The Dam Busters (1955)
If you aren't into WWII movies you might think this isn't your thing, but think twice. Or read on. Because this is a drama about problem solving, and it's set in WWII which makes the stakes very high. The acting is so good, and the direction so competent, the plot takes on relevance even for those who don't know a Lancaster from a B-52. I certainly don't. Or didn't.
A Lancaster, for starters, is a big four engine plane that comes into use here to drop a bomb. You'll see right off that the plot here is about a British scientist designing a new way to drop bombs against three German hydroelectric dams. The flight sequences in the movie are extensive (and expensive--the planes had to be pulled out of storage), but they're fun, too, mainly because of this bouncing bomb being developed. It seems crazy, and crazy smart.
The wikipedia entry for the film has a list of all the influences this movie has had on later films (from Star Wars to Pink Floyd's "The Wall") and you might check that out. Or just start here by seeing the movie. The leading actors are quite convincing, from the scientist who has the idea to the pilots who run the mission. There is no German presence here at all, so it's not a war movie like that. It's about ingenuity and problem-solving, and if that sounds dull, it's not.
There is a little controversy about the black dogged named, I guess for historical accuracy, the N word, which in this context is pretty empty of meaning, especially in Britain. At least I don't sense the issue as a racist one. But a heads up for the sensitive. I'm with the growing tide that likes the way the word is gradually becoming diffused by a kind of deliberate overuse, largely in Black American communities, and so maybe the controversy will die away over time. Either way, the version on Netflix is the original 1955 American release and it includes the original language. There are a couple of recent dubbed releases that change the dog's name, and that's probably fine, too.
This standard American release of the film actually differed just slightly from the original British release in having one extra scene added--of a plane veering into the hills and blowing up. I think the British were going for a steady almost deadpan (dare I say British) sensibility with an eye for accuracy, while the American studio releasing the film (it's a Paramount production) thought it needed a touch of excitement. And you know what? They were right. It's a perfect small bit of drama that doesn't tamper a bit with the general flow.
Anyway, a character driven, clever movie that makes you admire the Allies. I'm sure there are German films that do the same for the Germans, but there is still a tinge of patriotism in me, I guess, because I was glad whenever the Brits succeeded.
If you aren't into WWII movies you might think this isn't your thing, but think twice. Or read on. Because this is a drama about problem solving, and it's set in WWII which makes the stakes very high. The acting is so good, and the direction so competent, the plot takes on relevance even for those who don't know a Lancaster from a B-52. I certainly don't. Or didn't.
A Lancaster, for starters, is a big four engine plane that comes into use here to drop a bomb. You'll see right off that the plot here is about a British scientist designing a new way to drop bombs against three German hydroelectric dams. The flight sequences in the movie are extensive (and expensive--the planes had to be pulled out of storage), but they're fun, too, mainly because of this bouncing bomb being developed. It seems crazy, and crazy smart.
The wikipedia entry for the film has a list of all the influences this movie has had on later films (from Star Wars to Pink Floyd's "The Wall") and you might check that out. Or just start here by seeing the movie. The leading actors are quite convincing, from the scientist who has the idea to the pilots who run the mission. There is no German presence here at all, so it's not a war movie like that. It's about ingenuity and problem-solving, and if that sounds dull, it's not.
There is a little controversy about the black dogged named, I guess for historical accuracy, the N word, which in this context is pretty empty of meaning, especially in Britain. At least I don't sense the issue as a racist one. But a heads up for the sensitive. I'm with the growing tide that likes the way the word is gradually becoming diffused by a kind of deliberate overuse, largely in Black American communities, and so maybe the controversy will die away over time. Either way, the version on Netflix is the original 1955 American release and it includes the original language. There are a couple of recent dubbed releases that change the dog's name, and that's probably fine, too.
This standard American release of the film actually differed just slightly from the original British release in having one extra scene added--of a plane veering into the hills and blowing up. I think the British were going for a steady almost deadpan (dare I say British) sensibility with an eye for accuracy, while the American studio releasing the film (it's a Paramount production) thought it needed a touch of excitement. And you know what? They were right. It's a perfect small bit of drama that doesn't tamper a bit with the general flow.
Anyway, a character driven, clever movie that makes you admire the Allies. I'm sure there are German films that do the same for the Germans, but there is still a tinge of patriotism in me, I guess, because I was glad whenever the Brits succeeded.