The Dam Busters (1955)

Director:

Michael Anderson

Writers:

Paul Brickhill (book)
Guy Gibson (book)

Release Date:

16 July 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | History | War

Tagline:

The dramatic true-life story of the men who broke the Nazis' back!

Plot:

True story of how the British attacked German dams in WW2 by using an ingenious technique to drop bombs where they would be most effective.

Plot Keywords:

Bomb | Scientist | Dam | Flood | Bomber

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 nominations

Cast

Richard Todd	...	Wing Commander Guy Gibson, V.C., D.S.O., D.F.C.
Michael Redgrave	...	Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S.
Ursula Jeans	...	Mrs. Wallis
Charles Carson	...	Doctor
Stanley Van Beers	...	Sir David Pye, C.B., F.R.S.
Colin Tapley	...	Doctor W.H. Glanville, C.B., C.B.E.
Frederick Leister	...	Committee Member
Eric Messiter	...	Committee Member
Laidman Browne	...	Committee Member
Raymond Huntley	...	Official, National Physical Laboratory
Hugh Manning	...	Official, Ministry of Aircraft Production
Patrick Barr	...	Captain Joseph 'Mutt' Summers, C.B.E.
Edwin Styles	...	Observer at trials
Hugh Moxey	...	Observer at trials
Anthony Shaw	...	R.A.F. Officer at trials

Also Known As:

The Dambusters (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

124 min | USA:105 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:L | Australia:G (DVD rating) | Norway:12 | USA:Approved (PCA #17528) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Associated British Elstree Studios, Shenley Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC)

Trivia:

The bombs shown in the movie were the wrong shape because the actual shape (a stubby cylinder) was still secret at the time.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The Castle above the Eder-Dam is shown on the southern-side of the lake. In reality, this castle is on the northern side.

Quotes:

Flight Lt. J.F. Leggo, DFC: [Looks at his watch at dinner, before the raid] We've still got an hour. Let's go put our feet up for a bit before we change.
Flight Lt. H.B. Martin, DSO, DFC, AFC: Not a bad idea. C'mon.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "BBC Proms: Prom 2: Music from Great British Films (#1.7)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

The Dam Busters

Don't forget Star Wars!

I plowed through the most recent 5 user reviews of this movie, burrowing past the recitations of historical minutiae and the quibbles about its 50 year old (un)special effects, and thought to myself that everyone missed the point.

Yes, the effects are crude -- the film was made in 19-fricking-54, people! Yes, it gets some of the historical details wrong -- it's entertainment, people! The real point is that it's a fantastic yarn, told with great skill and excitement. When I first saw it (as a teen, before Star Wars) I was glued to the screen. I still am today. And evidently, I'm not alone because in 1977 a certain geeky film maker from Northern California stole a large portion of Dam Busters, mixed in a heapin' helpin' of Hidden Fortress, and peppered it all with a dash of Laurel & Hardy & Flash Gordon, calling it Star Wars.

So I'm giving props where props are due. Don't miss this classic.