The weight of such a remark might have resonated more, fifty years ago but it seems that the Hurricane was apt to burn. Foxley himself received his injuries in a Wellington.
@@alexlanning712 = Sir Archibald McIndoe IIRC - Forgive me, I'm typing from memory alone here** I remember (decades ago) reading Hilary's account as he was floating in the English Channel waiting & HOPING to get 'picked up' because back then the RAF Air-Sea-Rescue (at that time) WAS non existant. He done an astounding job on Geoffrey Page (56 Sqdn) eho remarked that a little girl on the train reacted in sheer horror at the sight of Page's face which made him feel VERY self-concious as she burst into tears & ran just at the mere sight of him - But by the 50th Anniversary it was SO difficult to actually SEE his "repaired" burns & scars that you had to look VERY closely to even see it at all - Such was the greatness level of McIndoe's handiwork. That tragic problem was MOSTLY caused by the unarmoured & NOT self-sealing "46 Gallon Header Tank" found behind / ahead the bulkhead of the Hawker Hurricane Mk.I's - (tho' not exclusive..)
@@jonathanlewis453 = No word of a lie that I actually (literally) bumped into that guy Bill Foxley just after one lunchtime on my way home from work - I worked 6-days a week by St.Paul's Cathedral as a Postman @ E.C.D.O - I was about to enter the steps at the train station & we literally collided - I recognised him IMMEDIATELY due to the sheer depth of my "Love" of that 1968 film (I'd seen twice at the cinema) My jaw hit the deck & it later troubled me that he MIGHT have thought I was reacting to his burns , when in fact I was just dumbstruck to literally both see him 'in person' & recognise him from the film that I loved, adored & treasured SO MUCH - & still do - The scene with Susannah York "How's Colin these days ?" Took me 45+ years before I learned that his horrific injuries WERE sustained in a Vickers Wellington (O.T.U) crash, rather than the result of the (now infamous) "46 Gallon Header Tank" that was the (seeming) Achillies Heel of the Hawker Hurricane Mk.I's during the July 1940 to October 1940 period...
Back in 1977, I met Susannah York and got her autograph. She was in the Eaton Centre, in Toronto, for the filming of the movie "The Silent Partner", along with Christopher Plummer and Elliot Gould. I was in the shopping mall to buy something, when I ran into her near the bank where the story was set. Of course I then had to go see the movie after it was released. I went with my girl friend, who was also very familiar with the Eaton Centre. I might still have that autograph here somewhere. I also saw the Battle of Britain movie, back when I was in high school.
Age was not kind to her. But old we all get. Eaton center. I remember the Simpsons & Eatons stores as a kid. Such a thrill to go down to Toronto in those days. Susannah York was quite the 'hottie in my heart' as a young man. RIP
@@luckyguy600 I remember the scene in the Battle of Britain, where she was wearing a shirt & stockings and then bent over. Quite the scene for a teenage boy that I was then. 🙂
Apparently (though I don't remember as I was only 4 when it came out) mum took me into our back garden and held me while we watched the planes "Dogfighting" while they made it. Interestingly a lot of the tailing fighters were actually being towed.
@johnbower7452 I assume they were towed for safety? But that's super cool, do you remember how you felt seeing that? I never thought of how weird it musta been for people to see that again
DOOOOH don't say that, I've only just got over somebody telling me the engines on the Heinkle 111 bomber's were Merlins. ACTUALLY, I was 3, in 1944, and watched as Spitfires roard over my home, from the Spitfire Factory at Castle Bromwhich , Birmingham, on their way to front-line RAF bases. @@johnbower7452
So young some of them died. it scares me to think as I am way older than a lot of them. But a great aircraft movie, with a heck of a cast of great actors. From the old days. I still watch it on DVD. They still are all young in movieland. I guess that is their reward in life. Forever young. For those still with us. Long life full of kind memories and pleasantries.
It was a excellent idea, to include in the moving credits, the list of all the free country's, whose men took part in the actual battle, there number's , and those who died.
the more of these Where Are They Now videos see I get more and more depressed, everyone I knew and grew up with is either dead or waiting to die, it's my turn soon and I don't need reminding, I'm regressing back to the early 1960s when Britain was still great and the ethnic soup it now it is didn't exist, the high street had Woolworths C&A, British Homestores, Fenwicks, M&S, Callers Pegasus, No Starbucks, No Poundstretcher, No Cash Converters, or any other of the fly by night shops that turn up and close 12 months later,
I know how you feel! Being of the same generation I barely know the names of today's "stars" today nor do I need to know, and lost interest in Britain many years ago when the country lost it's way and found itself on the road to anarchy, yet successive governments ignored all that!!
What's really sad is that the modern generation will think that the Battle of Britain is about world cup football, or maybe a new Simon Cowell variety show where assorted British so called celebrities compete to win a guest spot with Taylor Swift...
@@cathybrind2381 I heard a story some years ago on the 50th anniversary of the BoB, that during a service conducted by the RAF and with veterans present an airman was heard to whisper to another airman "I've never heard of this battle", his reply "me neither". I guess at the time it sounded a little strange that they didnt know as you would think the history of the RAF and its proud heritage would be the first thing taught during recruit training to make them feel proud of the service they were now part of. And you would think prior to the service wouldn't they have been told of the significance of what happened 50 years ago during the RAF's finest hour.
I was at my last year of school when they were filming the air battles over Deal and East Kent. Groups of aircraft in formation with a red and white camera plane. Great to see. Made my mind up to join the RAF.
I was up the water tower on DUXFORD Airfield watching all the filming happen seeing all the SPIT'S and HURRICANE'S and quite a few of the famous actor's filming the BATTLE OF BRITAIN FILM , in 1969 . ROB.
Nicely done. Lots of good actors in this movie, but I'll take Robert Shaw as my favorite. Brilliant flying sequences especially since it was filmed before the advent of CGI. Thanks
They were all magnificent under the direction of Guy Hamilton still the benchmark for all movie s regarding aerial combat and for me movie s in general
This movie, for me, is the epitome of its genre, and I consider that it would today be impossible to be made, using real aircraft, as, despite the sophistication of CGI and so-on, it is still incapable of accurately depicting the real thing.
Yes, the iconic shot of Messerschmitt's strafing the French airfield is mesmerising when seen on the big screen. They must have used former military pilots for that scene. One chap is so low..it just could not get any more real....I
Great movie - when it was released it got 'no respect' from the critics and much of the British public. It's great to see that a newer (and younger) generation has discovered the film and appreciates it.
One of my all time favourite films. It's ironic though to think that the actors playing actual fighter pilots were far too old for the role! I think the only surviving main cast actors on the british side are Sir Michael Caine Ian McShane David (Hi Di Hi) Griffin James (He just blew up) Cosmo and Edward (Thanks awfully old chap) Fox.
Indeed, I think Michael Caine ventured to Robert Stanford-Tuck (an RAF BoB veteran adviser for the film) that, at 36, he might be a little YOUNG for the role. Whereupon Stanford-Tuck pointed out that he was actually way too OLD and moreover that if one hadn't made sqadron leader by (I think) 24 or so, it was assumed something was wrong with that fellow ... Subsequently when the USAAF came over it wasn't long before they had 25 y.o. colonels, largely because everyone else was MIA.
This is hands down the best aerial combat film ever made. The only thing that spoils it for me (and actually makes me laugh) is Susanna York’s completely not 1940 hair style. Oh that pixie cut. 😂
By the way: the german 109s were spanish made Buchons (based on the ME 109 G series) powered by Rolls-Royce Merlin engines and the 111s were also spanish made C2.111s
By a good ten years and Moore was a bit on the old side to play Bader again by that point. The part he did play wasn`t all that bad. Also, all the pilot characters were fictionalized amalgamations of several people.
Most of the actors in a film shot 57 years ago, who were in their late 20s, 30s and 40s at the time, have died? Well, who would have predicted *THAT* outcome?
Have thison DVD, wonderful movie,read a comment from Michael Caine that during the filming he spoke to BB ace Roberts Stanford Tuck saying at his age(30s)he woukd be too young to be a pilot then only to be told,to his own amazement that most pilots were barely in their 20s!
Why, oh, why do they have a robot doing the monotone voice over? Surely there are plenting of 'resting' actors who could do it? And a million times better too.😮
I'm on the other side of all this "Fighter" stuff ! i.e. I'm into the RAF Bomber Command. stuff . The Bomber guys of course plodded on, Before , During , and After, the B of B. I'm looking for someone (still alive !), in UK/ Europe, who specializes/ has knowledge? in this field. What Pilot/crew planes were use to rescue downed bomber Pilots, (who were smuggled to Luxembourg , instead of heading for Gib. etc.) (all before the Jerries took over Luxy. etc.) This was a much quicker, pick up by "Amy " (The well known female RAF pilot,... who did this stuff etc. ), What modified "Sea Planes" did She use for this secret Lake rescue scheme ? ? They rescued 4 or 5 pilots, at a time, from the Luxy. lakes ? Does anybody (over there) know much about all this? I was 11 (1942 etc.). Talked to one of these rescued Bomber Piolets. (He was going out with the much elder Sister of the guy, who sat next to me at school in Crosby. etc. ) This is one of the episodes of the TV miniseries of the Liverpool bombing etc. that I'm involved in etc . Contact me. lambolaly@yahoo.com
I was at primary school in sawston. We watched the spitfires and hurricanes. The camera aircraft. And the Messerschmitt/buchons over head. I tell people that I remember the Battle of Britain as a child. The look on there faces is always interesting. When I watch the film. I always imagine a little me looking up watching the action overhead.
