MartinHafer Some of the best war films have been movies about the Allied bombing campaign of WWII. "Command Decision", "12 O'Clock High" and "Raiders in the Sky" are all excellent films--though the latter is set at a British bomber base whereas the first two are about American bases. While I wouldn't quite put this film in the same level as the other two in quality, it is awfully close and well worth your time.The film centers around Wing Commander Mason (Dirk Bogarde). He's a very good pilot. However, his 87 missions is wearing on him and he's long overdue to be retired from the front line. Oddly, instead of being happy about this, Mason insists on being able to at least reach 90...and then he'll quit. The film is a nice portrait of Lancaster pilots and crew and because it was made not too long after the war, the filmmakers were able to use three airworthy bombers--which added to the realism.So why do I think this one isn't quite up to the level of the American films? Well, mostly because Mason just seems to take the whole thing in stride (apart from insomnia) and he seems amazingly well adjusted...taking away from the tension that DID come because the other two films focused so strongly on the emotional toll. Still, a nice tribute to these brave men and well worth your time.

ianlouisiana Unlike Fighter Command whose exploits were painted across the skies of Southern England during the endless summer of 1940,Bomber Command never caught the public imagination.These were not glamorous public school chaps with silk scarves and Brylcreemed hair downing a brace of Huns before tea,gleaming Spitfires and intrepid Hurricanes doing Victory Rolls whilst beating up the airfield as the Waafs waved out of the Control Tower.No,these were mainly working class grammar school boys sitting in freezing aluminium tubes, little more than lethal containers of H.E and volatile fuel,in the pitch dark 5 miles above Occupied Europe in skies full of white hot metal shards any one of which,at any second,could turn their aircraft into a fiery coffin.Some chewed the ends of pencils whilst calculating the target's co - ordinates on paper,some tracking the amount of fuel being used,others scanned the sky for enemy fighters.Some flew the plane which took considerable strength to keep on a straight and level course under ideal conditions,let alone being bounced around in a hazardous sky where your every instinct is to drop your bombs and race home ASAP.These men displayed dour,determined courage night after long night in a bitter war of attrition.A standard tour of operations consisted of 30 missions,their chance of survival a little over 30%. Wing Commander Mason (Mr D.Bogarde)has flown 87 missions,the equivalent of spitting in The Grim Reaper's face several times.He is determined to complete his third tour despite opposition from his Commanding Officer and the M.O."Appointment in London" tells the story of his fight to survive against all the odds. Superficially resembling the mighty "Twelve o' clock high",closer study reveals more differences than might be immediately apparent.Gregory Peck's character was imposed on a failing squadron whose popular C.O. suffered a breakdown,Mason has been on base for a long time and is well - liked and respected,Peck a martinet where Bogarde tolerates his pilots' horseplay,for instance.There is no doubt "Twelve o' clock high" is the superior movie,but that doesn't make "Appointment in London" a poor one. Much of the pleasure is in the supporting cast,Mr A.Shaw as "Smithy",the adjutant,a much older man,outwardly stuffy,a veteran of the Great War and a man who has seen too many airmen die to allow himself to become affected.Mr C.Victor as the village publican and confidant to aircrew,paternal and compassionate,a splendid bit of acting.Mr C.Singer in a customary senior NCO role as the Flight Sergeant in charge of the groundcrew who lend the planes to the fliers and hope they take good care of them and,last but not least Mr S.Kydd as the mechanic who finds his pilot's lucky charm and is confronted late at night by an angry Mr Bogarde.This is a key scene in the movie as Bogarde's anger(mainly against himself) manifests itself in an exchange that graduallly moves from aggression to awkwardness to genuine respect.It is beautifully played by these two fine actors. My only personal caveat with the film is the complete lack of anything resembling affection between Mr Bogarde and Miss D.Sheridan as the naval officer he falls in love with.I'm sorry I just didn't believe in them as a couple.No spark,no chemistry,no nothing.Maybe it's me. All round though,"Appointment in London" is a well - made,interesting and enjoyable film with lots of well - loved faces.I recommend that you watch it.

d-bingham This is one of my favourite WW2 films and yet I only discovered it in the last few years.The script is well written, the acting particularly by Dirk Bogarde and Dinah Sheriden is excellent and believable. The footage of night bombing raids and the master bomber techniques it shows is by far the best of any film covering this subject.The film accurately portrays the life of a bomber squadron on "maximum effort". The pilot who survived because he went on leave before a high casualty raid. The fatigue and stress of being up night after night either flying or in the "Ops" room. The Wing Commander's sheer bloodymindedness and a sense of having to finish the tour is set against the knowledge of those around him that statistically his number should have come up several times already.This is truly excellent film. It doesn't surprise me that it has escaped the list of great war films because of its slightly stodgy title but it's up there with some of the best.

alfa-16 This is an unusual film. As others have commented it is well made, tautly scripted and has very good central performances. But that isn't what singles it out.It's commonly thought that night time area bombing by the RAF was a hit or miss affair, quite different from daylight precision bombing done by the USAAF. Whilst no one can argue that targets were easier to see during daylight hours, both the RAF and the Luftwaffe developed highly accurate methods of hitting their targets at night. In the fateful Dresden raid in February 1945, almost 95% of the RAF bombload fell within one mile of the markers placed with 50 metre accuracy by the Mosquito target illuminator aircraft. The following day, a quarter of the American daylight force sent to follow up bombed Prague, having mistaken one bend in the River Elbe for another. This film depicts, at length, the method of target marking the flight path using coloured airburst flares, eliminating 'creepback' by approaching the target along different vectors, air and ground marking the target and using a 'Master Bomber' to control the incoming streams and give bomb aimers feedback on accuracy.No medal was struck for Bomber Command and many of the crew themselves felt their contribution was best forgotten, so this film is one of the few accurate testaments to their courage.