This is my favorite WW II movie and I have seen and liked flicks like "Saving Private Ryan". The kind of War Movies I like are that ones that focus on both sides with personalities and details although most of the personality is on the Allied side. Other War movies that I loved are like this such as "Gettysburg", "Tora, Tora, Tora" and "The Enemy Below". In "The Battle of Britain" everything is realistic except for some special effects which is forgivable since this movie was made in 1969. The French speak French. Poles speak Polish and so on!!! I especially liked watching the Poles who relay this sense of 'payback' on the Germans now that they fly in excellent warplanes. There is this sense of admiration for them as well since they could have sat out the War but chose instead to keep fighting the Nazis. They probably were not even sure that Poland would be liberated from the Nazis. The Poles are still like that today. They gladly help us in Iraq compared to other Europeans. I liked watching the Germans, too, even though they are 'the bad guys' so to say. Just to let everyone know, I myself am Jewish. I watch the hordes of Nazi aircraft swarm over England like a wave of great Evil. I shudder to think what if Hitler really conquered England. Then in the scenes of dogfights, I see the Spitfire blast away a Nazi plane and I cheer. "Die you Nazi !@#$%"!!!" Movies have a way of taking your mind in certain directions especially when you are already pre-disposed. Then right after the Nazi bomber catches on fire, a very contrary camera shot happens. I see the German crewmen want to live. I know that even bad guys want to live, but then you see something else transpire with the German crewmen. These German men think. They feel. They care for each other. They see that combat against a non-pushover European is terrifying and they take no pleasure bombing cities full of civilians. You get the sense that they are only men born into the wrong generation of Germans. In five close up shots I saw these guys courageously help each other. They make sure everyone bails out. They comfort their wounded. Seeing a friend in deep trouble or dead makes them still. In the beginning they were cocky, but that comes after fighting the French, Belgiums, Danes and so on. I rather liked watching Goering with the Staff meeting in the woods fly off the handle at his executive commanders and immediate subordinates. They tell him that they are doing the best they can with what they have. "Nobody is suggesting cowardice!!!!!!" one of them replied to Goering. I was thinking of MGM telling the prospective German Actors that they have an opportunity to show that most Germans are not robots. I myself got to know a lot of Germans in my 45 years on Earth, and I must agree. Now, to the Allied side. Naturally, most of the focus in the movie are on the British characters as it should be. After all, the British must win. Must!!!! I see English wives, children, marital spats, failure and success. A pilot gives his two boys toy Spitfires. But one expects a WW II War movie to show that the allied troopers are more like yourself except for the 1957 movie "The Enemy Below". The 1993 movie "Gettysburg" equally showed personalities on both sides, too, but both sides were American really. The music is also tops. I often hum that intro martial music to myself as well as the British victory tune. This movie is clearly my favorite War Movie.
Review of Battle of Britain
