637. Battle of Britain (1969)

*The Warlock opens the door to his lair. He’s wearing a Warriors vest, black wifebeater, blue jeans, white sneakers and gargoyle shades. He’s holding a Mega Pint of Dr. Pepper*

W: Welcome to my lair…welcome I don’t think so, but enter. Enter my lair if you dare. I’m your host The Warlock.

*Warlock flicks his wrists and lightning and fire appear in the sky to make an American flag before walking inside*

W: Happy Fourth of July everyone. Even though tonight’s movie has nothing to do with the US military, we are going to do a flick Mr. America here actually enjoys. We’ll be taking a look at the 1969 World War 2 drama BATTLE OF BRITAIN. What’s this about? Take it away Mr. America.

*America is wearing green cammo fatigues, vest and hat along with white combat boots and aviator shades*

A: Its about the air war over in the UK during the early 40’s. The idea was Germany was trying to win air superiority and control of the skies over Britain so they could lead to a naval invasion.

W: Its got a great cast of Michael Caine, Trevor Howard, Harry Andrews, Ian McShane and Christopher Plummer and this was an important battle in Great Britain history. Will the movie be as good as the actual battle or will it miss the point like Pearl Harbor?

A: Ugh, don’t go there.

W: So grab your popcorn, grab your drink and grab your woman because its time for BATTLE OF BRITAIN.

Written by Derek Wood, Derek Dempster, Wilfred Greatorex and James Kennaway

Directed by Guy Hamilton

Cast:

Harry AndrewsSenior Civil Servant
Michael CaineSquadron Leader Canfield
Trevor HowardAir Vice Marshal Keith Park
Curd JürgensBaron von Richter (as Curt Jurgens)
Ian McShaneSgt. Pilot Andy
Kenneth MoreGroup Capt. Baker
Laurence OlivierAir Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding
Nigel PatrickGroup Capt. Hope
Christopher PlummerSquadron Leader Colin Harvey
Michael RedgraveAir Vice Marshal Evill
Ralph RichardsonSir David Kelly – British Minister to Switzerland
Robert ShawSquadron Leader Skipper
Patrick WymarkAir Vice Marshal Trafford Leigh-Mallory
Susannah YorkSection Officer Maggie Harvey
Michael BatesWarrant Officer Warwick
Robert FlemyngWing Cmdr. Willoughby
Isla BlairMrs. Andy
Barry FosterSquadron Leader Edwards
John BaskcombFarmer (as John Bascomb)
Edward FoxPilot Officer Archie
Tom ChattoWilloughby’s Assistant Controller
W.G. FoxleySquadron Leader Evans
James CosmoJamie
David GriffinSgt. Pilot Chris
Jack GwillimSenior Air Staff Officer
André MaranneFrench NCO (as Andre Maranne)
Myles HoylePeter
Anthony NichollsMinister
Duncan LamontFlight Sgt. Arthur
Nicholas PennellSimon
Sarah LawsonSkipper’s Wife
Andrzej SciborOx
Mark MaliczPasco
Jean WladonJean Jacques
Wilfried von AackenGen. Osterkamp (as Wilfried Van Aacken)
Reinhard HorrasBruno
Karl-Otto AlbertyGeneral Jeschonnek – Luftwaffe Chief of Staff (as Karl Otto Alberty)
Helmut KircherBoehm
Alexander AllersonMaj. Brandt
Paul NeuhausMaj. Föhn
Dietrich FrauboesField Marshal Milch (Inspector General, Luftwaffe)
Malte PetzelCol. Beppo Schmidt (Luftwaffe Intelligence)
Alf JungermannBrandt’s Navigator
Manfred ReddemannMaj. Falke
Peter HagerField Marshal Albert Kesselring
Hein RiessReichsmarschall Hermann Göring
Wolf HarnischGen. Fink (as Wolf Harnish)
Rolf StiefelAdolf Hitler
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nikki Van der ZylDubbing (voice)
Tony AllenNCO in Plotting Room (uncredited)
Paul AngelisAlbert (uncredited)
Graham ArmitageRadar Officer (uncredited)
Hilda BarryOld Lady (uncredited)
Nicky BeaumontPilot – Föhn’s Crew (uncredited)
Roy BeckFrench soldier / RAF pilot (uncredited)
Kate BinchyGrace (uncredited)
Ernest BlythCivilian Watching German Bomber Crash (uncredited)
A.J. BrownAir Observer (uncredited)
Daniel BrownRefugee (uncredited)
Fay BuraWoman in Air Raid Shelter (uncredited)
Mary Burleigh(unknown) (uncredited)
Pauline ChamberlainWoman in Church Hall Shelter (uncredited)
Massimo CiprariGerman Soldier (uncredited)
Günter ClemensPilot – Falke’s Crew (uncredited)
John ComerPoliceman (uncredited)
Les ConradRAF Sergeant (uncredited)
Victor CroxfordRefugee (uncredited)
George CurtisMan in Air Raid Shelter (uncredited)
Basil DignamTactical Records Officer (uncredited)
Eric DodsonRAF Officer (uncredited)
Jim DowdallGerman pilot (uncredited)
Hugh EltonDocker (uncredited)
Harry FielderSoldier (uncredited)
Meriel ForbesUndetermined Role (uncredited)
Gareth ForwoodAlistair (uncredited)
Paddy FrostEdith (uncredited)
Hugh FutcherRAF ground crew (uncredited)
Brian GrellisRAF Cpl. Ernie (uncredited)
Michael GuestGeneral Staff Officer (uncredited)
Barry Halliday‘A’ Station Pilot (uncredited)
Paul HansardKarl (uncredited)
Vincent HardingADC to Hitler (uncredited)
Pat HeywoodWRAF Cpl. Seymour (uncredited)
Stuart Hoyle‘A’ Station Pilot (uncredited)
Desmond JordanGeneral Staff Officer (uncredited)
Geoffrey KingAir Observer (uncredited)
Jack Le WhiteArchie’s Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Aileen LewisWoman in Air Raid Shelter (uncredited)
Illona LinthwaiteWendy (uncredited)
Maureen LipmanRadar Operator (uncredited)
Reg LyeWorkman (uncredited)
David McKailLac Arnold (uncredited)
Harald MeisterPilot – Föhn’s Crew (uncredited)
Rosalind MendlesonRefugee (uncredited)
George MerrittCivilian (uncredited)
Hilary MinsterPilot – Falke’s Crew (uncredited)
Ingo MogendorfPilot – Falke’s Crew (uncredited)
Richard MorantReplacement Pilot – Red Section ‘Red 2’ (uncredited)
Richardson MorganBritish Embassy Valet (uncredited)
Steve MorleyBoy Watching Archie’s Parachute Landing (uncredited)
Christopher MorrisBoy (uncredited)
Geoffrey MorrisAir Observer (uncredited)
Norman MorrisRAF Sergeant in Shelter (uncredited)
Douglas NottageSergeant Pilot – Föhn’s Crew (uncredited)
Hugo PanczakPilot – Falke’s Crew (uncredited)
Clifford ParrishKelly’s Butler (uncredited)
Eileen PeelLady Kelly (uncredited)
David Quilter‘A’ Station Pilot (uncredited)
Pam RoseWAF in the plotting room (uncredited)
George RoubicekSergeant Pilot – Falke’s Crew (uncredited)
John SavidentRAF Officer (uncredited)
Clive Scott‘A’ Station Pilot (uncredited)
Jack SharpOld Man (uncredited)
Albert ShepherdSoldier at self-propelled gun (uncredited)
Sadie SladeRadio Operator (uncredited)
Kathleen St. JohnOld Lady (uncredited)
Philip StewartMan in Air Raid Shelter (uncredited)
Frank SussmanADC in Intelligence Maps Office (uncredited)
Nick TateRAF Pilot (uncredited)
John TathamFighter Command Officer (uncredited)
Reg ThomasonRAF Sergeant (uncredited)
Chris Tranchell‘A’ Station Pilot (uncredited)
Joseph TregoninoRefugee (uncredited)
Paul TropeaPeasant Boy (uncredited)
Rosetta TropeaPeasant Girl (uncredited)
Michael TrubshaweAir Observer (uncredited)
Alan TuckerCharlie (uncredited)
Franz Van NordePilot – Föhn’s Crew (uncredited)
Mickey VareyRescue Worker (uncredited)
Dagobert WalterHans Falke (uncredited)
David WebbRAF Officer (uncredited)
Peter WespPilot – Föhn’s Crew (uncredited)
Alister WilliamsonAir Raid Warden (uncredited)
Fred WoodRescue Worker (uncredited)

*America reads the tag-line*

A: “In 1940, the British Royal Air Force fights a desperate battle to prevent the Luftwaffe from gaining air superiority over the English Channel as a prelude to a possible Axis invasion of the U.K.”

W: Can’t let Shicklgruber win this one!

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