Review Detail

First, full disclosure: I am the one who first suggested the need for a much needed edit of The Battle of Britain, leading ParanoidAndroid to take on the task, for which we have to be immensely grateful. I made some suggestions as things went along, although the lion's share of the result is entirely down to him . In this edit, as already noted. the film, formerly somewhat draggy and near-fatally slowed by a romantic sub-plot, has been entirely rescued in a sensitive and fastidious fashion. The result now firmly belongs to the pantheon of great British war films in a way which both looks back to a grand cinematic tradition as well as being quite obviously a product of the imminent 70's.. If we lose some of the characterisation of a central couple by the tightening, then that 's no handicap. In fact it can argued that if this movie is more a portrait of community mood and of a whole nation at war, represented by the few, it is right that no one person need dominate the action. Having said that, I am glad that ParanoidAndroid did not cut back on Pilot Andy's (Ian McShane)'s subplot. In discovering how the blitz has had specific consequences, his sequences on the streets successfully 'ground' the main story above in a way I think necessary.

The image is very good clear, and sharp. I was first dubious about the decision to desaturate as too drastic (I've seen one or two others which have been done over in this way and which results were, to my mind, unnecessary, unsatisfactory or even represent vandalism) but have since been completely won over in this instance. The majority of the film, now in black and white, inevitably recalls the grand days of 50's British war film, making even more pointed the presence of Squadron Leader Canfield (Caine)'s dog Blackie as a reference back to the canine of Guy Gibson in The Dam Busters (1955). The decision to keep the final aerial battle in bright colour seems to me, absolutely right and inspired, It makes of that standout sequence something distinct and more moving at the same time. helped of course by Walton's inestimable music. At the end of this with a hard cut back to black and white, the viewer, as well as the deflated Nazis, are abruptly bought down to earth. Truly this film's finest few minutes.

The score choices in this edit are also noteworthy. Walton famously finished the music for the film but most of it was jettisoned by the producers to be replaced, in all but one case by Ron Goodwin. ParanoidAndroid's edit does the sensible thing and offers three choices on separate tracks: that of Goodwin, Walton or a hybrid version. The important thing for many will be that at last we have the privilege of hearing a score by one of England's leading composers, complete. back where it was intended. As ParanoidAndroid suggests, many will prefer the hybrid, certainly for a first listen. But Goodwin, if he has his moments is sometimes guilty of bombast and is no Walton; purists will want the real thing.

The only thing ParanoidAndroid and I agreed to disagree on was with the position of the main title. I still prefer the version where it appears at the end, just before the roll call of the distinguished dead. I always felt that it was a visual redundancy up front immediately after the words "the Battle of Britain is about to begin". That minor niggle is all I can find in the whole film (and he very kindly prepared my own version!). The result here is an overwhelming success, never boring, where each cameo brings its own memorable lines. In short, a classic back triumphantly in the air, thoroughly recommended!