Memphis Belle (1990)

Save your money for something good and enjoyable

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

If you want to know what it was like as crew member aboard a bomber during World War II, forget the History Channel, just watch this, it will suck you straight through your TV screen.Top Gun is for teenagers, this is for everyone else.The highlight of this movie is probably the cinematography, the air scenes are made using models but damned if I can tell, every last aircraft, every last tracer shot, every last engine fire, it's almost perfect. Not for a minute do you think you're watching anything other than the real thing in 1943.But that's just the beginning. The soundtrack gave me goose-pimples that wouldn't go away no matter how much I rubbed my arm, and it suits the movie like fireworks suit Metallica.Those two things alone would win me over, but there's more. The crew is close to a dozen, it's a big cast with no real central character, it's a genuine team effort and it's the team that wins you over, you want every single one to get home safe, even the ones you don't like much. Character development is superb.The script is witty and solid, but nothing is said that doesn't need to be said. Directing is also strong.This movie won me over before they even left the ground, and it just got better and better after that.One of the better World War II movies, and one of the best aircraft movies ever made, but even if you care about neither, you probably will a little more after watching Memphis Belle.

I cannot believe that this only received a 6.7 rating. It just shows how little you can actually trust people's input when it comes to how much they like/dislike a movie. I mean, if you're a pacifist you're not going to like, or probably even watch, a war movie. Yet, for the general movie goer, who wishes to be captivated, entranced, entertained and held captive for their bucks worth, this movie depicting the personalities, emotions, chaotic environment and casualties of air war cannot be held to a candle by few bomber movies out there. I mean, really folks. Compare it to any other bomber film out there and name that many that had the cinematic, story line, actor input and visual effects this movie offered, delivered and gifted to the audience.People need to quit pretending they are hifalutin' movie critics and give an "atta boy" when its deserved. People that lessened this and cheated others out of watching a good film should feel shame for exhibiting a haughty pride in themselves and quit being so tasking on film makers and actors.This movie DELIVERS!

What prompted me to write this review 20 years after I saw the movie in the theater was listening to an interview withy Catherine Wyler on the ICONS Radio network. I have had the DVD for many years.The Wyler father and daughter came full circle with this movie - made 47 years later from the original Memphis Belle documentary.It was famous because a crew-member in the 8th AAF had a 1 in 3 chance of being killed or seriously wounded before the required 25 sorties were complete. The Memphis Belle was the first plane - and crew - to accomplish this.Catherine stated that her desire in this movie as to detail each of the drew members.I believe that the movie really detailed the life - in 24 hours - of a B17 crew member, with fear and boredom.

The story of the Memphis Belle, although fictional, still has the impact to show you the sacrifices made by (American) airmen with a footnote that others served in the same theatre in WW2.There thankfully, isn't too much of a real love interest, apart from a small mention of 'Virg' getting his end away with an early scene from UK actress Jane Horrocks. However, what emotions there are are well-handled and well-placed like the publicity 'Star and Stripes' officer, John Lithgow, being a complete ass and being humbled by the CO, with being presented letters home to the dead airmen's families. The other emotions are handled on board the B-17, with the crew having various personalities and this, apart from the excellent action scenes, the bombing runs, fighter attacks etc make this a great war film with just the right balance, as it's telling a story also. Amazingly, we all probably thought this genre, the air war wouldn't be seen again after 'Tora! Tora! Tora!' or The Battle of Britain. Nice to see Harry Connick Jnr. as the tail gunner - but of course he gets a cheesy moment to sing in the film to Eric Stolz, the American boy-next-door type in the film.Still haven't bought it on DVD though - that's really unforgivable!