Product Details

• Actors: Charles Carson, Ronald Adam, Kenneth More, Muriel Pavlow, Lyndon Brook
• Directors: Lewis Gilbert
• Producers: Reach for the Sky
• Format: Import, PAL, Widescreen
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 2 (Read more about DVD formats.)
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Carlton
• Run Time: 136 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0017GLVUE
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #343,778 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada: LANGUAGES: English ( Mono ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Black & White, Interactive Menu, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: The true story of airman Douglas Bader who overcame the loss of both legs in a 1931 flying accident to become a successful fighter pilot and wing leader during World War II. ...Reach for the Sky

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Reach For The Sky, March 24, 2004

By 

George Ward (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Reach for the Sky [Region 2] (DVD)

For ravaged post war Britain the 1950's was a time to focus on heroes. The most relevant place to look was leadership from World War 2. Names like Montgomery and Churchill came easily to mind. The name of RAF World War flying ace Douglas Bader however was one which conjured up images of fighter pilots fearlessly flying into outnumbered sorties against the German Luftwaffe juggernaught. The release of Reach For The Sky (1956) starring the popular English actor Kenneth More, fulfilled part of the British hero search. From Bader's early years to his loss of both legs in a reckless flying stunt. To his being brought back in the war to lead, among others, a squadron of Canadian airmen, this film provides an excellent example of 1950's British filmmaking.

It romanticizes the flying ace for what they were seen as at that time; Britain's saviour from the Axis Invaders.

If you enjoy this World War 2 film you will want to see others of its genre such as The Battle of Britain and The Dam Busters.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Quintessential British 50's war movie, December 10, 2007

By 

F. J. Harvey "Cricket ,country music and a go... (Birmingham England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Reach for the Sky [Region 2] (DVD)

The most astonishing thing about Reach For The Sky is that it is a true story .Based on a book of the same name by Douglas Bader it relates Bader's life story with particular reference to his exploits in World War two.An aviator,Bader lost both legs in an accident prior to the outbreak of war ;he mastered the use of his artificial legs and on the outbreak of war re-enlisted in the RAF.He was forced to bail out during the Battle of Britain and was captured by Germans .Safter 3 failed attempts to escape the Gerrmans took away his artificial legs and placed him in a supposedly escape proof camp -except it was nothing of the sort.

The movie is tribute to the unbreakable spirit of an indomitable man .The mark of the British war movie as compared to the Hollywood product covering the same territory is that the British documentary heritage which infused so many war movies of the period-including this one -made UK movie less gung ho and the courage on display is often of the modest and unassuming variety .The scenes of his learning to live without his natural legs and his painful re-adjustment ,both mental and physical, to his new circumstances are not glossed over but neither are they dwelt upon ,We see him learning to play golf and to dance using the new legs and when we are shown his pain the camera often pulls away so we can imagine the turmoil he is enduring rather than being taken through it blow by blow .

Kenneth More is excellent as Bader (who by the way acted as technical adviser on the picture)and there is a plethora of solid supporting turns by a galaxy of British actors from the period -Michael Gough ,Nigel Green ,Jack Watling .and Dorothy Allison (especially good as a sympathetic nurse)Future Bond director Lewis Gilbert did a good job of keeping this long (135 minutes )movie seem much shorter.This crisp monochrome photography is impeccable and this is a high quality tribute to a true hero ,one who brought alive Shakespeare's words "What a piece of work is man "

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Inspiring Movie, June 29, 2008

By 

Partho De (Chicago, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Reach for the Sky [Region 2 Import] (DVD)

This movie is an excellent true story written by Paul Brickhill(The Great Escape) and acted out excellently. The production is superb and there is never a dull moment. It shows how a person handicapped (with 2 artificial legs) goes on to be not only a star pilot but also a Group Captain and one of the main strategists in the Battle of Britian.