"The First of the Few" (also called "Spitfire") was a film intended as propaganda in order to rouse the audiences of Britain and the United States in favor of the war effort. As such, it really isn't entirely accurate and takes historical license in order to further its purpose as a crowd-pleaser. There are many historical inaccuracies...and only the biggest one is mentioned below.
The film follows the career of R.J. Mitchell, the designer of various Supermarine experimental aircraft and the legendary Supermarine Spitfire of WWII fame. The film really isn't exactly a biography, as it focuses little on the man's life or pre-aircraft design period and when the film ends, you know a lot about his work but not much about him as a man. In particular, while the film shows him literally working himself to death to produce the super fighter which helped win the Battle of Britain in 1940....but he actually died of rectal cancer--something he suffered from for several years.
So is it any good? As propaganda, it's wonderful--well made, effective and well acted. As a bio...it leaves a bit to be desired. Overall, it's worth seeing...especially since it's the last film Leslie Howard appeared in before his death when the airliner he was in was shot down by Luftwaffe pilots the year after the film debuted.
The film follows the career of R.J. Mitchell, the designer of various Supermarine experimental aircraft and the legendary Supermarine Spitfire of WWII fame. The film really isn't exactly a biography, as it focuses little on the man's life or pre-aircraft design period and when the film ends, you know a lot about his work but not much about him as a man. In particular, while the film shows him literally working himself to death to produce the super fighter which helped win the Battle of Britain in 1940....but he actually died of rectal cancer--something he suffered from for several years.
So is it any good? As propaganda, it's wonderful--well made, effective and well acted. As a bio...it leaves a bit to be desired. Overall, it's worth seeing...especially since it's the last film Leslie Howard appeared in before his death when the airliner he was in was shot down by Luftwaffe pilots the year after the film debuted.