Reach for the Sky (1956)

Director:

Lewis Gilbert

Writers:

Paul Brickhill (book)
Lewis Gilbert (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

15 October 1956 (Denmark)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | War

Tagline:

10,000,000 Americans Have Thrilled to This Stirring Story in Reader's Digest!

Plot:

The true story of airman Douglas Bader who overcame the loss of both legs in a 1931 flying accident...

Plot Keywords:

Pilot | Hero | Royal Air Force | Prisoner Of War | Aviation

Awards:

Won BAFTA Film Award. Another 4 nominations

Cast

Kenneth More	...	Douglas Bader
Muriel Pavlow	...	Thelma Bader
Lyndon Brook	...	Johnny Sanderson
Lee Patterson	...	Turner
Alexander Knox	...	Mr. Joyce
Dorothy Alison	...	Nurse Brace
Michael Warre	...	Harry Day
Sydney Tafler	...	Robert Desoutter
Howard Marion-Crawford	...	'Woody' Woodhall (as Howard Marion Crawford)
Jack Watling	...	Peel
Nigel Green	...	Streatfield
Anne Leon	...	Sister Thornhill
Charles Carson	...	Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding
Ronald Adam	...	Air Vice-Marshal Leigh-Mallory
Walter Hudd	...	Air Vice-Marshal Halahan
Basil Appleby	...	Crowley-Milling
Philip Stainton	...	Police Constable
Eddie Byrne	...	Flight Sergeant Mills
Beverley Brooks	...	Sally (as Beverly Brooks)
Michael Ripper	...	Warrant Officer West
Derek Blomfield	...	Civilian Pilot
Avice Landone	...	Douglas Bader's Mother
Eric Pohlmann	...	Adjutant at Prison Camp
Michael Gough	...	Flying Instructor Pearson
Harry Locke	...	Bates
Sam Kydd	...	Warrant Officer Blake
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Frank Atkinson	...	Desoutters Assistant (uncredited)
Michael Balfour	...	Orderly (uncredited)
Trevor Bannister	...	Man listening to Radio (uncredited)
Victor Beaumont	...	German Doctor (uncredited)
Roland Brand	...	Canadian Pilot / Coltishall II (uncredited)
John Breslin	...	Cadet Mason (uncredited)
Peter Burton	...	Peter / Coltishall Officer (uncredited)
Peter Byrne	...	Civilian pilot who witnesses Bader's crash (uncredited)
Ernest Clark	...	Bader's 242 Squadron Base Commander (uncredited)
Hugh David	...	Cadet Taylor (uncredited)
Stringer Davis	...	Bader's Uncle. (uncredited)
Anton Diffring	...	German officer who captures Bader at the cottage (uncredited)
Basil Dignam	...	2nd doctor who passes Bader (uncredited)
Patricia Fox	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Raymond Francis	...	1st doctor who fails Bader (uncredited)
Philip Gilbert	...	Canadian Pilto / Coltishall II (uncredited)
Fred Griffiths	...	Lorry Driver. (uncredited)
Alexander Harris	...	Richardson Don (uncredited)
Frank Hawkins	...	Drill Sgt (uncredited)
Charles Lamb	...	Walker / Desoutters Aide (uncredited)
Jack Lambert	...	Golf Player. (uncredited)
Philip Levene	...	Sgt Williams, Tangmere (uncredited)
Jeremy Longhurst	...	Jones (uncredited)
Richard Marner	...	German officer in staff car (uncredited)
Roger Maxwell	...	Pantiles (uncredited)
Ronan O'Casey	...	Canadian Pilot / Coltishall II (uncredited)
Clive Revill	...	RAF batman who helps Bader with his new legs (uncredited)
George Rose	...	Squadron Leader Edwards (uncredited)
John Stone	...	Limping Officer (uncredited)
Derek Sydney	...	Mechanic / Uxbridge (uncredited)
Jack Taylor	...	British Pilot / Coltishall (uncredited)
Russell Waters	...	Pearson (uncredited)
Patrick Westwood	...	RAF Corporal / Diver (uncredited)
Ian Whittaker	...	Airman who wakes up Bader (uncredited)
Howard Williams	...	Cadet, Ticket Match (uncredited)

Directed by
Lewis Gilbert

Writing credits
Paul Brickhill		(book "The Story of Douglas Bader)
Lewis Gilbert		(screenplay)
Vernon Harris		(additional scenes)

Produced by
Daniel M. Angel	....	producer
Anthony Nelson Keys	....	associate producer (as Anthony Nelson-Keys)

Original Music by
John Addison

Cinematography by
Jack Asher		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
John Shirley

Art Direction by
Bernard Robinson

Makeup Department
Bob Lawrance	....	makeup artist (as Robert Lawrence)
Pearl Orton	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Hugh Attwooll	....	production manager (as H.R.R. Attwooll)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
James Hill	....	second unit director
Basil Keys	....	assistant director
Kip Gowans	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Geoffrey Helman	....	second assistant director: second unit (uncredited)
Gino Marotta	....	third assistant director (uncredited)
Pat Marsden	....	assistant director: second unit (uncredited)

Art Department
Charles Bishop	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Vernon Dixon	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Roy Dorman	....	draughtsman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Gordon K. McCallum	....	sound recordist
John W. Mitchell	....	sound recordist
Arthur Ridout	....	sound editor
Roy Charman	....	assistant boom operator (uncredited)
Terence Cotter	....	sound recordist: second unit (uncredited)
Danny Daniel	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Graham Harris	....	dubbing assistant (uncredited)
Archie Ludski	....	sound editor: second unit (uncredited)
Basil Rootes	....	sound camera operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Bryan Langley	....	special effects
Bert Marshall	....	special effects
Bill Warrington	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
James Bawden	....	camera operator: model unit (uncredited)
Bernard Ford	....	camera operator: model unit (uncredited)
Frank George	....	models (uncredited)
Sydney Pearson	....	models (uncredited)
John Stears	....	model aircraft (uncredited)
Bill Warrington	....	models (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Harry Gillam	....	camera operator
James Devis	....	focus puller: second unit (uncredited)
David Harcourt	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
John Morgan	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Charles Trigg	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Julie Harris	....	dress designer

Music Department
Muir Mathieson	....	orchestra director

Other crew
Arthur Alcott	....	production controller: Pinewood Studios, London, England
Shirley Barnes	....	continuity
Group Captain H.M.A. Day	....	technical adviser (as Group Captain H.M.A.Day, D.S.O., O.B.E., A.M.)
Teresa Bolland	....	production secretary (uncredited)
Doreen Merriman	....	assistant continuity (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Angel Productions (as Pinnacle)

Distributors

• J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors (1956) (UK) (theatrical) (released by)
• Rank Film Distributors of America (1957) (USA) (theatrical)
• Rank Organisation Div. Belgium and Luxemburg, The (1957) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Divisa Home Video (2009) (Spain) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Air Ministry, The  the producers wish to express their thanks to, for their most helpful co-operation in the making of this film
• B&D Film  logo
• British Science Museum, The  the producers wish to express their thanks to, for their most helpful co-operation in the making of this film
• Royal Air Force (RAF)  the producers wish to express their thanks to, for their most helpful co-operation in the making of this film (as The Royal Air Force)
• Shuttleworth Trust, The  the producers wish to express their thanks to, for their most helpful co-operation in the making of this film
• Sinfonia of London Orchestra, The  orchestra

Runtime:

135 min | USA:123 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White (archive footage) | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Iceland:L | UK:U (original rating) | UK:U (video rating) | Australia:G | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Bagshot, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

Angel Productions

Trivia:

This film's opening prologue states: "Douglas Bader has become a legend in his own life time. His courage was not only an example to those in War but is now a source of inspiration to many in Peace. For dramatic purposes it has been necessary in this film to transpose in time certain events in Douglas Bader's life and also to re-shape some of the characters involved in this story. The Producers apologise to those who may have been affected by any changes or omissions."

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: During the meeting in Dowding’s office there is a RAF plaque on his desk with a Queen’s crown on it, which was correct for when the film was made, but when as the film is set in 1940 it should have been a King’s crown.

Quotes:

Equipment Officer: I'm sorry, the book says I must wait three months before I can initiate the procedure for hastening new issue.
Bader: Fine! We'll send Goring a telegram, and ask him not to come over for *three months*!

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Ultimate Film (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Reach for the Sky

Absorbing if re-written account of Douglas Bader.

The credits advise that some events and depictions of people/events have been altered for story telling purposes , so this film is not a strictly accurate history of Douglas Bader. Also played down somewhat is Baders arrogance and foolhardiness which lead to his disability in the first place. Still as a inspiration for disabled people and as an almost factual account of Baders life and as film entertainment , it's pretty good. Made reasonably close to the war years it is able to capture the feeling of those years quite well. It is a trifle 'stiff upper lip - what ?' but Kenneth More as usual turns in a good performance. Focusing mainly on Baders attempts, and resulting achievements in war time flying, after a crash means both lower legs have to be amputated. Quite gritty and not too sentimental this offering from director Lewis Gilbert stacks up well against similar films of the time.