Customer Reviews:
The father of the Spitfire in a loveable light.......2007-07-06
What a beautiful and gripping story about the lead designer of the Spitfire - Reginald Joseph Mitchell. It is a propaganda movie from 1942, a very troubled time for England, when England was in great need for heros and Mitchell fits the bill, an eccentric, calm, pipe smoking, public school and very amiable sort of fellow.
The story is captivating and very believable, a one mans struggle to make the perfect areoplane, then the perfect fighter. It is so good you want to believe everything is true - and even if it is riddled with historical inaccuracies - you have to remember that it is just the film that was needed at the time.
The leading actors are most loveable, David Niven is at his best and has some rather convincing drunken scenes but it is Leslie Howard of Gone with the Wind fame as Mitchell that captures the audience. This was Howards last film as an actor since he was later in a plane shot down with the Germans. David Niven continued to contribute to the war effort both in films and as a commando in the Normandy landings.
The transfer to DVD is not that great, the film is a bit worn with time but there is no serious damage, also it is in a 4:3 aspect so no wide screen expectations. But it is a nice lovable film, very well acted with plenty of human interest and more so when it was released to a nation at war with very few happy prospects and in dept to the few.
Customer Reviews:
Show this to the Kids.......2006-08-27
The first of the few, produced in the middle of World War II pays tribute to the small team designing and building the Spitfire. The film tells a simple story about the principle character RJ Mitchell and his fight to get the Spitfire designed and built in an essentially honest and none jingoistic way. This is not a historical documentary and facts have been altered or left out. However, it is a film I would recommend to all, not just aviation buffs and it would make an ideal rainy Saturday afternoon film for Dad and the kids.
Interesting, worthwhile, historical.......2004-03-16
While the special effects are hardly up to modern standards, the film, although slow to start, details the history of the single-winged aircraft, up to the production of the Spitfire.
An excellent cast, an interesting and historic story, providing interest and an insight into those that sacrificed everything, for progress.
I am a little "unsure" of the actual DVD, itself, as it has proven difficult to play in my DVD player. However, if it is possible to view, it is worth watching and an excellent addition to my collection.
Far surpasses most propaganda.......2004-01-20
Although made at the height of WW2, this film is far from mere propaganda. As well as showcasing the fine acting and direction of Leslie Howard, it tells the story of a genuine hero. While the events of the film are heavily fictionalised, the basic story about RJ Mitchell's dedication to the creation of the perfect flying machine, (and then the perfect fighter aircraft) even at the expense of his health, is entirely true.
There have been many attempts to debunk the mythos surrounding the "Battle Of Britain" in recent years, largely as a result of social change. This film puts it back in context, as the struggle of a small group of individuals which helped win the war everyone fought.
As the character Crisp (David Niven), loosely based on real-life test pilot Jeffrey Quill, says at the close of the close of the film "They can't take the Spitfires Mitch, they can't take them...". The fact we all still speak English in England is a tribute to that. This film is a fine tribute to a great engineer and a great aircraft.
A brilliant account of the development of the Spitfire.......2001-02-07
A compelling insight into the development of the supermarine spitfire from, from schnieder trophy sea planes that where developed prior to the spitfire, and how the spitfire helped win the Battle of Britain.
A very British Movie with an excellent cast. Very watchable
Customer Reviews:
Show this to the Kids.......2006-08-27
The first of the few, produced in the middle of World War II pays tribute to the small team designing and building the Spitfire. The film tells a simple story about the principle character RJ Mitchell and his fight to get the Spitfire designed and built in an essentially honest and none jingoistic way. This is not a historical documentary and facts have been altered or left out. However, it is a film I would recommend to all, not just aviation buffs and it would make an ideal rainy Saturday afternoon film for Dad and the kids.
Interesting, worthwhile, historical.......2004-03-16
While the special effects are hardly up to modern standards, the film, although slow to start, details the history of the single-winged aircraft, up to the production of the Spitfire.
An excellent cast, an interesting and historic story, providing interest and an insight into those that sacrificed everything, for progress.
I am a little "unsure" of the actual DVD, itself, as it has proven difficult to play in my DVD player. However, if it is possible to view, it is worth watching and an excellent addition to my collection.
Far surpasses most propaganda.......2004-01-20
Although made at the height of WW2, this film is far from mere propaganda. As well as showcasing the fine acting and direction of Leslie Howard, it tells the story of a genuine hero. While the events of the film are heavily fictionalised, the basic story about RJ Mitchell's dedication to the creation of the perfect flying machine, (and then the perfect fighter aircraft) even at the expense of his health, is entirely true.
There have been many attempts to debunk the mythos surrounding the "Battle Of Britain" in recent years, largely as a result of social change. This film puts it back in context, as the struggle of a small group of individuals which helped win the war everyone fought.
As the character Crisp (David Niven), loosely based on real-life test pilot Jeffrey Quill, says at the close of the close of the film "They can't take the Spitfires Mitch, they can't take them...". The fact we all still speak English in England is a tribute to that. This film is a fine tribute to a great engineer and a great aircraft.
A brilliant account of the development of the Spitfire.......2001-02-07
A compelling insight into the development of the supermarine spitfire from, from schnieder trophy sea planes that where developed prior to the spitfire, and how the spitfire helped win the Battle of Britain.
A very British Movie with an excellent cast. Very watchable
DVD:
- Forbidden Planet - 50th Anniversary 2 Disc Special Edition [1956]
- Funny Girl / Funny Lady (Widescreen) - 2 Disc Box Set [1969]
- Gladiators Seven [1963] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- Gone With The Wind [1940]
- Gone With The Wind (4 Disc Collector's Edition Box Set) [1939]
- Goodbye Mr Chips [1939]
- Great Expectations [1946]
- Halloween [2007] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- Harold Lloyd Definitive Collection [1921]
- If.... [1968]
DVD List
DVD
![First of the Few [1942]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21aEvb8XuGL.jpg)
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