December 2007 Archives
Classic Review:
Reach for the Sky (1956)135 min Certificate: U
Director: Lewis Gilbert
Based on the book by Paul Brickhill
Growing up in Rathcoole in the 1960s, I was
enthralled by the Biggles books of Captain W E Johns. James Bigglesworth –
'Biggles' to his friends – was the hero of this series. He started off in the
Royal Flying Corps as a Sopwith Camel pilot over the Western Front. Between the
two world wars, Biggles and his pals, Algy, Ginger and Bertie found themselves
flying all over the Empire and parts beyond to bring villains, spies and
conspirators to justice. Naturally when war broke out again Biggles and Co
rejoined the RAF to take on Goering's Luftwaffe. I lapped these terrific
stories up. W E Johns had himself been a pioneering pilot and knew what he was
talking about.
At that time we had a very strict next door
neighbour, an Englishman we knew only as Mr Clark. As well as gardening, Mr
Clark was keen on reading. To encourage me, he lent me three hardback books;
The Wooden Horse, Cheshire VC and Reach for the Sky. Paul Brickhill's Reach for
the Sky captivated me. In Group Captain Douglas Bader, I found a real-life
Biggles; a true hero in all senses of the word.
Bader was an
enthusiastic, if sometimes reckless, young pilot. In 1931 the 21-year old
attempted a difficult low-level aerobatic stunt. It failed. The aeroplane crashed.
Bader was critically injured and had to have both legs amputated.
Despite this devasting setback, Bader was able not only to walk again but to
fly again and participate in the Battle of Britain. In this he was strengthened
and supported by his wife Thelma. He was determined not to be written off as a
'poor cripple' but to play a full part in defence of his country.
Brickhill's book
captured the postwar feelgood factor. Bader's stirring story cried out for film
adaptation. Kenneth More, one of Britain's best character actors took on the
difficult role. To reproduce Bader's distinctive rolling gait, he had his legs
encased in aluminium.
More brings out Bader's genuine heroism,
guts, determination and sheer bloody-mindedness as he battles all the obstacles
in the way of rebuilding his shattered life. The viewer goes through every
stage with him: the first despair on hearing of the amputation, the first hops
on his peg-leg, and stumbling attempts to get his new tin legs to work for him.
We're with him too as he marries Thelma and discovers golf – a sport he can
play on equal terms with anyone. Most of all, we're with him as he takes on the
RAF bureacracy in order to return to active service. This time, things are so
bad for Britain that he regains his 'wings' and takes command of his own
squadron. His innovative tactical ideas bring him notice and advancement.
