Robert Towne To Re-Tell The Battle of Britain

[DB7]

Robert Towne To Re-Tell The Battle of Britain

Deadline reports that Graham King’s GK Films have hired famed screenwriter Robert Towne (Chinatown) to write The Battle of Britain, a World War II movie about the largest and most famous air battle in history of warfare when Adolf Hitler’s German Luftwaffe and Winston Churchill’s Royal Air Force locked horns over the skies of London. The famous battle is usually seen as one of the crucial landmarks of the war as it prevented a Nazi invasion of Britain.

A celebratory movie with amazing flying sequences and costing a huge fortune to produce was made in 1969 and it starred a whole host of famous Brits; Harry Andrews, Michael Caine, Laurence Oliver, Robert Shaw, Ralph Richardson, Michael Redgrave and many more including even a young Ian McShane and Canadian Christopher Plummer captured the importance of the historic event. It was directed by frequent Bond helmer Guy Hamilton but it’s not that movie which has peaked Graham King’s interest, but instead first hand accounts of what the battle was like to witness from his father;

“My father lived in London and watched this spectacular dog fight over the city, so bringing this story of endurance and triumph to the big screen means a great deal to me,” King said in a statement. “I am also extremely excited to be joining forces with the iconic Robert Towne who is a master of mixing complex characters and tremendously compelling plots. Robert has a passion for history and a shared love of this particular story.”

Despite my loathing for remakes, it alleviates the pain somewhat when it’s simply another adaptation of a real life event and with over 40 years of new technology since Hamilton’s movie, clearly there’s an argument made here for a more thrilling and realistic take on The Battle of Britain, an important moment in 20th century UK history that the current generation should be aware of.

And with Graham King making it and with an icon like Robert Towne writing. You know I just wonder. I just wonder if Martin Scorsese will get the itch for aviation again and give his friend Graham King (who produced The Departed and his next movie Hugo) a call to see if he wants him to direct.

[716Jones]

I'm cautiously optimistic about this project. I doubt very much if the overall film will be better then the 1969 version, but with the inevitable CGI aircraft we may get more than just Heinkel III's in the Luftwaffe's inventory. The question of casting I'll leave to others to debate, since I've no idea who's who in today's film industry. Haven't watched a new film for years!

[Steve Crook]

I'm cautiously optimistic about this project. I doubt very much if the overall film will be better then the 1969 version, but with the inevitable CGI aircraft we may get more than just Heinkel III's in the Luftwaffe's inventory. The question of casting I'll leave to others to debate, since I've no idea who's who in today's film industry. Haven't watched a new film for years!

Let's hope they spend a bit of time on the background as well then



Steve

[alan french]

Hi.
I do not know if my film making club is going to publish it or not. But here is one of my contributions to the county council's Herts Memories website. I transpose it to this Britmovie thread, as I think it might be of interest to this subject.

Alan.

World War 2 Battle of Britain Aeroplanes at Bovingdon.1960's Display.
By Alan French
Whilst in a blog mood, I recall a few years ago seeing an article together with some photographs in a certain local publication. Someone had submitted pictures taken at Bovingdon of some genuine WW2 aeroplanes. The aircrafts had been utilized for a major film titled THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN. The subscriber/publication also wanted to know if anyone else remembered the public dislpay and had any photos. I responded by website and e-mail. But for reasons to fiddely to detail, something appeared to go wrong with the communication. I copied my e-mail and promptly submitted it personally to the reception area pertaining to the annonymous publication. It was to be passed on to whoever.

Unfortunately, in the wake of this submission, for the next few weeks, I could not find any reference to not only my response, but also to anyone else who may have contacted the journal. So it means that unless I did not spot something, the poor member of the public never had a published response.

At risk of me being incorrect, I feel that my unpublished article could qualify as a blog for our website. Despite the fact that I see an area of improvement to some of the phraseology, the rest of this blog consists of my original believed to be unpublished reply.

Here goes:-

Dear Sirs,
It was with interest that I saw the photographs of WW2 aeroplanes in your history section. In fact it pleases me. I have read and heard some people omit this area's involvement concerning some of this film's location work. I gather some was also done in Spain. Hemel Hempstead may not be so exotic, but it still played its part for the film, The Battle of Britain. And the location is more authentic.

I seem to recall reading something in your paper, stating that we should not be surprised if we see WW2 aeroplanes in the sky. Even in battle or on fire. I don't recall seeing anything that spectacular, but every so often I saw these 'planes flying in the local skies of 1968.

I believe that the display on the ground at Bovingdon Aerodrome, was one Saturday during early or mid October. By coincidence, the previous Monday, I joined The Hemel Hempstead Cine Society, now Hemel Hempstead Movie Makers.(I am still a Member.) I say coincidence, for I visited Bovingdon that Saturday and took some home movies with my first cine camera. It was an 8mm Kodak Brownie. A few years later, this guage became known as standard 8. Also referred to on occasion as normal 8 or even regular 8. This was due to the introduction of the super 8 and single 8 guages. Whilst on my very modest production, I met someone from my new film making club.

I remember returning home and watching a rock 'n' roll show on television. Modern movie making enthusiasts may wonder why I did not watch my cinematic pictures on my television set as well. The reason for this is that the four minutes worth of film I took, on this short roll of Kodachrome II film stock, then had to be posted to the Kodak laboratory, also by coincidence, in Hemel Hempstead. It was then I had to wait until it was developed, and then subsequently returnd for me, with excited curiosity, load, thread, and project onto a screen.

A few years later, in October 1971, I commenced working at Lucas Aerospace. I was now part of the aircraft industry. But it was an interesting, and possibly unique experience, for me to actually be able to go close up to these aircraft, both British and German. When I was born, their pilots were enemies. That Saturday at Bovingdon Aerodrome, the aeroplanes stood beside one and other, no longer utilised as flying foes in opposition, but now in welcomed peace.

Alan French. November 1st 2006. And December 2010.

Copyright Alan French.

This page was added by Alan French on 14/12/2010.



Britmovie goers, I hope you found it of interest.

Alan.

[DB7]

This is how I'd expect the aerial scenes to look:

[MikeB]

I suspect that a new BoB film could be interesting, but I'm not entirely convinced.

The Redtails CGI air scenes are very good, looking at the trailer, but I did notice at least one strange scene where a P51 does a turn which is seemingly impossible (I doubt a Pitts Special could pull it off), and I've seen a similar thing in another trailer. I suspect that the effects people though that 'kids' would like it more if it had stuff a bit like a computer game. Its a shame because the Tuskegee Airmen are a fascinating subject, and don't need any help to make them more interesting. What worries me is thats how BoB might end up - a CGI fest made from the angle of Hollywood (remember U571?).

Now Towne is partially responsible for one of my all time favourite films, Chinatown, and his writing ability is clear. Contrast that with Lucas, whose famous for having written a script the actors couldn't say, according to Harrison Ford, and who inflicted both the Ewoks and Jar Jar Binks on us. However, by the time the script has been through twenty different writers, and tested thirty times, its highly likely to be awful.

At that awfulness will be mawkish American awfulness, than just plain British film rubbish. Its still almost painful to recall the Battle of Britain part from 'Pearl Harbour'. I was at an event which Barry Norman was hosting around the time Pearl Harbour came out. There was a holdup in proceedings, so he filled the time by telling us he'd just seen the new film, and told us just how awful the scene between Ben Affleck and the RAF commander was. It wasn't until I saw the film that I understood the level of his pain.

Perhaps we shouldn't worry too much. Remember the panic over the remake of the Dambusters? Its only just starting shooting now, even though it was announced years ago, and the Tom Cruise Billy Fiske project seems to have died (its seven years since it was announced). The reality of Hollywood is that most films don't get made and many of those that do take years to get off the ground and out of development hell. Which makes you wonder way so many bad films get released, but thats another thread...

[GRAEME]

In what sense is this a remake? Isn't it simply a new film about an event from history? It will only be a remake if they are basing it on the 1969 film.

[MikeB]

In what sense is this a remake? Isn't it simply a new film about an event from history? It will only be a remake if they are basing it on the 1969 film.

Graeme, your quite right - simply making a film about the BoB is a bit like making a film about the sinking of the Titanic - there are well known films with those titles, but you can still make a film about that event, as long as you don't copy them. In fact, both events have had numerous films made about them, although they are probably the most well-known.

Much as I love BoB, as a film its not as good as it could be. The number of characters is large, some of the scenes drag, and much of the Eagle Day footage is repetative to a general audience. One of the problems about doing a film about such a large event is that its very difficult finding a narrative that works - do you want the story of some potentially A list actors doing action things (or at least a love story) that you kind of care about, or do you want the overview, with former A list (but still big name) actors sitting around a table, ordering people around? Or both?

Think of Longest Day, BoB, Tora Tora Tora, Bridge Too Far, Midway, etc - all big films and a little bit clunky to the general public (only Longest Day was a smash hit) - doing a big film about big events is hard. A film about 12 Group might be doable though - Park, air battles over Kent, 'will they get through to London', schoolboy becomes man, and will the dashing pilot make it through to be with his beloved? Just don't call it Battle of Britain!

[Steve Crook]

Think of Longest Day, BoB, Tora Tora Tora, Bridge Too Far, Midway, etc - all big films and a little bit clunky to the general public (only Longest Day was a smash hit) - doing a big film about big events is hard. A film about 12 Group might be doable though - Park, air battles over Kent, 'will they get through to London', schoolboy becomes man, and will the dashing pilot make it through to be with his beloved? Just don't call it Battle of Britain!

Maybe "Scenes from the Battle of Britain"?

The trouble with all of those films you mention, the events they portray were world changing events and they did involve thousands of people, many of whom played an important part in the whole event. It's hard to just isolate a few single stories without appearing to dismiss the importance of the rest of the event

Steve

[Mark O]

Maybe "Scenes from the Battle of Britain"?

The trouble with all of those films you mention, the events they portray were world changing events and they did involve thousands of people, many of whom played an important part in the whole event. It's hard to just isolate a few single stories without appearing to dismiss the importance of the rest of the event

Steve

Yes, I'm sceptical this film will ever be made, it's one thing having CGI for aerial combat, etc; but for having riverside wharves ablaze they'll have to do some large-scale construction and everything that goes with it for filming fire scenes, plus who are the 'heavyweight' actors of today who'll fill Olivier's role, etc; I can see Colin Firth in a role but I can't think of any others with the presence and stature of yesteryear's stars, I mean, how can you compare Brad Pitt to Rex Harrison, I think Brad is to play a role Rex once played, no contest!

[Marky B]

Yes, I'm sceptical this film will ever be made, it's one thing having CGI for aerial combat, etc; but for having riverside wharves ablaze they'll have to do some large-scale construction and everything that goes with it for filming fire scenes, plus who are the 'heavyweight' actors of today who'll fill Olivier's role, etc; I can see Colin Firth in a role but I can't think of any others with the presence and stature of yesteryear's stars, I mean, how can you compare Brad Pitt to Rex Harrison, I think Brad is to play a role Rex once played, no contest!

It is interesting to note that I once read a book about the making of the Battle of Britain - thick set book from the library - and when the cast was announced,Rex Harrison was the original choice to play Keith Parks,but opted out and was replaced by Trevor Howard.
Ta Ta
Marky B