Spitfire: The Plane That Saved the World

2018

1h 36m

Documentary

War

List

94%

18 Reviews

Tomatometer

79%

50+ Ratings

Audience Score

Exploring the history of the Spitfire airplane in commemoration of the Royal Air Force's centenary.

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jack o

Some emotional interviews and film footage, but the technical aspects were flawed and counter-productive to all the jingoism. The design of the Spitfire wing was NOT pinched from the germans. Any aircraft engineer who compared designs would have advised the producers against that heinous accusation. The history books are quite clear on RJ Mitchell's use of elliptical wings as far back as 1924. The producers let us down. Hopefully, they do better with the Lancaster documentary.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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Audience Member

In the air. In the story. In the midst of becoming a great film. Including the in-depth interviews and pilots driving to the story to its sharp edges.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/14/23

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Audience Member

Spectacular aerial footage. Time well spent. A must see for those interested in this iconic airplane. A moving tribute through present day interviews of those who served in the RAF during the Battle Britain and throughout the war.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

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Audience Member

Highest rating for this powerful and extremely well presented documentary. It centers on the Spitfire airplane, from its design by R.J. Mitchell and his design team at Supermarine, to its role in helping Britain's life-and-death struggle to survive the Nazis' onslaught in WW2, to its helping protect the vital military base at Malta, to its role in the D-Day invasion, and eventually its ability to combat the jet propelled German V-1 rockets. I found the interviews with some of the surviving RAF pilots to be fascinating, often told with the typical British understatement and wit. Also, I knew little of the role female pilots played in the Air Transport Auxiliary, whereby they would perform the vital role of transporting Spitfires and Hurricanes from the factory to RAF air bases. One such pilot,Mary Ellis, flew 1,000 of these missions, and, in the film, she was nearing the age of 100 and thrilled to have a Spitfire she signed on its wing meet her on a runway with its new owner. All in all, just an in-depth and superb doc about the Spitfire, its vital role in saving Britain, and the brave RAF pilots who flew them. By the way,75 of the planes have been preserved and remain extremely popular with the public,as they still fly in demonstrations and shows.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/25/23

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Audience Member

Wonderful film! Watch all the way to the beautifully poignant ending...

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/15/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This is absolutely fantastic! The photography is the best aerial I've ever seen. Well thought out, it is a must see for any aviation enthusiast.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

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David Fairhead

Director

Ant Palmer

Director

Charles Dance

Narrator

Paul Farnes

Self

Mary Ellis

Self

Franciszek Kornicki

Self

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Paul Byrnes

Sydney Morning Herald

[The Spitfire is] a symbol of British bravery, ingenuity and victory, driven by nostalgia and lately, seized upon by nationalists. The documentary stokes those emotions, when it might better have questioned them.

Rated: 3/5

Nov 15, 2018

Full Review

Ed Potton

Times (UK)

Yet David Fairhead and Ant Palmer's film never feels like pre-Brexit tub-thumping, and that's mainly due to the diversity and vitality of their interviewees.

Rated: 4/5

Jul 20, 2018

Full Review

Geoffrey Macnab

Independent (UK)

It has its jingoistic moments (inevitably, we get to hear the Churchill speech, "Never was so much owed by so many to so few") but in its best moments it goes beyond simple-minded wartime nostalgia.

Rated: 3/5

Jul 19, 2018

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Jim Schembri

3AW

The evolution of the legendary fighter and the crucial role it played in pushing back against the might of Hitler's Wehrmacht - which had already conquered the skies of Europe - is chronicled in this dutifully crafted tribute. War buffs will love it.

Rated: 3.5/5

Nov 25, 2018

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CJ Johnson

Film Mafia

Refined, elegant and classy ... this lovingly crafted work, deserving a big screen thanks to its splendid aerial photography, is not really about war, but about Britain and its people.

Rated: 3/5

Nov 22, 2018

Full Review

Simon Foster

Screen-Space

Through the narrative and wonderful aerial shots blending wartime and contemporary footage, Spitfire doesn't just tell you about the plane, it shows you.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 21, 2018

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Synopsis

Exploring the history of the Spitfire airplane in commemoration of the Royal Air Force's centenary.

Director: David Fairhead, Ant Palmer
Producer: Trevor Beattie, Christian Eisenbeiss, Keith Haviland, Patrick Mills, Mark Stewart
Production Co: Haviland Digital, British Film Company, Mark Stewart Productions
Genre: Documentary, War
Original Language: English (United Kingdom)
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 27, 2018
Runtime: 1h 36m

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