Dave B

I apologise in advance for what is undoubtedly a question everyone but me knows the answer to!

What is the name of the film about an American flier in WWII who is based in England. The film starts in black & white, when he returns after the War to England on a nostalgic visit. He wanders around the derelict air-base, and the film turns into colour as we are taken back to the War years.

DB7

Not sure about returning pilot's, but the derelict airfield/flashback is The Way to the Stars.

dremble wedge

Might be Over Here which was a BBC drama shown in 1996. It starred Martin Clunes and Samuel West.

DB7

Not seen it, but as there's talk of the scene turning to colour, you're probably correct.

Dave B

It's neither of those.

(i) "Way to the Stars" is black & white.

(ii) I saw the film in the cinema in (about) 1957.

Captain Oates

It could be the 2002 BBC drama Night Flight, with Christopher Plummer and Edward Woodward. This fits some of the descriptions...

Dave B

I repeat, Captain Oates, that I saw this film in the cinema in, about, 1957.

I cannot remember anyone who was in the film - but it possibly had a British cast along with the American lead.

dylan

12 O'Clock High begins with Dean Jagger returning to the English airbase in which he was posted during the war and telling the story in flashback. It was B/W throughout.

D.

batman

Sounds like the most likely candidate so far. Perhaps a photo will jog DaveB's memory.



Bats.

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Dave B

Oh gosh - "12 O'Clock High" MUST be the movie. Dean Jagger fits my image of the American exactly.

That just leaves me wondering why I remember it turning into colour. Perhaps I saw it during same school holiday that I saw "Wizard of Oz". Very strange.

Anyway, thanks very much.

Joe Rotax

12 O'Clock High was the first one that came to mind for me.

Shaun

What a classic, almost a shame the Americans made it and not us. For whatever reason I find the end of this film very moving and poignant, the returning B17's roaring over the airfield with Dean Jagger walking out of the office hut and then cuts to the present where he takes his leave of the old airfield. Incredible atmosphere.

Shaun

Boom Man

No doubt about it '12 O'CLOCK HIGH' fits the description . I always remember the very clever use of sound in the opening sequence . The camera does a full 360 degree pan around the old airfield site . The pan starts with just english countryside atmosphere on the track,twittering birds etc, about half way round the track crossfades to the roar of aircraft engines that transport the viewer back into the past when the site was a fully operational US airbase. A very effective and imaginative use of sound .
They dont make-em like that any more!
Boom Man

hankoler

I remember watching the film this american comes back over here and he cycles to the old airfield and wanders around the derelict buildings , it does turn into colour, but I can't remember the name of it. The film ends where he cycles away down the lane.

Steve Crook

If you like clever use of sound, (and do I assume that the "boom" in your adopted name has some relevance here?) have you seen One of Our Aircraft is Missing (1942). They don't use any recorded music in the soundtrack, only "natural" sounds that would be heard by the people in the film - although that does include some music where they would hear that in church, on the radio or on a gramophone

Steve