his selling of it to Leigh-Mallory - commander of 12 Group. Post war analysis showed that the tactic was deeply flawed and led to overclaims and made the wings themselves subject to succesful attacks by the German defending forces through 1941. Indeed Bader is shot down during one of his own sweeps over France in 1941 - and his plane's end follows the view of the witnesses rather than his own rememberance of the event.
In the genre of 1950's war movies - this one stands above the crowd for its portrayal of Bader and is worth a look.
This film, like all war films of the immediate post war period, gains greatly by being able to use actual footage from the war interspersed with the actors. A stunning film portraying a true British hero.
kenneth more plays bader in his own way
actually fifties films were vehicles for glamour
only those with good looks could gain the... Read more
Bader was in reality brash and overconfident in his own abilities, wholly disliked... Read more
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