Customer Reviews

Reach for the Sky [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - United Kingdom ]

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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.

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 "

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.

My Dad had wanted to see "Reach for the Sky" for years, but it's not on the incessant repeat cycle on TV, and it's not available in US-format DVD. Thanks to Amazon's Video-on-Demand option, we were finally able to see this excellent film. It avoids the home-front romance of many films of its type, focusing on Douglas Bader's ultimately successful struggle to overcome an apparent disability to prove to himselve and others that disabled does not mean unable to excel. Reach for the Sky is also superb in that Bader's injury is part of his character, but not the only reason for the movie. I'd put this alongside 12 O'Clock High, The Dam Busters and other excellent WWII movies.Reach For The Sky

Reach for the Sky, 1957 film

This is based on the book by Paul Brickhill. Douglas Bader was one of the top fighter pilots of the air war and a pioneer in fighter strategy, in spite of an earlier loss of both legs in a flying accident. Bader joined the RAF as a cadet in September 1928. He was a skilled athlete. These pilots are warned against low-level acrobatics; two pilots had been killed. [There is less margin of error when something went wrong.] On a dare he flies a new aeroplane, and crashes. His legs are amputated, his career is ended. Can he walk again? His determination wins. Does he take risks? Life goes on; he meets Thelma at an inn. Bader returned to the RAF and flies again. But he is grounded. What will he do now? Bader took up golf and married Thelma. In 1939 he rejoined the RAF and passed the tests. Bader has plans for fighter tactics.

Squadron Commander Bader shows his skills in a Spitfire. He takes command to replace lost supplies. Bader shakes up the bureaucracy to get supplies and tools. They are ready and eager to take on the enemy. Their Hurricanes search for enemy bombers, and find them, and shoot them down. Bader developed new tactics for five squadrons, the Duxford Wing. [Massed fighters against massed bombers.] The RAF took the fight across the channel to France. But there is a collision in the air, and Bader is captured. He needs a spare leg. The Germans move him from prison camp to another until he is finally sent to Colditz castle, the most secure prison camp. He is freed in the spring of 1945. He is one of the few of the few who took part in the Battle of Britain of September 1940.

The book goes into more detail about Bader's life. He had the eye and muscle coordination that makes a good athlete or fighter pilot. After the war he worked for an air transportation company. The movie "Battle of Britain" provides another look at this historic battle in the air.

It may be an old B&W movie, but there are life lessons here. I used this story to show my autistic grandson how we can overcome adversity. He thought it inspiring, marveling at the drive and determination of Douglas Bader.

Quick delivery. Had to play using my laptop because my regular DVD player would not work. Good quality, great film.

I saw this picture Reach For The Sky when it first came out in 1956 in England and was pleased to find that it is now on DVD.

I have not played the actual dvd as I bought it as a gift. Anyone buying this needs to have a multiplayer machine.

Loved it very much. I remember going to one movie theather who carried most of the movies by J Arthur Rank studious.

I first read this book when I was in the 9th grade...fell in love with the book and the character ..Douglas Bader...have read it many times since...actually just finished it again today. I recently purchased the Library quality book from Amazon...was GREAT...also just ordered the movie from Amazon...cheep. Can't wait till it arrives!

This man was one of the most inspirational people ever...a real hero...not something of fiction or movies...someone to live your life by! People like him were why the British won the Battle of Britain!