Reach for the Sky

For other uses, see Reach for the Sky (disambiguation).

Reach for the Sky
original theatrical poster
Directed by	Lewis Gilbert
Produced by	Daniel M. Angel
Written by	Paul Brickhill (book) Lewis Gilbert (screenplay) Vernon Harris (add'l scenes)
Starring	Kenneth More Muriel Pavlow Lyndon Brook Lee Patterson Alexander Knox
Music by	John Addison
Cinematography	Jack Asher
Editing by	John Shirley
Distributed by	Rank
Release date(s)	10 July 1956 (1956-07-10) (UK) April 30, 1957 (1957-04-30) (US)
Running time	136 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Reach for the Sky is a 1956 British biographical film about aviator Douglas Bader, based on the 1954 biography of the same name by Paul Brickhill. The film stars Kenneth More and was directed by Lewis Gilbert. It won the BAFTA Award for Best British Film of 1956.

Plot

In 1928, Douglas Bader, a hyperactive young man, joins RAF Cranwell as a cadet. Despite a schoolboy-like disregard for service discipline and flight rules, he successfully completes his training and is posted to No. 23 squadron at Kenley. In 1931, he crashes his aircraft and despite nearly dying, survives, although both legs are amputated. During convalescence, he meets and starts to court Thelma Edwards. Refused flying duties and offered a desk job, he leaves the RAF and takes an office job with Shell Oil. On the strength of this, he and Thelma marry.

As the Second World War starts, Bader talks himself back into the Royal Air Force. He takes part in the Battle of Britain, and is posted to take command of a squadron comprising mostly dispirited Canadians, improving morale and discipline by circumventing formal channels to make the squadron operational again.

In 1941, Bader is shot down and taken prisoner, after being forced to bail out over France. He escapes and is moved to several POW camps, ending in Colditz Castle.

Despite his disability, Bader makes many attempts at escape, and the Germans threaten to take his prosthetic legs away. The story continues to his release in 1945, when Bader is again able to lead his pilots in a flypast commemorating the war's end.

Cast

• Kenneth More as Douglas Bader
• Muriel Pavlow as Thelma Bader
• Lyndon Brook as Johnny Sanderson
• Lee Patterson as Turner
• Alexander Knox as Mr. Joyce
• Dorothy Alison as Nurse Brace
• Michael Warre as Harry Day
• Sydney Tafler as Robert Desoutter
• Howard Marion-Crawford as "Woody" Woodhall           
• Jack Watling as Peel
• Nigel Green as Streatfield
• Anne Leon as Sister Thornhill

• Charles Carson as Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding
• Ronald Adam as Air Vice-Marshal Leigh-Mallory
• Walter Hudd as Air Vice-Marshal Halahan
• Basil Appleby as Crowley-Milling
• Philip Stainton as Police Constable
• Eddie Byrne as Flight Sergeant Mills
• Beverley Brooks as Sally
• Michael Ripper as Warrant Officer West
• Derek Blomfield as Civilian Pilot
• Avice Landone as Douglas Bader's Mother
• Eric Pohlmann as Adjutant at Prison Camp
• Michael Gough as Flying Instructor Pearson

Aircraft

The following aircraft were used in the filming of Reach to the Sky.

Aircraft	Registration or serial	Role	Fate	Photo
Avro 504K	E3404	Flying	Preserved at Shuttleworth Collection, Old Warden, United Kingdom.
Avro Tutor	K3215	Static	Preserved at Shuttleworth Collection.
Bristol F.2b	D8096	Camera ship	Preserved at Shuttleworth Collection.
Bristol Bulldog	K2227	Static	Preserved at RAF Museum, Hendon, United Kingdom.
Hawker Hurricane I	P2617	Static	Scrapped in May 1956.
Hawker Hurricane IIC	LF363	Flying	Airworthy with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, RAF Coningsby, United Kingdom.
Hawker Hurricane IIC	unknown	Static	Believed scrapped.
Spartan Arrow	G-ABWP	Static	Airworthy, privately owned.
Supermarine Spitfire XVI	RW345	Static	Scrapped May 1956
Supermarine Spitfire XVI	RW352	Flying	Scrapped 1957
Supermarine Spitfire XVI	SL574	Flying	Preserved at the Air & Space Museum, San Diego, United States.
Supermarine Spitfire XVI	SL745	Static	Scrapped May 1956
Supermarine Spitfire XVI	TB293	Static	Scrapped May 1956
Supermarine Spitfire XVI	TB885	Static	Under restoration in United Kingdom to flying condition.
Supermarine Spitfire XVI	TE288	Static	Preserved at Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum, Wigram, New Zealand
Supermarine Spitfire XVI	TE341	Static	Scrapped at Pinewood Studios
Supermarine Spitfire XVI	TE358	Flying	Scrapped by Coley's Ltd, Feltham, United Kingdom in April 1957
Supermarine Spitfire XVI	TE456	Flying	Preserved at Auckland War Memorial Museum, Auckland, New Zealand

Production

In order to realistically depict the various Royal Air Force bases, principal filming took place in Surrey at RAF Kenley, and around the village of Bagshot. Studio work was completed at the Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK. Available wartime combat aircraft including Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire fighters were arranged to take on the aerial scenes.

Reception

The film fared well with the public, being the most popular film in the UK for 1956. When the film was released in North America in 1957, the American release version was slightly altered with 12 minutes edited out.

References

Notes

Bibliography

• Bader, Douglas. Fight for the Sky: The Story of the Spitfire and Hurricane. Ipswich, Suffolk, UK: W.S. Cowell Ltd., 2004. ISBN 0-304-35674-3.
• Brickhill, Paul. Reach for the Sky: The Story of Douglas Bader DSO, DFC. London: Odhams Press Ltd., 1954. ISBN 1-55750-222-6.
• Dolan, Edward F. Jr. Hollywood Goes to War. London: Bison Books, 1985. ISBN 0-86124-229-7.
• Hardwick, Jack and Ed Schnepf. "A Buff's Guide to Aviation Movies". Air Progress Aviation Vol. 7, No. 1, Spring 1983.

External links

• Reach for the Sky at the Internet Movie Database
• Reach for the Sky at the TCM Movie Database