7.0/10
17,062
141 user 34 critic

Battle of Britain (1969)

In 1940, the British Royal Air Force fights a desperate battle to prevent the Luftwaffe from gaining air superiority over the English Channel as a prelude to a possible Axis invasion of the UK.

Director:

Writers:

(screenplay), (screenplay) | 2 more credits »
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Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win. See more awards »
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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Senior Civil Servant
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Baron von Richter (as Curt Jurgens)
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Group Capt. Baker
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Group Capt. Hope
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Air Vice Marshal Evill
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Patrick Wymark ...
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Warrant Officer Warwick

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Storyline

Historical reenactment of the air war in the early days of World War Two for control of the skies over Britain as the new Luftwaffe and the Royal Air Force determine whether or not an invasion can take place. Written by John Vogel <[email protected]>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Genres:

Action | Drama | History | War

Certificate:

See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

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Details

Country:

Language:

| | |

Release Date:

16 September 1969 (UK)  »

Also Known As:

Slaget om England  »

Box Office

Budget:

$17,000,000 (estimated)
 »

Company Credits

Production Co:

 »
Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

(35 mm prints)| (70 mm prints) (French release)

Color:

(Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

In the event of an invasion, Winston Churchill was going to release hundreds of tons of deadly chemicals, including anthrax, which he had obtained from the United States. Mustard gas and phosgene were to be used to help repel an invasion, and Churchill also intended to deploy it against German cities if the UK was invaded. See more »

Goofs

The bombsight on the German 'Heinkel' is misrepresented. The open sights with the wire crosshairs shown were indeed used for rough aiming to steer the aircraft towards the target. But once over the target the bombardier switches to a regular monocular optical bombsight located in a compartment underneath the open sights. In the movie the bombardier dropped his bombs using the open sight. See more »

Quotes

Squadron Leader Skipper: How many time have I told you - never fly straight and level for more than 30 seconds in a combat area!
[pauses]
Squadron Leader Skipper: You call your wife?
[Andy shakes his head slightly]
Squadron Leader Skipper: All right, boy! Get in!
[cocks his head toward his small maroon Austin Ascot 12/6]
See more »

Connections

Referenced in Heartbeat: Say It with Flowers (2004) See more »

Soundtracks

Battle in the Air
Composed by William Walton (as Sir William Walton O.M.)
Conducted by Malcolm Arnold
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

Very good.
5 February 2002 | by (Chattanooga, TN) – See all my reviews

Never knew this movie existed until I happened upon it at the local video store. I decided to give it a chance. This movie can be compared to "Tora! Tora! Tora!" in that it gives one the factual perspective of the Battle of Britain and not some love story or "shoot'em up" action adventure set around the Battle of Britain. It is the absence of such elements that makes some viewers not enjoy this kind of film. However, if you are interested in seeing history played out on the screen, or are a history buff like me, you will enjoy this movie. The characters are not deep or complex and there is little character development, but in a movie like this, it is not necessary. There is a pretty useless subplot involving a man and his wife, but other than that, this film is not to be missed by those who enjoy WWII history.


39 of 42 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?

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