Sappy, melodramatic and dated at times, but also very well done, and emotionally understated enough that the sappiness doesn't take over the experience.
The film traces 4 years in the life of an English Air Force base during WW II (1940-1944). An interesting approach to a war film, in that the camera never shows battle, never leaves the ground, but focuses on the lives of the fliers, their officers, and their women. That can lead to a certain soap opera quality, but also to a film that doesn't feel quite like any other war film I've seen.
The acting is mostly top notch (Michael Redgrave, in particular), although some of the many characters fall into caricature.
But the film isn't afraid to kill off major characters, and deal with the emotional consequences. Some of the most interesting and moving scenes are how the men deal with losses with almost complete suppression of emotion – which feels very honest.
Also, there's some real fun had with the differences between the UK fliers, and the US troops who join them in 1942.
One of those films my head felt should rate lower, but I had to admit I enjoyed.
The film traces 4 years in the life of an English Air Force base during WW II (1940-1944). An interesting approach to a war film, in that the camera never shows battle, never leaves the ground, but focuses on the lives of the fliers, their officers, and their women. That can lead to a certain soap opera quality, but also to a film that doesn't feel quite like any other war film I've seen.
The acting is mostly top notch (Michael Redgrave, in particular), although some of the many characters fall into caricature.
But the film isn't afraid to kill off major characters, and deal with the emotional consequences. Some of the most interesting and moving scenes are how the men deal with losses with almost complete suppression of emotion – which feels very honest.
Also, there's some real fun had with the differences between the UK fliers, and the US troops who join them in 1942.
One of those films my head felt should rate lower, but I had to admit I enjoyed.