The Lion Has Wings

CARLTON INTERNATIONAL MEDIA LIMITED-ETIK DATORREN KOPIA/COPY FROM CARLTON INTERNATIONAL MEDIA LIMITED/COPIA PROCEDENTE DE CARLTON INTERNATIONAL MEDIA LIMITED

A morale raiser, quickly devised and made under Korda's leadership, with Richardson as an RAF officer contemplating the struggle ahead, intercut with documentary material contrasting German regimentation and British tradition, reconstruction of early fighting, training material, and an extract from Fire Over England (William K. Howard, 1937), with Flora Robson as Elizabeth I. For some weeks after the outbreak of war in 1939, there was real anxiety in film circles that the government would legislate to close all cinemas, as an air-raid precaution, and thus wipe out the industry. Powell believed that Korda´s impulsive gesture in making The Lion Has Wings helped to stave off this possibility by showing what films could do in the war situation. (...) Its uneasy collage of actuality and staged acting was intended to reassure British audiences that the Air Force was fully prepared to meet Hitler's threat. This it signally failed to do, and a rumour circulated that it was shown as a comedy in Berlin! Ian Christie (Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger: Arrows of Desire)

YEAR   1939 PRODUCTION   Alexander Korda London Film Productions DIRECTOR   Michael Powell, Desmond Hurst, Adrian Brunel, (Alexander Korda) SCREENPLAY   Adrian Brunel, E. V. H. Emmett PHOTOGRAPHY   Osmond Borradaile, Harry Stradling, Bernard Browne MUSIC   Richard Addinsell EDITION   Henry Cornelius, Charles Frend CAST   Ralph Richardson (Wing Cdr. Richardson), Merle Oberon (Mrs. Richardson), June Duprez (June), Robert Douglas (Briefing Officer) RUNNING TIME   76 m.

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