Spitfire film and the RAF centenary

Released to coincide with celebrations of the Royal Air Force centenary ‘Spitfire’ is a stunning documentary nearly two hours long telling the story of the plane and the people that helped win the Battle of Britain.

Credited with changing the course of the Second World War, this is the history of the Spitfire – told personally in the words of the last-surviving combat veterans. 

The World Premiere is Monday 9 July (Curzon Mayfair) followed the next day by RAF100 Parade and Flypast down The Mall  (more next week). Spitfire is released in cinemas on 20 July.

Some rare digitally re-mastered archive celluloid film from the tumultuous days of the 1940s, has been interwoven with breath-taking aerial footage to complete a memorable film.  A beautiful original score from composer Chris Roe, and the roar of the famous Merlin engine, creates an incredible soundscape.

Perhaps the most poignant moment of the film was the interview with Mary Ellis (101), the last known surviving pilot of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) with MV154 now owned by Maxi Gainza, a wealthy Argentinian-born flying enthusiast based in Switzerland.  Its civil registration is D-FEUR.

Whether it tops “The First of the Few” one of the great WWII films will be for others to decide.  David Niven and Leslie Howard really looked the part.  See also RAF Tattoo Fairford in this issue.

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www.themoviescene.co.uk/watch/the-first-of-the-few-1942/the-first-of-the-few-1942.html

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