One of Our Aircraft is Missing (1942) is a British war film, the fourth collaboration between the British writer-director-producer team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger and the first film they made under the banner of The Archers. Although considered a wartime propaganda film, and made under the authority of the Ministry of Information as part of a series of film productions specifically aimed at morale in the United Kingdom, the story and production values elevated it from the usual jingoistic fare.[1] Today, One of Our Aircraft is Missing is considered one of the "best of British films of the era."[2]
Plot
"B for Bertie" beginning its "runup" of engines at the start of the sortie depicted in the film
One of Our Aircraft Is Missing begins dramatically with the crash of "B for Bertie", an unmanned RAF Vickers Wellington bomber. Its crew was forced to bail out over the Netherlands near the Zuider Zee. The film tells the story of how the Dutch help the crew despite the dangers. A reversal of the plot in the previous film by Powell and Pressburger, 49th Parallel (1941), in this film it is the British trying to escape with the help of various local people. In the 49th Parallel, the Germans stranded in Canada argued and fought amongst themselves as their problems mounted up, while the British fliers in the current film work well together as a team.
The Dutch citizens they encounter, although fearful of German retaliation, agree to help the downed airmen, who are passed to the Dutch resistance. They subsequently find a way through the German lines and reach the North Sea and ultimate rescue. Five of the Dutch resistance are summarily executed for the assistance that they gave to the British air crew.
The attitude of the Dutch people towards the Nazi occupation is shown by lines spoken by two Dutchwomen who help the airmen at great personal risk to themselves and these explain why the Dutch people were willing to help Allied airmen even though those same airmen were sometimes dropping bombs on the Netherlands and killing Dutch people:
Else Meertens: Do you think that we Hollanders who threw the sea out of our country will let the Germans have it? Better the sea.
Jo de Vries: [Speaking to the downed aircrew as RAF bombers approach]
You see. That's what you're doing for us. Can you hear them running for shelter? Can you understand what that means to all the occupied countries? To enslaved people, having it drummed into their ears that the Germans are masters of the Earth. Seeing these masters running for shelter. Seeing them crouching under tables. And hearing that steady hum night after night. That noise which is oil for the burning fire in our hearts.[3]
Cast
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B for Bertie crew:
- Pamela Brown as Else Meertens
- Joyce Redman as Jet van Dieren
- Googie Withers as Jo de Vries
- Hay Petrie as Burgomeister
- Selma Vaz Dias as Burgomeister's wife
- Arnold Marlé as Pieter Sluys
- Robert Helpmann as De Jong
- Peter Ustinov as Priest
- Alec Clunes as Organist
- Hector Abbas as Driver
- James B. Carson as Louis
- Willem Akkerman as Willem
- Joan Akkerman as Maartje
- Peter Schenke as Hendrik
- Valerie Moon as Jannie
- John Salew as German Sentry
- William D'Arcy as German Officer
- David Ward as First German Airman
- Robert Duncan as Second German Airman
- Roland Culver as Naval Officer
- Robert Beatty as Sgt. Hopkins
- Stewart Rome as Cmdr. Reynold
Cast notes:
- Director Michael Powell takes a turn as an actor in this film, playing the small roll of the Despatching Officer.
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L–R, Eric Portman as co-pilot Tom Earnshaw is confronted by Pamela Brown as school teacher Else Meertens, Hugh Burden playing "Skipper" John Glyn Haggard, pilot, in background.
The infamous "lobster pot" made cast and crew seasick during filming. L–R: Emrys Jones and Bernard Miles
Throughout the film, the Germans always spoke their native German and were often filmed in relief to build up their sinister nature.
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Production
The title "One of Our Aircraft Is Missing" is taken from a phrase that was often heard in contemporary news reports in the U.K. after a bombing raid, "one [or often more] of our aircraft failed to return", which originally served as the working title of the screenplay but was then altered to a less-downbeat form.[1] Although the screenplay was not completely developed by the time of production, Powell considered it "half-finished... it remained (that way) for most of the production."[1] One of the reasons for continual revisions to the screenplay were the constant advances in wartime technology that were occurring. The Admiralty informed the producers and directors of the use of "lobster pots," floating steel platforms, hitherto unknown to the public, that had been anchored in the North Sea to facilitate rescue of downed airmen. When Powell learned of this innovation, he pointedly rewrote the screenplay to include this refuge as the means to deliver the crew to safety. With help from the Ministry of Information, permission to use these platforms was obtained.[4]
The actors that were gathered for the film included recognized stage and screen talents as well as newcomers such as Peter Ustinov making his film debut. Although mainly centred on male roles, Powell encouraged Pressburger to create a number of significant female characters. The main leads, Hugh Burden, Hugh Williams, Emry Jones, Bernard Miles, Godfrey Tearle and Eric Portman formed the crew of "B for Bertie" and introduced themselves and their character's positions onboard the bomber in a progressive sequence that was filmed, like most of the aircraft interiors, in a Vickers Wellington "shell" supplied by the RAF, that nonetheless had working features such as lighting and electrically powered turrets.[4]
To maintain an aura of authenticity, actual RAF bombers on "ops" (operations) were filmed but the key aerial scenes of the bombing of Stuttgart, Germany was created using a large-scale model at Riverside Studios, Hammersmith. The giant Wellington replica actually covered the entire studio floor and was rigged with lights and fitted for effects shots including explosions. On screen, the effect was striking and realistically duplicated the flight and bombing raid carried out at the start of the film.[5]
Much of the outdoor sequences set in the Netherlands were shot at Boston in Lincolnshire, with many of the town's landmarks visible, for example, Shodfriars Quay and the railroad Swing Bridge.
Notably, there is no scored music, Powell deliberately strived for "naturalism" relying on natural sounds that would be heard by the characters.[6]
The film was cut by 20 minutes for its original American release.[7]
Reception
The movie received two Academy Award nominations, Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger for Best Writing, Original Screenplay, and Ronald Neame (photography) and C.C. Stevens (sound) for Best Effects, Special Effects. Powell's nomination was the only Academy Award nomination he ever received in his career – Pressburger won an Academy Award for 49th Parallel and was nominated for The Red Shoes as well.[7]
In popular culture
The film is mentioned in the episode of Dad's Army, "The Lion Has Phones." When Pvt Jones tries to ring up GHQ, he mistakenly gets the cinema, the operator there tells him that the film is on. There is a mention of Eric Portman and Googie Withers. A poster for the film is on display at the cinema.[8] Correspondingly, in the episode of Dad's Army, "Time on My Hands," Pike knows how to open a parachute because, he says, he's seen it done in One of Our Aircraft is Missing.[9]
The title of the film was referenced in the title of the Star Trek: The Animated Series episode "One of Our Planets is Missing".
Cover of the DVD which shows one of the original pieces of artwork used in posters to promote the movie.
References
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Aldgate, Anthony and Jeffrey Richards. Britain Can Take it: British Cinema in the Second World War. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2nd Edition, 1994. ISBN 0-7486-0508-8.
- Barr, Charles, ed. All Our Yesterdays: 90 Years of British Cinema. London: British Film Institute, 1986. ISBN 0-85170-179-5.
- Dolan, Edward F. Jr. Hollywood Goes to War. London: Bison Books, 1985. ISBN 0-86124-229-7.
- Hardwick, Jack and Ed Schnepf. "A Viewer's Guide to Aviation Movies". The Making of the Great Aviation Films, General Aviation Series, Volume 2, 1989.
- Murphy, Robert. British Cinema and the Second World War. London: Continuum, 2000. ISBN 0-82645-139-X.
- Powell, Michael. A Life in Movies: An Autobiography. London: Heinemann, 1986. ISBN 0-434-59945-X.
External links
