Rent The Sound Barrier (1952)

Scientific Spectacular. - The Sound Barrier review by Steve

The real oddity about this film is it purports to be about British engineers building a jet plane to break the sound barrier. It's shot in documentary style with reference to real incidents for greater authenticity. Yet Chuck Yeagar broke Mach 1 in California in 1947... So the premise is fundamentally flawed.

But it is still an intelligent action film with exciting aerial footage. The b&w photography is impressive, though it's a shame there's no widescreen. Terence Rattigan's script precisely examines the friction between the reckless pioneers who operate on the edge of scientific exploration, and those they sacrifice as an incalculable risk factor.

Ralph Richardson is convincing as the inflexible chief executive who is driven to advance human achievement at almost any cost. Ann Todd is his daughter who is sceptical of the real life benefits of this obsession and lives among the heartbreak of its victims. Nigel Patrick swaggers enjoyably as her husband, a test pilot who takes all the big chances.

There's a vast supporting cast of posh blokes, with Denholm Elliott making an early impact as Richardson's traumatised, tragic son. There's a thrilling score by Malcolm Arnold and Oscar winning sound. In 1983, the real story of the breaking of the sound barrier was told in The Right Stuff. But David Lean's fictional account is more entertaining.

Highly Entertaining and Groundbreaking 1952 British Film about Jet Planes - The Sound Barrier review by PV

Winner of the BAFTA for best film and Best British film in its day (1952) this has been called a semi-documentary.

Remember that at this time, MOST cinema audiences would never have flown or even seen a modern jet plane or the sort that most have been on to fly off to the Med or wherever - the design has changed little in 70 years. That view from a plane above the clouds, looking at the Alps etc would have been magical to 1952 audiences, like seeing images of the moon in 1969.

The film is about the jet engine, invented by Brit Frank Whittle and is fictionalised. Yes the first person CONFIRMED to break the sound barrier was American in the late 40s (though one character here claims he did it in a Spitfire during the war and that may well be true). It is fiction however, not documentary and with a literature and sensitive screenplay by Terence Rattigan who was nominated for an Oscar.

Ralph Richardson won best actor Oscar for his performance though personally I was a bit baffled by his accent, which I thought was East European to start with, but then morphs into northern English.. Directed by David Lean with his usual painterly shots of landscapes one can see in Oliver Twist and Great Expectations of the late 40s, on the Kentish march with Magwitch etc.

Denholm Elliot at age 29/30 plays a new pilot 10 years younger here and the cast if full of classic British actors. He played in loads of films in the 1970s and 80s,. Room with a View in 1986 and many more.

The sound is great - no wonder it won the Oscar. I actually had to turn the volume down for the jet engine sounds, as they are so ominous and loud.

An important film and I loved it.

4.5 stars rounded up.

Watch with the wonderful BATTLE OF BRITAIN from the early 70s, also with a thrilling original score. or watch with the DAM BUSTERS maybe...