The Dam Busters (1955)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Michael Anderson

Writers:

Paul Brickhill (book)
Guy Gibson (book)
(more)

Release Date:

16 July 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | History | War

Tagline:

The dramatic true-life story of the men who broke the Nazis' back!

Plot:

True story of how the British attacked German dams in WW2 by using an ingenious technique to drop bombs where they would be most effective.

Plot Keywords:

Bomb | Scientist | Dam | Flood | Bomber

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 nominations

Cast

Richard Todd	...	Wing Commander Guy Gibson, V.C., D.S.O., D.F.C.
Michael Redgrave	...	Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S.
Ursula Jeans	...	Mrs. Wallis
Charles Carson	...	Doctor
Stanley Van Beers	...	Sir David Pye, C.B., F.R.S.
Colin Tapley	...	Doctor W.H. Glanville, C.B., C.B.E.
Frederick Leister	...	Committee Member
Eric Messiter	...	Committee Member
Laidman Browne	...	Committee Member
Raymond Huntley	...	Official, National Physical Laboratory
Hugh Manning	...	Official, Ministry of Aircraft Production
Patrick Barr	...	Captain Joseph 'Mutt' Summers, C.B.E.
Edwin Styles	...	Observer at trials
Hugh Moxey	...	Observer at trials
Anthony Shaw	...	R.A.F. Officer at trials
Basil Sydney	...	Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Harris G.C.B., O.B.E., A.F.C.
Ernest Clark	...	Air Vice-Marshal The Hon. Ralph Cochrane G.B.E., K.C.B., A.F.C.
Derek Farr	...	Group Captain J.N.H. Whitworth, D.S.O., D.F.C.
Laurence Naismith	...	Farmer
Harold Siddons	...	Group Signals Officer
Frank Phillips	...	B.B.C. Announcer
Brewster Mason	...	Flt / Lt. R.D. Trevor-Roper, D.F.C., D.F.M.
Anthony Doonan	...	Flt / Lt. R.E.G. Hutchison, D.F.C.
Nigel Stock	...	Flying / Off. F.M. Spafford, D.F.C., D.F.M.
Brian Nissen	...	Flt / Lt. A.T. Taerum, D.F.C.
Robert Shaw	...	Flt / Sgt. J. Pulford, D.F.M.
Peter Assinder	...	Plt / Off. G.A. Deering, D.F.C.
Richard Leech	...	Squadron Leader H.M. Young, D.F.C.
Richard Thorp	...	Squadron Leader H.E. Maudslay, D.F.C.
John Fraser	...	Flight Lieutenant J.V. Hopgood, D.F.C.
David Morrell	...	Flight Lieutenant W. Astell, D.F.C.
Bill Kerr	...	Flight Lieutenant H.B. Martin, D.S.O., D.F.C., A.F.C.
George Baker	...	Flight Lieutenant D.J.H. Maltby, D.S.O., D.F.C.
Ronald Wilson	...	Flight Lieutenant D.J. Shannon, D.S.O., D.F.C.
Denys Graham	...	Flying Officer L.G. Knight, D.S.O.
Basil Appleby	...	Flight Lieutenant R.C. Hay, D.F.C.
Tim Turner	...	Flight Lieutenant J.F. Leggo, D.F.C.
Ewen Solon	...	Flight Sergeant G.E. Powell
Harold Goodwin	...	Wing Comdr. Gibson's Batman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Breslin	...	Crew member (uncredited)
Edward Cast	...	Crew Member (uncredited)
Richard Coleman	...	RAF Officer (uncredited)
Peter Diamond	...	Tail Gunner (uncredited)
Gerald Harper	...	RAF Officer (uncredited)
Arthur Howard	...	RAF Pay Clerk In NAAFI (uncredited)
Lloyd Lamble	...	Collins (uncredited)
Philip Latham	...	Flight Sergeant (uncredited)
Patrick McGoohan	...	Guard on Door (uncredited)
Jack McNaughton	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Nina Parry	...	Barnes Wallace's daughter (uncredited)
Edwin Richfield	...	RAF Officer (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Anderson

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Paul Brickhill		book
Guy Gibson		book "Enemy Coast Ahead" (as Wing Comdr. Gibson)
R.C. Sherriff		screenplay

Original Music by
Leighton Lucas

Cinematography by
Erwin Hillier		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Richard Best

Casting by
Robert Lennard
G.B. Walker

Art Direction by
Robert Jones

Makeup Department
Hilda Fox	....	hairdresser (as Hilda Winifred Fox)
Stuart Freeborn	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Gordon Scott	....	production manager
W.A. Whittaker	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Street	....	assistant director
Frederic Goode	....	assistant director: location (uncredited)
Jeremy Summers	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Bill Beavis	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Peter Glazier	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Wallis Smith	....	draughtsman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Leslie Hammond	....	sound recordist
Harold V. King	....	recording director (as H.V. King)
Arthur Southgate	....	dubbing editor
Eric Bayman	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Len Shilton	....	dubbing crew (uncredited)
Hugh Strain	....	assistant boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
George Blackwell	....	special effects
Gilbert Taylor	....	special effects photography

Visual Effects by
Ronnie Wass	....	optical effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Erwin Hillier	....	aerial photographer
Norman Warwick	....	camera operator
Steve Birtles	....	electrician (uncredited)
Bob Penn	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Kelvin Pike	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Kelvin Pike	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Ronnie Pilgrim	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Val Stewart	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
Brian West	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
Tony White	....	focus puller: second unit (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Philip Barnikel	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
Joan Warwick	....	assembly cutter (uncredited)

Music Department
Louis Levy	....	musical director

Transportation Department
Eddie Frewin	....	unit driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Robert Clark	....	director in charge of production
Thelma Orr	....	continuity
Group Captain J.N.H. Whitworth DSO DFC	....	technical advisor

Production Companies

• Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC) (presents)

Distributors

• Associated British-Pathé (1954) (UK) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Pictures (1955) (USA) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Congress Video Group (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1988) (UK) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (????) (UK) (DVD)

Other Companies

• A.V. Roe Ltd.  the producers wish to acknowledge the valuable help received from
• Air Ministry, The  the producers wish to acknowledge the extensive facilities accorded by (as the Air Ministry)
• Associated British Studio Orchestra  music performed by (as The Associated British Studio Orchestra)
• Members of 617 Squadron  the producers wish to record their appreciation of the approval given by those represented and the next of kin (as members of 617 Squadron)
• Members of the Royal Air Force  the producers wish to acknowledge the extensive facilities accorded by (as members of the Royal Air Force)

Also Known As:

The Dambusters (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

124 min | USA:105 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:L | Australia:G (DVD rating) | Norway:12 | USA:Approved (PCA #17528) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Associated British Elstree Studios, Shenley Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC)

Trivia:

Richard Todd was an established star at the time with the right to refuse the studio's choice of directors. It was only after dinner with Michael Anderson (and their respective spouses) that the two men realized they got on quite well, and Todd approved Anderson as director.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The train showing being derailed by the flood is running on the left-hand track. British trains do run on the left, but German ones run on the right.

Quotes:

RAF Officer at trials: [after another failed test of the full-sized bomb] Well, it's a bad business isn't it?
Barnes Wallace: Yes, I'm afraid it is.
RAF Officer at trials: What are you going to do?
Barnes Wallace: I think I know the trouble, I must work on it again.
RAF Officer at trials: Well, here we are on the 22nd of April. The deadline date for the raid the 19th of May. That's barely four weeks.
Barnes Wallace: Give me a few more days. A week at most.
RAF Officer at trials: If you go and change the design. the factories will never do it in time...
Barnes Wallace: I shan't change the design. I must just strengthen the casing and try a new method of release.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The 100 Greatest War Films (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Dam Busters

Inspired Star Wars sequence, despite the dog's name.

It appears that the attack sequences in The Dam Busters were the direct inspiration for the attack on the Death Star in the first Star Wars film. Some of the dialogue is word-for-word, and it is very interesting to watch these two films back to back.

Also, in the original edit of the film, the dog's name (a black labrador) was a historically accurate but socially unacceptable "Nigger". One edit changed the spoken word to "Trigger," while another release cut all scenes with the offending word. This was unfortunate, because parts of the plot became unintelligible -- the dog's name was one of the code-words used during the attack.