A story of a flying fortress, the 1944 documentary by william wyler focusing on the real life crew of the reallife memphis belle. Memphis belle, the 1943 the memphis belle by william wyler film comment by mark r. Created for the office of war information by director william wyler and a crew of photographers, this film documents several missions of the memphis belle b17 bomber in 1943. The aircraft was one of the first united states army air forces b17 heavy bombers to complete 25 combat missions. The film features interviews with nine surviving members of the eighth, as well as newly restored 4k footage and outtakes from the 1944 documentary the memphis belle. Oct 10, 2005 the exploits of the b17 were detailed in a 1944 documentary the memphis belle, made by william wyler. You did your job just as the crew of the memphis belle did. The result was a documentary called the memphis belle. Filmed in the patriotic spirit of previetnamera war pictures, the factbased memphis belle details the climactic mission of a b17 bomber squadron during world war ii. The story of the american bomber crew of the memphis belle, the first us airmen to complete a full tour of 25 missions during the air battle of europe during the second world war. The memphis belle the tower museum, bassingbourn, roysto. The first memphis belle was actually shot down before it. A documentary on the 25th bombing mission of the memphis belle, a. Memphis belle air force historical support division fact.
Hollywood has never let facts get in the way of a good story. May 02, 2011 memphis belle was the nickname of a boeing b17f flying fortress during the second world war that inspired the making of two motion pictures. Smithsonian channel documentary on famed memphis belle. A story of a flying fortress, and a 1990 hollywood film, memphis belle, marked the planes wartime milestone. Memphis belle is a 1990 britishamerican war drama film directed by michael catonjones and written by monte merrick. May 16, 2018 an added benefit to this project is that nelson was able to use footage from the original outtakes to reconstruct wylers memphis belle. Wyler actually filmed parts of multiple missions for the documentary the mission portrayed on the film was actually the memphis belles 24th mission. Between late 1942 and mid1943 hollywood film director, william wyler came to bassingbourn, and made a combat documentary called memphis belle. May 26, 2016 a good documentary about the memphis belle, but probably not everyones cup of tea. The aircraft was one of the first b17 united states army air corps heavy bombers to complete 25 combat missions with her crew intact. The film invents characters, events, and entire missions for the sake of dramatic license. During production, one of wylers cameramen, harold tannenbaum, was lost along with his plane over france.
May 17, 2019 the film features interviews with nine surviving members of the eighth, as well as newly restored 4k footage and outtakes from the 1944 documentary the memphis belle. This documentary film is powerful in a way no hollywood movie about the memphis belle can ever bethis film is real. The film features an allstar cast with matthew modine, eric stoltz, and harry connick jr. Movie memphis belle will fly with other fighting planes at the thunder of niagara international air show taking place from 11 a. As heroes congratulated by royalty, awarded distinguished flying crosses, and immortalized on film they were rewarded by crisscrossing america selling war bonds with stuka, their. Its final mission was recalled in a fictionalized 1990 feature film memphis belle. The documentary was selected for preservation by the national film registry. Atomic bombing of hiroshima documentary ten seconds that shook the world 75794 duration.
Wyler actually filmed parts of multiple missions for the documentary the mission portrayed on the film was actually the memphis belles. William wylers wwii doc memphis belle restored, raw. The memphis belle flies its 25th bombing mission history. The film actually depicted the next to last mission of the crew on may 15, 1943, and was made as a moralebuilding inspiration for the home front. A moving and real portrait of courage, it was personally endorsed by president franklin roosevelt. This film is not to be confused with the memphis belle aka the memphis belle. The memphis belle, directed by william wyler, is a tribute to the crew of the united states air forces 324th squadron, 91st heavy bomber unit, an airplane more familiarly known as the memphis belle.
Coastal command is a documentarystyle account of the short sunderland and consolidated. A story of a flying fortress is a 1944 documentary film which. May 17, 2018 the memphis belle flying back to the us after its 25th mission over germany during the second world war in 1943 the stars of the 1990 feature film memphis belle pictured left to right. It started with a chance discovery of all 34 reels of the source material for wylers classic documentary the memphis belle filmed during the spring and summer of 1943 on 8th air force bases in england, and on bombing missions over nazi occupied europe. This film is a war documentary produced by one of the hollywood colonels, william wyler, who joined the air force film unit and recorded the sights and sounds of the last mission of a b17 bomber known as the memphis belle, named after the girlfriend of the pilot. World war ii memphis belle bomber comes alive in dayton. This is one of the classic bomber documentaries to come out of world. Seventy years ago, the boeing b17f flying fortress memphis belle was flying over the skies of europe on bombing missions during world war ii.
On may 17 th, 1943 they were one of the first to complete 25 missions without being shot down. It featured an allstar cast with matthew modine, eric stoltz, d. In may of that year, memphis belle became one of the first b17s to complete 25 missions in europe and return from the. Real people, drawn out of their ordinary lives, do extraordinary service in deadly conditions. With harold alexander, winston churchill, adolf hitler, bernard l. Shot in 1943,the memphis belle is the most famous documentary to emerge from wwii. Sep 02, 2015 belle and the glory boys the making of memphis belle movie duration.
You should obtain a copy of the 1943 documentary movie, if you would like to get the facts. If you already own a documentary about the memphis belle, this may be the same one only in a different package. A story of a flying fortress by director william wyler, about the 25th and last mission of an american boeing b17 flying fortress bomber, the. A story of a flying fortress is a 1944 documentary film which ostensibly provides an account of the final mission of the crew of the memphis belle, a boeing b17 flying fortress. Innovative world war ii documentary the cold blue, from. Oct 12, 1990 memphis belle is about the officers and crew of one united states air force b17 bomber, called memphis belle, on its 25th and final mission, a daylight raid over germany on may 17, 1943.
The memphis belle was chosen to replace invasion 2nd morgan related how he was told that another plane had a backup film crew on a bomber called hells angels in case the memphis belle went down. The movie may have started out under the title of memphis belle, but it then went through a namechange to southern belle, for a whole set of complicated reasons. As part of the 324th bomb squadron of the 91st bomb group, the plane flew 25 operational missions between november 1942 and may 1943, returning from all missions with its crew intact. A you may have been watching the 1990 theatrical release movie of the memphis belle, from sir david putnam and catherine wyler based on the questions you ask. The memphis belle flies its 25th bombing mission on may 17, 1943, the crew of the memphis belle, one of a group of american bombers based in. The memphis belle a story of a flying fortress is a 1944 documentary film produced by the usaaf which provides an account of the final mission of the crew of the memphis belle, a boeing b17. The memphis belle took part in a great bombing raid on subpens in wilhelmshafen, germany. All aerial combat film was exposed during air battles over enemy territory see. The memphis belle flying back to the us after its 25th mission over germany during the second world war in 1943 the stars of the 1990 feature film memphis belle pictured left to. A story of a flying fortress that tells the story of the 25th and last mission of an american boeing b17 flying fortress bomber called the memphis belle that was based in england during world war ii. Army air force boeing b17f that flew strategic bombing missions from england into continental europe. The four officers and six enlisted men of the memphis belle a b17 bomber so nicknamed for the girlfriend of its stern and stoic captain. They were also the focus of william wylers 1944 film, memphis belle. A documentary on the 25th bombing mission of the memphis belle, a b17 in the us 8th air force.
The memphis belle and hot stuff flew on the same mission on march 22, 1943. Nov 05, 2018 the resultant film, 1944s the memphis belle. Feb 14, 2020 the result was a documentary called the memphis belle. Being a film done at the time gives an immediacy to the events. Belle and the glory boys the making of memphis belle movie duration. The surviving copies of the film are not a good representation of the film that was shown in 1944, so utilizing naras 4k scans, he has painstakingly reassembled wylers film with vibrant color. Leeper this years 1990 memphis belle directed by michael catonjones is a popular film describing the last mission of the first b17 to complete its assigned twentyfive missions. At the beginning of the film, the belle s crew had successfully completed twentyfour missions in the toughest theater of the air war in europe. A story of a flying fortress by director william wyler, about the 25th and last mission of an american boeing b17 flying fortress bomber, the memphis belle, based in england during world war ii. After the war ended, the memphis belle was placed on display in the city which inspired its name. Mar 12, 2016 the memphis belle a story of a flying fortress is a 1944 documentary film produced by the usaaf which provides an account of the final mission of the crew of the memphis belle, a boeing b17. Memphis belle was the nickname of a boeing b17f flying fortress during the second world war that inspired the making of two motion pictures. Having flown 24 bombing missions over nazi occupied europe since its first bombing run on november 7, 1942 over the city of brest france this if successful, its 25th bombing run, would be the planes and crews ticket out of wwii.
Many b17s made their way back from air raids on only one engine. Apr 20, 2011 the documentary, directed by noted hollywood producer and director william wyler, was released to the public in 1944, and a dramatization of the original film was produced in 1990. Wyler started filming first and figuring out the story later, says nelson. Wwii bomber memphis belle is lovingly restored and put on.
If you really like wwii history, then you will probably like this film. A story of a flying fortress, and a 1990 hollywood feature film, memphis belle. Compare with fortress 2012, another film about a b17 crew in 1943. This unique film was the brainchild of legendary film director william wyler. The film, distributed by rko, dramatised the work of raf coastal command. Memphis belle is a boeing b17f flying fortress used during the second world war that inspired the making of two motion pictures. The film chronicles the 25th mission of the boeing b17 memphis. Documentary about the 25th and last bombing mission of a b17, the memphis belle. B17 movie memphis belle 2020 vectren dayton air show. Erik nelsons documentary the cold blue features recently discovered color footage shot in 1943 by director william wyler for his classic the memphis belle.
Many big hollywood directors saw active duty in world war ii and often became adept at capturing combat footage. The families of the memphis belle are still reaping the rewards from books and films while the families of hot stuff receive nothing. Army air forces heavy bomber to complete 25 missions over europe, but the first to return to the united states. A story of a flying fortress, purported to show the final mission of the bomber memphis belle. The memphis belle completed its 25th mission on 19 may 1943 but not all the crew had completed their 25 missions. An unforgettable movie collects recently discovered color. A documentary on the 25th bombing mission of the memphis belle, a b17 in the. May 31, 20 atomic bombing of hiroshima documentary ten seconds that shook the world 75794 duration. William wylers wwii doc memphis belle restored, raw footage. Jun 11, 2019 it started with a chance discovery of all 34 reels of the source material for wylers classic documentary the memphis belle filmed during the spring and summer of 1943 on 8th air force bases in england, and on bombing missions over nazi occupied europe. A good documentary about the memphis belle, but probably not everyones cup of tea. During production, one of wylers cameramen, harold tannenbaum, was lost along with. Memphis belle is the nickname of a boeing b17f flying fortress during the second world war that inspired the making of two motion pictures. The b17g movie memphis belle that will appear at the 2018 show was the star of the 1990 warner brother film, memphis belle.
An intriguing documentary of the memphis belle, one of the legendary flying. True story of the valiant b17 bomber memphis belles 25th and last bombing run over the german port city of bremen on may 17, 1943. On their way they encounterd heavy aa fire and interceptors. A story of a flying fortress by director william wyler, about the 25th and last mission of an american boeing b17 flying fortress bomber, the memphis belle, based.
Two films, a 1944 william wyler documentary called. May 17, 2018 the 1944 documentary movie memphis belle. December 7th 1943 docudrama about the bombing of pearl harbor on december 7th, 1941 and its results, the recovering of the ships, the improving of defense in hawaii and the us efforts to beat back the japanese reinforcements. As with the original 1943 film, the movie storyline follows the supposed 25th and final mission of the tenman crew of a b17 who are scheduled to be returned to the us. In 1942, major wyler went to england to film heavy bomber operations in europe. The crew member names used in the movie are not factual. The national museum of the united states air force reports one of historys most famous aircraft will celebrate two anniversaries this weekend. Created by legendary hollywood director william wyler, the movie chronicles the 25th and final combat mission of a b17 crew. Originally released in april 1944, the film follows the exploits of one b17 crew as they thread the needle, completing 25 missions safely before rotating back to the states on a publicity tour to raise war bonds. Of course, the memphis belle did complete the tour and she got all the accolades of being the first to do so. The film featured an allstar cast with matthew modine, eric stoltz and harry connick jr. The silver screen and the memphis belle memphis belle.
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