Reach for the Sky
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| Reach for the Sky | |
|---|---|
 Reach for the Sky DVD cover |
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| Directed by | Lewis Gilbert |
| Produced by | Daniel M. Angel |
| Written by | Paul Brickhill Lewis Gilbert Vernon Harris |
| Starring | Kenneth More Muriel Pavlow Lyndon Brook Lee Patterson Alexander Knox |
| Music by | John Addison |
| Cinematography | Jack Asher |
| Distributed by | Rank |
| Release date(s) |  10 July 1956 (London) 30 April 1957 (NYC) |
| Running time | 136 Minutes |
| IMDb profile | |
Reach for the Sky is a 1956 biopic of aviator Douglas Bader, based on the biography of the same name by Paul Brickhill. The film stars Kenneth More and was directed by Lewis Gilbert. It won the BAFTA Award for Best British Film of 1956.
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[edit] Plot
The film tells the story of Douglas Bader, a pilot who lost both legs in a flying accident in 1931. He persuaded the RAF to let him re-join the service at the start of the Second World War and fought in the Battle of Britain. He was taken prisoner in 1941 after being forced to bail out over France, and was later imprisoned in Colditz Castle. The film continues to his release in 1945 when Bader is again able to lead his men in a flypast commemorating the war's end.
[edit] Cast
As appearing in screen credits (main roles identified):
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Kenneth More | Douglas Bader |
| Muriel Pavlow | Thelma Bader |
| Lyndon Brook | Johnny Sanderson |
| Lee Patterson | Turner |
| Alexander Knox | Mr. Joyce |
| Dorothy Alison | Nurse Brace |
| Michael Warre | Harry Day |
| Sydney Tafler | Robert Desoutter |
| Howard Marion-Crawford | 'Woody' Woodhall |
| Jack Watling | Peel |
| Nigel Green | Streatfield |
| Anne Leon | Sister Thornhill |
| Charles Carson | Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding |
| Ronald Adam | Air Vice-Marshal Leigh-Mallory |
| Walter Hudd | Air Vice-Marshal Halahan |
| Basil Appleby | Crowley-Milling |
| Philip Stainton | Police Constable |
| Eddie Byrne | Flight Sergeant Mills |
| Beverley Brooks | Sally |
| Michael Ripper | Warrant Officer West |
| Derek Blomfield | Civilian Pilot |
| Avice Landone | Douglas Bader's Mother |
| Eric Pohlmann | Adjutant at Prison Camp (as Eric Pohlman) |
| Michael Gough | Flying Instructor Pearson |
A full cast and production crew list is too lengthy to include, see: IMDb profile. [1]
[edit] Production
In order to realistically depict the various Royal Air Force bases, principal filming took place in Surrey at RAF Kenley, and Bagshot. Studio work was completed at the Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK. Available wartime combat aircraft including Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire fighters were arranged to take on the aerial scenes.
[edit] Reception
The film fared well with the public, being the most popular film in the UK for 1956. When the film was released in North America, the American release version was slightly altered with 12 minutes edited out.
[edit] References
[edit] Notes
[edit] Bibliography
- Bader, Douglas. Fight for the Sky: The Story of the Spitfire and Hurricane. Ipswich, Suffolk, UK: W.S. Cowell Ltd., 2004. ISBN 0-304-35674-3.
- Brickhill, Paul. Reach for the Sky: The Story of Douglas Bader DSO, DFC. London: Odhams Press Ltd., 1954. ISBN 1-55750-222-6.
- Dolan, Edward F. Jr. Hollywood Goes to War. London: Bison Books, 1985. ISBN 0-86124-229-7.
- Hardwick, Jack and Schnepf, Ed. "A Buff's Guide to Aviation Movies". Air Progress Aviation Vol. 7, No. 1, Spring 1983.
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Richard III |
BAFTA Award for Best British Film 1957 |
Succeeded by The Bridge on the River Kwai |
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