Battle of Britain

Amazon.com

There's something about this film that's so irresistible, despite its grandiose manipulation. Maybe because it recounts the greatest air battle in history, achieving the greatest aerial battle in film history. Maybe because it has such a terrific cast (Harry Andrews, Michael Caine, Trevor Howard, Curt Jurgens, Laurence Olivier, Nigel Patrick, Christopher Plummer, Michael Redgrave, Ralph Richardson, Robert Shaw, Patrick Wymark, and Edward Fox). Maybe because it's so technically well-made, thanks to the Bond team of producer Harry Saltzman and director Guy Hamilton and the great cinematographer Freddie Young. Or maybe because there is something truly riveting about watching the British kick the Nazis back to Germany. --Bill Desowitz

Description

Featuring a "big stellar cast" (Variety), including Michael Caine, Trevor Howard, Laurence Olivier, Christopher Plummer, Michael Redgrave, Robert Shaw, Susannah York and Edward Fox, Battle of Britain is a spectacular retelling of a true story that shows courage at its inspiring best. Few defining moments can change the outcome of war. But when the outnumbered Royal Air Force defied insurmountable odds in engaging the German Luftwaffe, it may well have altered the course of history!

Customer Reviews:

True to Life Depiction.......2007-08-13

This is one of the best World War II movies I have ever seen. In actuality, I bought it so I could do research for a WW II short story I'm writing for the Dance En L'Air anthology being released at the end of this year. I never planned on enjoying the movie as much as I did. As someone whose father served in WW II, it means a lot to have such a true depiction of the times.

An enduring version of a great tale.......2007-08-11

The Battle of Britain was one of the most pivotal historical events of the last century, when an outnumbered few held off the largest military juggernaut of the time. Being a serious history buff of the era, I believe this film captures the essentials in a very compelling way. One can always quibble over details, but the direction, acting, and action sequences are the best possible at the time of its production. Most compelling to me is Sir Laurence Olivier's riveting depiction of Air Chief Marshal Dowding, an ascetic stuffy personality that is credited with the grand air strategy that won the battle. No grandstanding here.. a very honest portrayal.

Where the film falls short is understandably in the effects department. The air combat sequences lack the kind of cohesive realism of later films, but the storytelling is solid and the musical score makes all the difference. In the hands of a Steven Spielberg with today's visual technology, the sequences would be far more compelling, but for the period, they were the best that one could expect.

In the making of the film, the limited ability of special effects at that time made the filmmakers crash and destroy numerous WW2 aircraft during production to achieve realism. Today, such aircraft are nearly priceless and noone would think of destroying any during the production of a film. The fate of numerous Heinkel 111's that met their end in crash sequences would never be repeated today. But even at the time of production, genuine ME-109E's of that period were unobtainable and the filmmakers had to rely on a fleet of Spanish post-WW2 109's for the sequences. Only a historical nitpicker would notice as I did, but in nearly every other historical respect, they got it right.

Being a fan of WW2 films, this is one of the best ever despite its age. Unlike most other WW2 films of the time, this one still sparkles through great acting and storytelling.

Great Piece of History.......2007-08-10

This movie is the true story of one of the turning points in world history. Outnumbered by at least four to one, RAF pilots from UK, the Commonwealth, USA, France,and Poland, volunteers to a man, took on the mighty undefeated Luftwaffe and fought them to a standstill.
As Churchill said at the start of the Battle of Britain "Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization......If we should fail, then the whole world will sink into the abyss of a New Dark Age!"
Apart from the emotional bit, it's a bloody good movie.
Buy it and enjoy

Decent movie for fans.......2007-08-02

I bought this DVD used for about $5.00 or so. I enjoyed it for the most part, but was disappointed with the dogfight scenes. You dont see any tracers, just some light from the guns, and then a plane usually explodes into clunky pieces. I like watching them stream smoke and plummet, not just explode. Still, great accuracy. I loved the scene with the Polish trainees breaking formation to attack the German bombers like a pack of wild wolves. That was very accurate, as this is the kind of maneuvers they did, breaking apart formations and singling them out. And of course, while being told not to they kept saying "repeat please" over the R/T. All in all, great movie, but it could have used more..."filling."

Jamie H.
aka
Krzysztof Kowalski
305th Bomber Squadron
Polish Air Force, reenacted

Battle of Britain (Collector's Edition).......2007-07-15

I have watched this film almost every day I have some free time. And the Special Features disc...Outstanding!

Average customer rating:

Milla enlivens the legend of a hero
Joan ...
Religous Based Thriller - Demonstrating Fear of Church
History Coming to Life
very satisfied

The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc
Starring: Milla Jovovich , Dustin Hoffman , Faye Dunaway , John Malkovich , and Tchéky Karyo
Director: Luc Besson
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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ASIN: 0767845722
Release Date: 2000-04-04

Amazon.com

1999 may be remembered as the year of Joan of Arc: NBC created a miniseries in her honor, Carl Dreyer's long-lost The Passion of Joan of Arc was discovered in a mental hospital, and Facets re-released Jacques Rivette's Joan the Maid. Luc Besson rounds out the corpus with his stylistic and vaguely heretical grand-scale feature, The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc.

Besson (La Femme Nikita, The Fifth Element) challenges established notions about the Maid of Orleans as he creates a decidedly more human heroine than have previous biopics. The story line is the same--a young, illiterate peasant girl convinces the dauphin of France to give her an army, and she leads them to victory in Orleans, only to be burned at the stake for heresy--but Milla Jovovich, in the title role, is a woman possessed. Her influences are less than heavenly; as a child she witnesses the murder of her sister by the English, a death caused by the sister's giving her hiding place to young Joan, which causes an intense desire for revenge. Yes, God still speaks to Joan, but even this is undermined, as Dustin Hoffman, playing The Conscience, questions her motives.

Cinematically, The Messenger is stunning, with fantastical sequences of Joan in communication with higher powers. Yet the graphic violence (scenes include random decapitation and a dog gnawing on a body); the uneven accents, which make it difficult to tell who is fighting on which side; and the rewriting of lore may make this version of Joan of Arc appeal only to Besson fans. Jovovich is convincing, and while at times the film may drag (at times you wish they'd hurry up and burn her), it is a remarkable and insightful retelling of a well-known piece of history. --Jenny Brown

Customer Reviews:

Milla enlivens the legend of a hero.......2007-08-31

There are many filmakers who have eagerly taken on the telling of the tale of Joan of Arc. I am not only impressed with the performance of model/actress/singer Milla Jovovich, but I was entranced by the strong force behind the goal of Joan in this version. Sticking with her troops when the chips where down, she is portrayed as a devoted woman full of motivation. Whether or not her story is true, it can inspire anyone who hopes to push their ambition past obstacles.

Joan ..........2007-07-26

The story of Joan of Arc is a myth and legend beyond religious belief and war stories, it is a true triumph of the human spirit. Anything you set your mind to can be accomplished no matter how strange or outlandish it may be. And Joan did it, to be glorified for all eternity for her bravery. This movie came under some flack for some overdramatics and a bit of choppy story flow, but it fleshed out Joan for who she really was and how she was used as well as abused by the higher powers of heaven and earth.

Milla Jovovich plays Joan, a simple, illiterate peasent girl who came from a farming town in Lorrain, France out of no where. In this movie, often ignored by other biographies or cinematic undertakings, we see how she was affected by the toils of war when her sister is murdered by English soldiers. We also see how with a child's innocence she loves God and wants nothing but to find joy within going to mass and prayer. Perhaps it is because of these reasons that she has her first visions as a young girl, innocent of the outside world and looking to the church for answers. At age 19, she leaves her hometown to see the Daulphaine of France, played with the dignity and hauting ability that only John Malcovich can portray. She seeks an audience with him to tell him that she has been chosen by God to lead his army against the English in the 100 Years War and see him rightly crowned as the King of France.

It has often been debated why it was that Charles believed Joan, and this movie offers some insights to more practical reasons rather than a true miracle. Heavily influenced by his mother in law, played with kind of a creepy, witchlike appeal by Faye Dunaway, Charles has always doubted himself. There was always a question about his lineage and his right to rule. There was also a myth about a maid from Lorrain that was sent by God to lead France into victory. She says it is what simple people believe; and, what the simple people believe is what will give him strength and power. Also, according to myth and legend, when Joan was presented in the court to Charles, he had an impostor sit upon his throne. If the maid Joan was truly of God, then she would pick him out of a crowd as the true Dauphaine. Sure enough, Joan chooses correctly. Joan and Charles would retreat into another room for a private conversation that only the two of them would witness. Charles would emerge, according to witnesses, excited and amazed. Did Joan perform a miracle? Rather, Joan reassures him that she believed enough in him that he should be the true king of France. Joan is given her army, and they would march onto victory.

The tide quickly turns for Joan after Charles is crowned. The church as well as the crown are fearful of the power Joan has over the people and her inflating ego. What would she attempt next? They begin to clamp down on her, and as her next war attempts would result in a disasterous failure, she is jailed and found guilty of being a heratic. Joan is burned at the stake for her crimes. Some say that her heart, as it was pure, did not burn. Hundreds of years later, she was canonized as a saint.

What is the morale of the story? There are hundreds if not thousands of morales. Perhaps the most telling of situations is when Joan, in her final days behind bars, is confronted by Dustin Hoffman, her own doubts. He asks her what her sins have been and how she got into this place. Her sins were pride and vanity. Maybe she didn't really hear the voice of God. Maybe she was just a nutcase who happened to be in the right place at the right time. Maybe she was the fall guy for a botched military movement, a weak king, or a patriarchal society. Whatever the reason, Joan was a hero.

Religous Based Thriller - Demonstrating Fear of Church.......2007-06-22

I found this movie EXCELLENT! I cannot comment on the historical religious facts - however, I was moved by Joan of Arc's passion to pursue her vision(s) from God to reclaim the Kings crown to France (From England).

Throughout her life, Joan of Arc was haunted by "visions from God" that lead her to believe that she had the religious power to force Englands Army to surrender territory in France rather than face the rath of God. Mila Jovovich does a spectacular job at playing an unbelievable role of a young lady leading a powerful army.

Dustin Hoffman is introduced as her conscience in the later half of the movie - and is haunting! In addition, I believe that this movie does a great job at demonstrating how religion was "Feared" during this period of history!

Strongly recommended as a very entertaining movie.

History Coming to Life.......2007-05-19

For those who love history coming to life, this is the film for them. Milla Jovovich is fabulous in this role and portrays the passion and zeal of a true believer in the Middle Ages. The costumes and the props are superb and the battle scenes are so realistic that you feel that you are participating in real history in progress.

My favourite film of all times.

very satisfied.......2007-03-31

Showed up sooner than expected and very satisfied would recomend for any one to purchase from this individual

Average customer rating:

Did we see the same film?
Special features practically outdo the film
D-Day as an Arthouse Flick
"A smaller and smaller part of a bigger and bigger machine...." (3.5 stars)
OVERLORD CRITERION A MUST SEE!!!!..

Overlord (Criterion Collection)
Starring: Brian Stirner , Davyd Harries , Nicholas Ball , Julie Neesam , and Sam Sewell
Director: Stuart Cooper
Manufacturer: Criterion
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000MTEFPA
Release Date: 2007-04-17

Amazon.com

To borrow a phrase from Film Comment editor-at-large Kent Jones, "unjustly forgotten and now happily resurrected" is the best way to describe Criterion's superb DVD release of Stuart Cooper's Overlord. Relatively unseen since its European theatrical release in 1975, this moody, well-crafted meditation on one soldier's preparation for battle employs a remarkably seamless combination of fictional narrative and amazing World War II footage from the archives of England's Imperial War Museum. While this "reel + real" technique is relatively common, director Stuart Cooper (an American filmmaker working in England) applied meticulous archival research to ensure that the documentary footage was logically and authentically integrated with his fictional narrative (cowritten with Christopher Hudson) to lend convincing verisimilitude to his simple, straightforward story of a young British soldier's anxious days prior to joining the front line in the D-Day Invasion of Nazi-occupied France (a.k.a. "Operation Overlord"--June 6, 1944). Haunted by a premonition of his own death, Tom (Brian Stirner) goes about his pre-battle business as any soldier would (including a touchingly sweet romance with an equally shy British girl, played by Julie Neesam), and as Overlord progresses, we see how the individual soldier is gradually absorbed into the massive machinery of warfare. Brilliantly filmed in black and white by Stanley Kubrick's frequent cinematographer John Alcott, Overlord succeeds as a thought-provoking study of war from intimate to epic scales, in addition to being an impressive technical achievement that's stylistically connected to the experimental narratives of the 1970s, yet still firmly rooted in the nobility of British war films from the 1940s. --Jeff Shannon

On the DVD
As always, the Criterion Collection did extensive research to provide Overlord with a wealth of informative supplements. Director Stuart Cooper and actor Brian Stirner share the DVD's feature-length commentary, and Overlord's historical context is thoroughly explored, beginning with "Mining the Archive," in which the Imperial War Museum archivists provide background history on the archival footage that director Stuart Cooper so carefully integrated into his narrative. "Capa Influences Cooper" is a photo essay in which Cooper explores the influence of legendary war photographer Rober Capa on the visual and emotional content of Overlord, and this emphasis is further supported by "Cameramen at War," a newsreel tribute to wartime photographers and newsreel cameramen, featuring some of the Imperial War Museum's most spectacular footage from World War II. "Germany Calling" is an amusing example of archival propaganda (produced in 1941 by the British Ministry of Information and briefly excerpted in Overlord) which ridicules Hitler's Nazi regime by synchronizing Nazi rally footage so a silly British melody. "A Test of Violence" is Stuart Cooper's 1969 short tribute to the bleak, war-themed paintings of Spanish artist Juan Genovés; it was this film that led Cooper to create Overlord. Also included is Stirner's dramatic reading of journals by two Scottish D-Day soldiers whose experiences parallel those of Stirner's character in Overlord; the film's original theatrical trailer; and a 30-page booklet with an Overlord essay by Kent Jones, a short history of the Imperial War Museum, and excerpts from the Overlord novelization by Cooper and cowriter Christopher Hudson. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Seamlessly interweaving archival war footage and a fictional narrative, Stuart Cooper's immersive account of one 20-year-old's journey from basic training to the battle front lines at D-day brings all the terrors and isolation of war to its viewers with jolting authenticity. Overlord, impressionistically shot by Stanley Kubrick's longtime cinematographer John Alcott, is both a document of WWII and a dreamlike meditation on man's smallness in a large, incomprehensible machine.

Customer Reviews:

Did we see the same film?.......2007-08-11

The Overlord film that I saw consisted of two streams intermingled. The first stream is the Imperial War Museum highlight reel. Footage of real World War II action, occasionally amazing if often repetitive. The highlight of these highlights is footage of a high-level nighttime bombing raid, where you see the flashes of bombs exploding on the ground diffused by the clouds below the bombers. That stream I would rate 3 stars if I could find a way to forgive its disjointed and repetitive nature. The second stream is a "new" (ie., from 1974) fictionalized account of a British soldier preparing for D-Day and then dying in the initial assault. This second stream is a string of cliches, a tarp of maudlin pap. 0 stars for this second stream, which leaves the movie with a 1.5 star rating unless you can find a way to easily skip through the second stream entirely. Bottom line - I would have rather seen a Time documentary of WWII than this weak gruel. (Nonetheless, I am glad that Criterion released this film with such a good transfer.)

Special features practically outdo the film.......2007-06-27

"Overlord" is a curious film that blends archival footage into a fictional account of a typical British soldier preparing for the D-Day invasion. While I found "Overlord" lacking as a narrative, it was a worthy cinematic experiment and should be of particular interest to anyone interested in World War II.

Made in England in 1975 with the help of the Imperial War Museum, "Overlord" was not released in the United States until 2006. This long overdue DVD release helps atone somewhat for the film's long absence from North American markets.

"Overlord" is a short sometimes choppy story that manages as well as might be expected to integrate actual footage of Nazis and Allied troops in action including bombing raids and their devastating results. While the focus of the story is on one soldier's enlistment in the British Army and training for D-Day, it is an at times powerful meditation on war's effect on individuals. "Overlord" specifically examines the mindset of soldiers preparing for battle especially as they face the reality of their own mortality.

The real triumph of the DVD is the bonus features. On one such feature two representatives of the Imperial War Museum speak about the making of the film, specifically the archival footage. Another is a tribute to war photographers that was made in 1943. "Germany Calling" produced by the British government's propaganda arm during the war, is a very funny spoof of the Nazis.

As is always the case with Criterion films, the DVD is pricey (they don't do anything on the cheap) but as is also always the case with Criterion, the movie and all features are presented in pristine condition.

"Overlord" is an important edition to the many outstanding films on World War II, bold in its ambition and significant for its use of actual footage. And in this DVD release, the bonus features are not just add ons.

D-Day as an Arthouse Flick.......2007-06-12

Frankly, I was disappointed by this film. I knew that it would not be a spectacular like "Saving Private Ryan" (which I also did not like that much except for the opening). But I felt the movie was far too surreal and "artistic." Case in point, there were several long sequences that tracked planes flying over Europe and showing the devastation (and I mean LONG sequences). The "hero" of the story was an infantryman so the flight sequences were awfully disconnected from the very, very minimal plot. There were a number of other "out of place" scenes as well, the most notable being one where inexplicably, we see two of the soldiers in the story sneak into a theater where a little girl is being made to sing on a stage by her mother.

Another thing I did not like was the morbid nature of the hero. I don't have a problem with him feeling that he was going to die. I imagine a lot of our guys and the Brits did on the eve of Overlord. I just can't imagine writing a letter forecasting my own death to my parents. Given the fact that they would have been worried sick already, it would have been the wrong thing to do. And I speak from experience since I was in the Army and while I did not see hand-to-hand combat, I was in several combat zones, and while I was scared, I managed to avoid writing morbid letters back home to my folks.

On a final note, I can't help but wonder if this film is very much so a product of the 1970s and post-Vietnam era both in the rather dreamy nature of the film and the muted anti-war tone.

If I had to do it over again, I would not have spent the money I did on this film to buy it new. I STRONGLY recommend anyone who must see it to get it on netflix or buy it used. It is just not worth the price that is on it.

"A smaller and smaller part of a bigger and bigger machine...." (3.5 stars).......2007-06-03

One young British soldier, who celebrates his 20th birthday while training for the impending D-Day invasion, writes a letter to his parents and tells them that as time passes, he feels like a smaller and smaller part of a bigger and bigger machine.

Being a small component of a massive device is the central idea behind Stuart Cooper's "Overlord," an odd, hazy, child's-fever-dream of a movie that uses staged black-and-white scenes interspersed with actual archival footage from World War II.

We follow Tom (Brian Stirner) through a drab, dispiriting round of basic training; his experiences are interspersed with separate scenes of battle, of invasion and aftermath to illustrate events going on "meanwhile" all around him, events leading up to Normandy.

The movie is a truly unique visual experience. John Alcott shot the storyline scenes (just before he began work on "Barry Lyndon") and the movie has a look not unlike "The Elephant Man," or its thematic brother, "Johnny Got His Gun."

Though the incorporation of actual footage is very smooth, I never had any trouble distinguishing what came from the 40s and what was shot in the 70s. That didn't ruin the experience for me: Look at the hauntingly beautiful scenes involving bombers flying above the cloudline at night, or a harrowing training sequence in which a rowboat ditches its passengers onto rocks (Cooper reveals in his commentary that one or two men actually died during the exercise).

With its short, spare narrative and its stark conclusion, "Overlord" almost feels like a short story of a movie, but that doesn't downplay its impact or importance. This is a little-known movie worth reviving and it gets a fine Criterion presentation here. The commentary with Copper and Sterner is particularly good; it's worth listening to to hear how they did it even if you don't particularly connect with the film.

OVERLORD CRITERION A MUST SEE!!!!.........2007-05-12

WOW!...Another amazing hidden gem from the folks at criterion..if you are a an avid fan of Criterion, and the amazing films they bring to viewer's attention, you owe it to yourself to buy and watch Overlord. An amazing film, the story line is shot in an amazing way, mixed with real world war 2 stock footage...the film plays like a dream. A war film directed by David Lynch!....The composition of each shot, angle is carfefuly thought out by the filmakers...It is a haunting film, and stayed with me for days!....check it out!, one of the best dvd's of the year!.

Average customer rating:

True to Life Depiction
An enduring version of a great tale
Great Piece of History
Decent movie for fans
Battle of Britain (Collector's Edition)

Battle of Britain (Collector's Edition)
Starring: Harry Andrews , John Baskcomb , Michael Bates , Isla Blair , and Michael Caine
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000ASDFEK
Release Date: 2005-10-25

Amazon.com

Description

Customer Reviews:

True to Life Depiction.......2007-08-13

An enduring version of a great tale.......2007-08-11

Great Piece of History.......2007-08-10

Decent movie for fans.......2007-08-02

Battle of Britain (Collector's Edition).......2007-07-15

I have watched this film almost every day I have some free time. And the Special Features disc...Outstanding!

Average customer rating:

Damn the Defiant!
Moving and interesting
A very good film
"Rule Britannia Rule the Waves"!
British Naval Warfare, With Cruelty, Mutiny And Patriotism In 1797

Damn the Defiant!
Starring: Alec Guinness , Dirk Bogarde , Maurice Denham , Nigel Stock , and Richard Carpenter
Director: Lewis Gilbert (II)
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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ASIN: B00004W5SS
Release Date: 2000-10-10

Amazon.com

Set in 1797 at the beginning of the Napoleonic Wars, Damn the Defiant! (also known as H.M.S. Defiant) is an enthralling British naval drama made to capitalize on MGM's epic remake of Mutiny on the Bounty, also released in 1962. It's based on Frank Tilsey's novel Mutiny and stars Alex Guinness as a fair-minded captain locked in psychological conflict with his manipulative, coldly malicious first officer (Dirk Bogarde), and the parallels with the famous true story are clear. However, there were many naval mutinies during this period, and this large-scale saga, which includes some spectacularly staged widescreen naval battles, offers a realistic depiction of life in the British navy at the time--from the press gangs and floggings to the appalling food and living conditions.

Director Lewis Gilbert--who previously helmed Sink the Bismarck! (1960)--strikes a good balance between the personal drama and sweeping maritime adventure. Guinness successfully varies his firm-but-fair officer from The Bridge on the River Kwai, Bogarde is chillingly hateful, and Anthony Quayle gives strong support. --Gary S. Dalkin

Customer Reviews:

Damn the Defiant!.......2007-06-27

This salty, sadly overlooked British entry fires on all cylinders. Lewis Gilbert (who'd go on to direct the original "Alfie" and three Bond entries) displays a sure hand here, with two first-class actors (Guinness and a deliciously hateful Bogarde) crossing verbal swords with gusto, while the always reliable Anthony Quayle organizes the men below. The denouement is worth waiting for, with stunning color footage recreating these beautiful ships in full battle mode. As period war movies go, you'll find this "Defiant" ship-shape indeed.

Moving and interesting.......2007-06-06

The anguishing position of being the captain's son in an English ship during the Napoleonic wars is certainly no mean thing. Especially if your foe happens to be the ship's second in command,an envious and evil minded officer, marvelously played by Dirk Bogarde.
The film is certainly a first rate period classic of its kind. The life aboard an English Warship of the early Nineteenth Century is masterfully portrayed, and the drama lived on board is extremely disquieting to the viewer.
Alec Guiness, (the ship's captain) plays a good quiet and fair gentleman, knowledgeable of his trade and in anguish at not being able to protect his son from his devious second in command, untill he devises a plan..
A very interesting an moving experience.

A very good film.......2007-03-25

"Damn the Defiant!" is the name of a British film made in 1962. It IS a strange name, but you should not let that mislead you: the film is worth seeing. It is a very interesting story about leadership, good men, and bad men.

The story is set during the Napoleonic Wars, that time when the French ruled Europe, and the British ruled the waves. However, the main conflict in the film is not between the French and the English; it is between the Captain and the first mate aboard an English frigate, the Defiant. The Captain is a good sea-officer and commander; not a soft man, but a just and merciful one. His first mate is a talented young officer, who is however not only too hard and unrelenting, but unmerciful and truly cruel to the hands. A conflict naturally arises between them, but as the first mate has powerful friends in the government, the Captain has to be careful about gaining his enmity. Things are made more complex by a fact of which both of them are unaware: in all vessels of the British fleet a bloodless revolt is being planned, as a demand for better conditions of life for the hands aboard the ships. But it is extremely important that there is no officer killed in any of the ships; and the heads of the revolt aboard the Defiant start to have trouble to restrain some men who hate the first mate. These three conflicts provide a highly interesting story.

Of course, an interesting story is not all that matters; but in other respects the film is good too. Firstly, the main character is a good and noble man; and that is something one does not find in all stories. Then, it is not a violent film: it does have some violence, but not in an "unrealistically realistic" degree; it is not one of those films in which we see blood spurting from a man's wound as if out of a garden hose. And last, but very important: the leading roles are played by very good actors.

A few years ago a film was made similar to this one: it was also set during the Napoleonic Wars, aboard an English vessel sent on a mission against the French. The plot was fairly good, though the movie was unnecessarily violent. However, the main point against it is that the leading role was played very poorly. The actor who played the captain was not at all convincing, although the character should have been that of an outstanding commander. In "Damn the Defiant!" we have a good character played by a very good actor, and the result is that the Captain stands out, as an aristocratic and stately man we truly admire. In this other movie, "Master and Commander", we see no nobility and no dignity in the main character; we cannot admire him, and this spoils the whole film. In one case, a good story was spoiled by the choice of the wrong man; and in the other, one character well acted turned an interesting -- but in no way exceptional -- story, into a very good film.

"Rule Britannia Rule the Waves"!.......2006-05-15

"HMS Defiant" (Aka "Damn the Defiant" 1962) is an extraordinary, yet underrated, "wooden ships" film!
As good as "Captain Horatio Hornblower" (1951) or more recent "Master & Commander" (2003)
This film has everything to constitute a very good film: experienced director and crew, great actors and excellent special effects (done without all more recent paraphernalia).

First we'll take a look to film's crew, director Lewis Gilbert, cinematography director Christopher Callis, special effects supervisor Howard Lydecker and music score composer Clifton Parker. All of them had teamed before to produce "Sink the Bismarck" (1960) a "war at sea" movie.
Londoner Lewis Gilbert has delivered, before and after, this movie some other great films as "Alfie" (1966), "Educating Rita" (1983) and "Shirley Valentine" (1989).

Actor's performances are just outstanding. Alec Guinness characterization of Capt. Crawford is in line with his best dramatic feats as his Col. Nicholson in "The Bridge on the River Kwai" (1957) or the Cardinal in "The Prisoner" (1955).
Dirk Bogarde as wicked and sadistic 1st Lt. Scott-Padget instills his character with a subtle dose of evilness that will make you to desire fervently to see him punished.
Anthony Quayle as sailor's rebel leader delivers a forceful piece.
The rest of the cast offers a good supporting level.

The story is situated during the Napoleonic War aboard an English war ship. Capt. Crawford is an aging unassuming veteran that will clash with ruthless and cruel 1st Lt. Scott Padget in a will contest of how to lead a vessel and his crew.
At the same time "Defiant"'s crew is enrolled in the historical fleet mutiny against violence and abuse.
The first part of the film shows different personal conflicts among the characters and will end with three spectacular sea battles full of action and realism.

Wooden ship lovers should not miss this movie!
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

British Naval Warfare, With Cruelty, Mutiny And Patriotism In 1797.......2006-04-01

Anyone who likes iron men fighting in wooden ships against the French, with the roar of cannon and splinters flying everywhere, will enjoy the last half of Damn the Defiant!. Whether you enjoy the first half depends on how well you appreciate the almost psychopathic cruelty and condescension of First Lieutenant Scott-Padget (Dirk Bogarde).

It's 1797, Napoleon threatens Britain, and only the Royal Navy ensures Britain's freedom. Captain Crawford (Alec Guinness) takes command of H.M.S. Defiant, a single-gun-deck frigate. Also joining the ship is Scott-Padget, an officer with friends in high places, a talent for seamanship, and a taste for flogging. While Crawford is determined to keep an open mind about his first lieutenant, it becomes quickly apparent that Scott-Padget is an arrogant sadist who is fully capable of undermining Crawford's authority if that's what it takes to get his way. He doesn't hesitate to brutalize the captain's 12-year-old son, brought on board as a midshipman, in subtle ways that keep Crawford from intervening. Added to this seething mix is the crew itself, brutalized not just by Scott-Padget but by the terrible living conditions sailors of the Royal Navy had to endure. One crewman, Vizard (Anthony Quayle), is the leader in putting together what he thinks will be a non-violent petition for redress. Every officer, however, will consider it a mutiny.

The first half of the movie is two stories. There is the struggle between Crawford and Scott-Padget, with Scott-Padget eventually getting the upper-hand. And there is the story of the men on a wooden ship of war and what their lives are like as they're beaten and trained to be seamen, subsist on a diet of rotten meat and weevily hardtack, and can receive 50 lashes at the whim of a first lieutenant.

The second half, however, is a rouser of the old school. A vital message must be delivered to the fleet, Captain Crawford finally is able to assert himself and the French break out of a blockade determined to attack an unaware British squadron in the fog. Ship-to-ship battles are fought where the victor will be determined by which ship can get alongside the other and throw iron faster at near point-blank range. And the seamen of Defiant must decide if their loyalty to Britain will override their knowledge that, if they are accused of being mutineers, each man will most likely be hanged.

The movie's strong points, for me, are the production values, the recreation of how brutal ship-to-ship fighting was, the look at the lives of men at sea in a fighting ship, and the appeal to patriotism over self interest, which was handled effectively because it was treated matter-of-factly. The weak points, for me, centered on the two leads. Guinness as Captain Crawford seemed too sluggish in coming to grips with his first lieutenant. He needed in my view more fire. Guinness was an actor who excelled in ambiguous and thoughtful roles, but he had it in him to play men with iron and passion; just look at him as Major Jock Sinclair in Tunes of Glory. Dirk Bogarde, however, plays Scott-Padget without an ounce of any quality than condescending sadism. Scott-Padget may be a talented sea officer and a brave man, but every time he's on screen you know exactly how he will behave. For those who like the smaller roles, keep an eye out for Tom Bell, who plays a resentful, violent seaman. Nearly thirty years later he was DS Bill Otley...a man Jane Tennison quickly learned not to trust in Prime Suspect 1 but who surprised her in Prime Suspect 3.

The DVD picture looks just fine, with anamorphic wide-screen on one side and full screen on the other. There are three or four extras which aren't significant.

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"B" Submarine Moview
It is About Time to Open the Vaults
Suspenseful
Mediocre submarine flick
Outstanding Submarine Movie

Submarine X-1
Starring: James Caan , David Sumner , Norman Bowler , Brian Grellis , and Paul Young
Director: William A. Graham
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
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ASIN: B00079ZACC
Release Date: 2005-04-19

Description

Academy Award(r) nominee* James Caan commands a covert naval operation in this riveting drama inspired by an amazing true story discovered in declassified British War Office files. With "first-class underwater photography" (Variety) and taut suspense, this tale of heroism paved the way for films like The Hunt for Red October.Commander Bolton (Caan) has lost his submarine, the Gauntlet, in a sea battle with the Nazis in 1943. Although the survivors still blame him,he's cleared of charges and assigned to lead a top-secret training program with three experimental miniature X-1 subs, each manned by a crew of only four. Their mission: to sink the mighty battleshipLindendorfthe same ship that destroyed the Gauntlet!*1972: Supporting Actor, The Godfather

Customer Reviews:

"B" Submarine Moview.......2007-07-26

This one does not rank as a classic. It just sort of ranks. But the DVD quality is excellent.

It is About Time to Open the Vaults.......2007-01-27

Now here is a great submarine adventure, reminiscent of THE HUNLEY, an epic film about an experimental underwater submarince experiment that was successful, secret, timely, and wrenching--showing a Canadian Naval Officer (Caan) having to make a wartime decision that will result in the death of a few of his comrades for the greater good--a success against the German Kriegsmarine.

The acting is good and the plot elements are more genuine (life of comrades versus death of enemies) that one would have expected at the time the film was made--1969. And the resolution of the situation is decidedly pro-war, not anti-war, as the progression of anti-Vietnam films reflects (including M*A*S*H* and Catch-22).

In other words--take this film in its intended context--World War II. And, enjoy a sleeper amongst the great submarine films of the era. By all means, see this one out--and over again.

Much recommended!

Suspenseful.......2006-11-06

Movie is loosely based upon the exploits of the military using the X-1 submarine. Acting is very good and the movie keeps you on the edge of your seat within the first 30 minutes.

Mediocre submarine flick.......2006-08-11

Can someone please tell me why an American (and one with a think Bronx accent, no less!) is in charge of a British submarine?????

Outstanding Submarine Movie.......2005-10-07

Good submarine footage and an excellent score by Ron Goodwin raise this movie to a level of high sea adventure not seen in a while. James Caan as the stoic and lethargic Lieutenant Commander Bolton is adequate. But it his plan to utilize midget subs that saves the day. This is a good British sea adventure.

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The Quiet American
Very good, but with a Hollywood ending that ruins it!
really was filmed on location!
A Symphony of Dialogue
Romantic Triangle Symbolizing Colonialism

The Quiet American
Starring: Audie Murphy , Michael Redgrave , Claude Dauphin , Giorgia Moll , and Bruce Cabot
Director: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
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ASIN: B00079ZAD6
Release Date: 2005-04-19

Description

A love triangle brews amidst a growing political tempest in this "brilliantly intellectual" (Los Angeles Times) film in which nothing is quite as it seems. Adapted from the acclaimed novel by Graham Greene, Academy Award-winning writer-director Joseph L. Mankiewicz's screenplay "delivers dialogue that not only sparkles but bites deep with the irony of truth" (Citizen-News). In 1952, Saigon is caught between the corrupt colonial powers and the Communist uprising. An idealistic young American (Audie Murphy) champions a shadowy Third Force, but cynical British journalist Thomas Fowler (Michael Redgrave) is concerned only with the American's interest in his mistress. When jealousy forces Fowler to take sides at last, the personal and political consequences are devastating.

Customer Reviews:

The Quiet American.......2006-07-10

I purchased this as a gift for my father-in-law for Father's Day and he loved it and is sharing it with others. There is no age bracket for a movie of this caliber.

Very good, but with a Hollywood ending that ruins it!.......2005-12-16

The first two-thirds of this film is excellent. Then, Hollywood has to simplify and dummy down the end. Rent the 1950's version of this, and also read the book. Here's what made those two infinitely more fascinating...
1. Ambiguity! You are never sure if the American was working with the enemy (or who the enemy is, for that matter), or if our main British character wanted to believe he was, was duped like a pawn into believing he was, to get the American killed out of a sense of revenge. This new version destroys that!
2. Our burned-out British journalist DOES NOT get the girl in the end. Hollywood sucks!
Again, the first two-thirds are really good. You just need to tack on the ending of the 1950's version. Not that the 1950's version wasn't without its flaws (the female lead was as far from Vietnamese looking as you can get... try a European with black hair). Combine those two movies, you really would have a movie that's faithful to a phenomenal book.

really was filmed on location!.......2005-10-17

Yes, the ending was made corny in this version, but the on location scenes at Cao Dai Temple and Continental Palace are wonderful! I was in Viet Nam in the 60s, long before home video, and so seeing this, filmed in some on my favorite places, is worth the cooked up non GG patter near he end.

I just saw this on French TV and loved it. Will get the DVD now.

A Symphony of Dialogue.......2005-10-16

The movie, "The Quiet American" isn't all that interesting a story, but the acting is so damn good that it is fun to watch.

Michael Redgrave is perfect as a cynical burned-out journalist fed up with Vietnam, and the futile French effort to save it from itself and preserve their pre-WWII empire that no longer exists. Redgrave is a man of middle age, more concerned with the menu than the music of the nightclub, he is hanging on to life by a slender thread.

Audie Murphy fits well the role as an earnest young American. The paths of the two soon cross in a Saigon hotel, where Murphy's eye is caught very quickly by Redgrave's native girlfriend. Straight away Murphy invites himself to dinner with them and politely but persistently begins to push the older Redgrave aside. However, despite all his wallowing in middle-age self pity it turns out Redgrave still has a few tricks up his sleeve.

Occasionaly Murphy and Redgrave find themselves negotiating the treacherous terrain of Vietnam together and in one moment when Murphy pushes Redgrave into a rice-patty to avoid a Communist patrol Redgrave replies, "Who asked you to save my life, we're not a couple of movie Marines, you're not even going to get the girl in the end!" This line seems ironic being delivered to Murphy who in real life was one of America's most decorated WWII vets and who once played himself in a movie about his expereinces.

Redgrave's acting maintains your interest in the rather banal story and near the end we also get a very strong performance from Claude Dauphine as a French police Inspector.

Romantic Triangle Symbolizing Colonialism.......2005-08-31

This film was based on the novel of Graham Greene set in 1953 French Indo-China (now Vietnam). It starts on Tet, the Chinese New Year and shows the traditional celebration. Then we see a dead body by the bank of the river. The people flee before the police arrive! The police bring in the English journalist for questioning; he is the prime suspect. The answers start to paint the picture of this quiet American. He represented the "Friends of Free Asia", a charity that tried to do good in French Vietnam. Fowler (symbolic name), the jaded cynical reporter, contrasts to the young fresh Pyle. Phuong represents the Vietnamese people, wise in years but seemingly young. Pyle acts surprised by the life of the dancing escorts, as if there were nothing like this in Texas or New York, or the college towns of America.

The American reporter Granger criticizes the French military, directed from Paris and based on 19th century plans. (How will this change in the 1960s?) Pyle travels to see Fowler, to bring him a message. Fowler acts cranky and bitchy, suggesting some personal problem which can't be mentioned. The romantic triangle symbolizes the Old World - New World conflict over the colony of Vietnam. Who is to become the colonial power?

James Michener's "Sayonara" tells of American policy regarding marriage. Could Pyle get permission to marry someone with the background of Phuong? Or could this be a ruse to recruit Phuong and build a network of informers? Pyle is importing plastics to create a new industry in Vietnam. Where would the dollars come from, the import regulations, the machinery, etc.?

Action begins on the trip back from the Cao Dai festival. Pyle's car is sabotaged, Fowler's car runs out of gas. They take refuge in a fort, and begin a philosophical discussion on global politics. They escape before the fort is destroyed. Pyle saves Fowler's life when hiding in the swamp (symbolizing American savoir-faire and the involvement in WW II). Fowler's wife will not grant a divorce, but Fowler lies about this! Dominguez brings a secret story to Fowler, about containers of "Diolactin", that connect back to General The and Pyle. Hints are given to Fowler to allow him to connect the dots. But the truth is found out about the letter, and Fowler is rebuked by Pyle. Fowler sees the bicycle bombs go off, and Heng provides more facts. (Can't Fowler do any investigating on his own?) After the bombing at the Continental Hotel, Fowler spouts the words that were programmed into him. Fowler's jealousy blinds him to his being manipulated, and he invites Pyle to his apartment. Pyle tells how a Vietnamese in America will become the next Vietnamese leader! When Fowler learns that Pyle will take Phuong away, he signals the Communists. Pyle will not see another dawn. Symbolically, Fowler reads a passage on jealousy.

Inspector Vigot catches Fowler in a lie about when he last saw Pyle, a sign of his guilty knowledge. Fowler is left alone as Phuong leaves him. A gossip columnist will use this in a story! Fowler loses all at the end, its too late for him, The film doesn't explain the reason for the death of Pyle. To cause an American protest? Does the Vietnamese Manufacturing Association want to eliminate foreign competition? The ending is very talkative, but never explains why Pyle was made a target for assassination. If Phuong keeps drinking those milk shakes, she will have to get new clothes. Read the novel for the true ending.

[Why is a "quiet American" remarkable? The free speaking without oppression is due to the First and Second Amendment to the Bill of Rights. Are they still operational?]

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Hand in Hand --- to Hell
If the Devil will reign...
Olivier's Richard
One dimensional Richard
A beautifully restored film about the hideous human nature

Richard III - Criterion Collection
Starring: Stewart Allen , Wally Bascoe , Claire Bloom , Pamela Brown , and Alec Clunes
Manufacturer: Criterion
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00014K5ZA
Release Date: 2004-02-24

Amazon.com

The third and final entry in Laurence Olivier's Shakespeare triptych, Richard III (1954) is an audacious portrait of a man determined to prove himself a villain. As the personification of evil impudence, Olivier portrays the Duke of Gloucester with such aplomb that he brings the audience onto his side. This is true even as Richard engineers plots to murder his brother Clarence (John Gielgud), betray his cousin Buckingham (Ralph Richardson), and seduce his niece Lady Anne (Claire Bloom). From the play's famous opening lines ("Now is the winter of our discontent"), Olivier delivers every speech with truly Machiavellian splendor, and his superb staging of the climactic battle rivals his work on Henry V. Regrettably, this would be Olivier's last Shakespeare film, as a planned adaptation of Macbeth was abandoned for financial reasons. Olivier justly received an Oscar® nomination for his performance; and believe it or not, this film was the inspiration for the original Blackadder! --Kevin Mulhall

Description

In the majestic and sweeping 1955 version of Richard III, Laurence Olivier transfigures Shakespeare's great historical drama into a mesmerizing vision of Machiavellian villainy. Olivier's performance, considered by many the greatest of his career, charges Richard with magnetic malevolence as he steals his brother Edward's crown through a murderous set of machinations. His inspired direction brings to the screen superlative performances by actors Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, and the young Claire Bloom. The Criterion Collection is proud to present the restored full-length version in a special double-disc edition featuring audio commentary by Russell Lees and John Wilders, a 1966 BBC interview with Olivier hosted by theater critic Kenneth Tynan, a gallery of on-set and production stills and posters, a 12-minute television preview for the film and the original theatrical trailer.

Customer Reviews:

Hand in Hand --- to Hell.......2007-08-03

Indelible is the word for Olivier's personification of Richard III. The door swings gently open, and the monster takes you into his confidence. You become the co-conspirator and malevolent confederate. The character enters your mind and etches itself permanently into the memory. It's impossible to erase, and any later interpretations will always fight a losing battle. There are the usual customary petty complaints about the sets and the settings --- like Bosworth Field doesn't look like England. Who cares? Shakespeare's plays are about words and their delivery. Olivier delivers. Call it hammy, call it over-the-top, it's the way Will wrote it. It was good enough for Garrick, and Olivier was Garrick's heir. Makes your hair stand on end. Richard's deformities (sorry, disabilities) are absolutely central to the psychology of the part: you've got to feel a little sympathy for the man. He has a sense of humour, and finds his incredible success as a wooer both funny peculiar and funny ha-ha. He's also got guts: in for a penny, in for a pound. Devils just happen to be more fascinating than angels. That's the way of things. I'm looking forward to getting this edition, as my present one has poor colours and no extras. P.S. The manner in which the production is filmed may be theatrical (and why not?), but it is also highly cinematic. The lighting, the shadows, the camera movements and the closeups all work perfectly.

If the Devil will reign..........2007-04-23

Every time I see this movie have the same feeling: if the Devil will reign, it will be this way!
Opera lovers knows that one of the worst things ever is the fact that Maria Callas never recorded a full version of Verdi's Macbeth; luckyly, the olympic talent of Laurence Olivier created this jewel.
For me, it goes ahead even before Olivier's Hamlet: this very personal approach of the Duke of Gloucester goes surrealistic enough to be modern. I saw it first when I was a child and I will never forget the impression that Olivier's eyes caused.
Cast, with Gielgud, Richardson, Bloom and Hardwicke among others, supports Olivier's experiment transforming the text of Shakespeare almost in a modern thriller about the corruption of a soul obsessed with power beyond all limits.
It was necessary the maturity of another great stage and cinema actor (Al Pacino) to almost reach Olivier, but this one is still a landmark.

Olivier's Richard.......2007-02-21

I have noticed that it is fashionable in some circles (particularly in the 'acting community') to be highly critical of Laurence Olivier and his interpretation of Shakespeare... While I have no credentials to speak of myself, I find these sorts of criticisms to be misplaced and they tend to unfairly take on Olivier without considering his times - Olivier was something of an outsider in his approach to Shakespeare - and the task of transfering his ideas of shakespeare into a rigid studio film (which nevertheless Olivier brilliantly succeeded in doing) would put Olivier right into a very vulerable place for an actor/director to be in.. Olivier was a believer in the human aspects of Shakespeare - he radically saw the possibility of a modern shakespeare - a shakespeare one could consider alongside the advent of modern psycohology and literature.. a sort of Freudian Shakespeare.. Now that Freud is also out of fashion it is easy to judge.. But the most important thing Olivier did had nothing to do with theories - he brought shakespeare to a larger audience - he made shakespeare more accessible.. He also did something only the best actors can do - he put his own personal stamp on the character of Richard III..His Richard is a serpentine feminine richard.. You clearly see a man who suffers within his body and mirrors this malace on to the world he confronts.. Olivier's Direction is also something remarkable - he combines the stage with celluloid in a way few have been able to manage... Criterion's transfer of this classic film is brilliantly crisp -you can't help but think of walt disney when you see this (or maybe powell and pressburger) - this is a perfectly legitimate portrayal of richard III and one that people will watch for years to come - what more could an actor achieve?

One dimensional Richard.......2007-01-19

I know I'm going to come off as a bit of a heretic here. I already know that people generally LOVE Larry's,well, anything Shakespeare,BUT, as a Shakespearean actor myself,(and one whose favorite role is the Hunchback King),I must say that Richard's character has much more potential than Olivier's rendition reveals. Also,the play is abridged by about 30 min. of cut material,(in order to cement Richard's one-dimensional cast). I didn't particularly like Olivier's Shylock either. To be fair,his Hamlet is brilliant,but unfortunately,it too is abridged,like, where are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern anyway? Apparently this is done for the shorter attention span of the American audience?

A beautifully restored film about the hideous human nature.......2006-08-17

No one could rival Laurence Olivier (Hamlet, Henry V, Richard III) as the scheming, ruthless youngest son of the 3rd Duke of York, who stopped at nothing to be King Richard III. His first appearance was deceptive. I noticed only a big nose and recognized him only after he spoke. Burdened with a crooked back, limp and shrunk hand, his ambition for kingship only burnt more feverishly. With disguised humbleness, he made peace with other royalties. His words were sugar-coated and gay. He killed Warwick, the 'KingMaker' who helped enthrone his elder brother as King Edward IV, and wooed Warwick's daughter Anne(the beautiful Claire Bloom) to marry him shortly after killing her husband. His planned murders of his elder brother Duke of Clarence, Lord Hastings, his young nephews (heirs-to-be), his wife Anne made even today's politics pale and unexciting.

Yet the movie about such a dark character was beautiful in VistaColour, set and costumes, cinematography. Scenes of executions, naïve Lord Hastings (Alec Clunes) walking into his death trap, innocent heirs-to-be greeting uncle Richard and Richard's final battle are memorable. All the other characters exuded integraity, royality and humanity. They were handsome in appearance and noble in heart, so different from Richard III. Even the once accomplice Duke of Buckingham (Ralph Richardson), without whose help there would be no Richard III, showed a moment of caution in doing any more evil. Perhaps it's this great contrast between Richard and everyone else that made the movie luring and tragic. In his last battle of Bosworth Field, Laurence Olivier showed a more reflective and human side of Richard III. When nearly everything on his side was lost, he marched, with a handful of supporters including his royal page (Stewart Allen), and fought valiantly.

The movie also succeeded in its clarity and fluidity. The powerplay of an excellent cast of experienced actors with great screen presence made 155 minutes fly without notice. With no prior knowledge of the Wars of Roses (House of York vs House of Lancaster), I am not at all lost in the many characters and relationship. And the crowning of Henry Tudor, 2nd Earl of Richmond, as Henry VII marked the beginning of the most filmed Tudor dynasty - a perfect prologue of films about the lives of Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth.

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Quatermass the Legendary '70's sci-fi classic
Only for the diehard archivist
False Advertising
Saved by the smell
yawn

Quatermass (1979)
Starring: John Mills , Simon MacCorkindale , Barbara Kellerman , Margaret Tyzack , and Brewster Mason
Director: Piers Haggard , Val Guest , and Rudolph Cartier
Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
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