Movies About The Battle Of Britain

From David Lean, starring William Holden, Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins, Sessue Hayakawa
Rated PG

The Bridge on the River Kwai is a 1957 adventure war film directed by David Lean. It follows the story of a British Colonel, Nicholson (Alec Guinness), and a group of Allied POWs as they are forced to construct a bridge over the River Kwai by their Japanese captors. Despite the harsh conditions, Nicholson attempts to motivate his troops by emphasizing the importance of completing the bridge for their captors. However, the POWs soon realize their bridge will be used to transport Japanese munitions, leading them to hatch a desperate plan to blow up the bridge. At the same time, a British commando team is sent in to destroy the bridge and prevent it from being used. In the end, the commandos succeed in their mission, but Nicholson is killed while saving the bridge from the explosives. The film ends with the bridge being blown up and the surviving POWs released.

From John Sturges, starring Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, Charles Bronson
Rated Approved

The Great Escape is a 1963 American epic war film based on an escape by British and Commonwealth prisoners of war from a German POW camp during World War II, starring Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, and Charles Bronson. The prisoners, led by a group of senior officers, organize an escape plan and build a makeshift tunnel. After many months of hard work and personal sacrifice, the prisoners break out and make their getaway, but are pursued by the Germans. The film follows the prisoners as they make their daring escape and their attempts to evade capture as they make their way to safety. With its thrilling action sequences, memorable characters, and classic score, The Great Escape is considered one of the greatest war films ever made.

From Morten Tyldum, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Allen Leech
Rated PG-13

The Imitation Game is a biographical drama film directed by Morten Tyldum, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, and Matthew Goode. The film is set in the Second World War, and it follows the story of Alan Turing (Cumberbatch), a British mathematician, cryptanalyst, and computer scientist. Turing is tasked with cracking the German Enigma code, which is being used to encode Nazi messages. With the help of a team of fellow cryptographers, he develops the groundbreaking “Turing Machine” which is capable of breaking the code. The film follows Turing as he works to decipher the code and the personal struggles he faces against the British government, who are skeptical of his theories and suspicious of his homosexuality. The Imitation Game is an inspiring story of Turing's dedication to his work and his perseverance in the face of adversity.

From Sidney Lumet, starring Sean Connery, Harry Andrews, Ian Bannen, Alfred Lynch
Rated Approved

The Hill is a 1965 drama directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Sean Connery and Harry Andrews. Set in a British Army prison camp during World War II, it follows the story of a group of military prisoners who are subjected to harsh discipline and degrading treatment by their commanding officer. The prisoners eventually revolt, leading to a climactic battle between them and the guards. The film is notable for its gritty realism, its indictment of military brutality, and its strong performances from Connery and Andrews. It serves as a stark reminder of the harsh realities of life in a war zone and the struggles of those who endure it.

From Christopher Nolan, starring Fionn Whitehead, Barry Keoghan, Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy
Rated PG-13

Dunkirk is an epic war drama set in 1940 during the evacuation of Allied troops from the beaches of Dunkirk, France. Directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Fionn Whitehead, Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance and Kenneth Branagh, the film chronicles the heroic efforts of the British, French and Belgian forces to evacuate hundreds of thousands of troops in the face of Nazi forces. The story is told through three intertwining perspectives - the mole (the beach evacuation), the sea (the small boats sent to rescue the soldiers) and the air (the RAF pilots sent to protect them). Through a combination of intense action sequences, beautiful cinematography and gripping performances, Dunkirk conveys the incredible courage and solidarity of the Allied troops in their effort to survive against overwhelming odds.

From Joe Wright, starring Keira Knightley, James McAvoy, Brenda Blethyn, Saoirse Ronan
Rated R

Atonement tells the story of a young girl, Briony Tallis, who irrevocably changes the course of several lives when she accuses her older sister’s lover of a crime he did not commit. As time passes, Briony discovers the truth and attempts to atone for her mistake by providing a different ending to the story of her family and friends. Through the use of flashbacks and a non-linear narrative structure, the film depicts a complex tale of love, guilt, and ultimately, redemption.

From J. Lee Thompson, starring David Niven, Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, Anthony Quayle
Rated Not Rated

The Guns of Navarone is a 1961 British-American war film directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Gregory Peck, David Niven, and Anthony Quinn. Set during World War II, the film tells the story of an Allied team of commandos who are tasked with destroying the heavily fortified and impenetrable German artillery on the island of Navarone. The team is led by Major Keith Mallory (Gregory Peck) and comprised of a Greek resistance fighter (Anthony Quinn), a British explosives expert (David Niven), and a civilian technician (Anthony Quayle). As they plan and execute their mission, they must also deal with the constant threat of discovery by the Germans. The Guns of Navarone is considered a classic war film and was nominated for seven Academy Awards, winning two.

From Richard Attenborough, starring Sean Connery, Ryan O'Neal, Michael Caine, Laurence Olivier
Rated PG

From Joe Wright, starring Gary Oldman, Lily James, Kristin Scott Thomas, Ben Mendelsohn
Rated PG-13

From Mike Newell, starring Jessica Brown Findlay, Tom Courtenay, Michiel Huisman, Katherine Parkinson
Rated TV-14

From John Boorman, starring Sarah Miles, David Hayman, Sebastian Rice-Edwards, Geraldine Muir
Rated PG-13

From Nagisa Ôshima, starring David Bowie, Tom Conti, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Takeshi Kitano
Rated R

From Richard Marquand, starring Donald Sutherland, Kate Nelligan, Stephen MacKenna, Philip Martin Brown
Rated R

From Jonathan Teplitzky, starring Colin Firth, Nicole Kidman, Stellan Skarsgård, Jeremy Irvine
Rated R

From Lone Scherfig, starring Gemma Arterton, Sam Claflin, Bill Nighy, Richard E. Grant
Rated R

From Michael Anderson, starring Sophia Loren, George Peppard, Trevor Howard, John Mills
Rated PG-13

From Guy Hamilton, starring Harrison Ford, Robert Shaw, Edward Fox, Franco Nero
Rated PG

From Michael Apted, starring Dougray Scott, Kate Winslet, Saffron Burrows, Jeremy Northam
Rated R

From Gillian Armstrong, starring Cate Blanchett, James Fleet, Abigail Cruttenden, Charlotte McDougall
Rated PG-13

From Oliver Parker, starring Mark Tandy, Russell Balogh, Andrew Havill, Heinz
Rated Not Rated