Memphis Belle

Rating:
Summary: breathtaking
Review: For around 5 days after I first saw Memphis Belle in 1992, I was in a bit of a state of shock. I had a really niggly feeling in the back of my mind that just wouldn't go away. It was there because the film brought home to me the fear, pain, anxiety, dreadful conditions but also comeradeship these brave young men endured for our freedom. Granted it was only a 'film', and the true story has been "hollywood-ified", but I had never before been moved in such a way by a film, and have yet to be again. That has to say something not only about the content, but about the wonderful production and beautiful musical score that complements the story so well. I truly consider "Memphis Belle" to be my most highly regarded film.

Rating:
Summary: Patriotism At Its Best
Review: I am not a big fan of war movies, but I've seen enough to know that Memphis Belle is just as good and deserving of an Oscar as is Saving Private Ryan. Both movies star modern-day actors with whom the public is familiar with. This allows us to become emotionally involved with the plot. Memphis Belle gives us a special crew who is flying a mission they know will be their last no matter what. I found myself drawn to this story because of the actors and the fact that my grandpa was a B-24 Bombadier. Billy Zane's character hit close to home. Anyone who loves their country and the men who serve to protect it should watch this movie without hesitation. What a cast, what a movie, what a war.

Rating:
Summary: Very good, but for entirely different reason(s) !
Review: The reviewer here is graying son of a father who flew 27-missions as crew on a B17F out'a Parham, England c1943. (The Belle is an "F" in this same timeframe.) Like other reviwers I understand that at best the plot roughly matches events surrounding the first crew to finich their 25 missions. Yet the real import to me is how accurately the settings, interactions, and 'feel' matches everything my Dad ever said about his experiences. Including the frigid clear-blue calm instantly punctuated by sheer-terror only to retun moments later to serenity with no hint of the mayhem of moments earlier except for the holes in the ship, spent 50-caliber rounds, and the wounded. The dialog, the on-the-ground stand-by and in-flight routine all rang true. And I really finally understood that look in his eye to the enevitable phrase on the out-bound leg of each flight, "Sir, that's the Third Reich down there."

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: I first saw this film in 1992, when it came out on the TV in the UK. I accept that it is not a true story, it never really pretends to be. As to the historical accuracy, it is not meant to represent just one mission, but to give a feeling for what it must have been like. Since watching this film, I have been in contact with many people who actually experienced the war, and none of them have made any uncomplimentary comments - they know what it was made for, and respect it for this. In my opinion, it is one of the greatest films ever made. There is a depth of character which I have not seen in any other film (although I haven't see Saving Private Ryan). This film works on many levels, and as such should be given a chance, even if you hated it first time around!! One last point - read the novelisation; it makes the film make a lot more sense, and also shows how the scriptwriter originally imagined the film to be!

Rating:
Summary: JUST A SCREEN WRITERS FANTASY
Review: A Civil War movie with helicopters would be more acurate then this. the real memphis belle did not bomb brennan or what ever the heck it was they hit Willhelmshaven. None of the crew was wounded on that mission, they had no escort at all, why was the bombadier doing CPR on the radio-operator? if the ball turret was blown off(which didn't happen) the ball turret gunner would have been blown apart, no one in thier right mind would go around for another run because of a smoke screen as my grandpa(SSgt. Earl Rizzo Assistant Engineer/Gunner 15th Air Force 301st Bombardment Group ret.) said "That was suicide" which is what his group did, they tuned back and dumped their bombs(but saw a German fleet and dumped them on that, and hit a munitions ship which destoyed the entire fleet). The screen writer just took vague information about the mission and toyed with it. Don't believe, me watch the documentary-movie that has been on the History Channel or read about it. And a 25 mission tour wasn't very long, in most air forces such as the 15th it was was 50 hellish missions into the frozen, lifeless stratosphere. 50 missions of seeing men ripped apart, men getting their heads blown off, men losing legs and arms, best friends dying in your arms. Plus in the movie the characters were fictional all their names had been changed. This movie was just the sceen writer and directors fantasy.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best movie about WWII
Review: I really cannot understand why this movie didn't get the Academy award. I do agree to someone who said that this movie was as good as Saving Private Ryan or The Bridge Too Far (Shindlers list was even better). If you are interested in the European air war, this is better than the Battle Of Britain because, having the same level of realism with the Battle of Britain, this movie has very rich expression of the feeling of the crews. Though I'm not an American, and though my country was one of those who fought against the US during the WWII, what I see in this movie is the reason why I love America. This movie is not just about B17 and European air war, but this is about good old Americans. It's about good young Amricans that we can still meet sometimes. Also, this movie has a very good accuracy, if you watch the move of P51s trying to protect B17 from the Bf109s, you may see that. They used real B17s, p51s and Bf109s and took the picture from B25. This movie has both the feeling of the young crews who fought the war and the realistic picture of the air war. If you watch this once, it is a nice movie, but watching it again and again and seeing more details of it, you may think that this is not just a nice movie. I hope someday I could watch this movie on the big screen at the big movie theater...

Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT! EXCELLENT! EXCELLENT!
Review: Has anyone ever sat in an airliner at 20,000 feet and hit turbulence? Kind of scary huh, the plane shakes and moves and you can't help but wonder "are we going down?" Now imagine the same scenario in an un-pressurized B-17, Flak bursting around you, and German fighters waiting to pounce on you at the first opportunity and send your plane down in flames. This was the experince of an airman in WWII. I know we all live in our little sheltered world where we get bored in history class, watch MTV till our brain cells are gone, and complain that old people are too slow. Well this movie gives a good dose of reality. Not as graphic as "Saving Private Ryan(100 stars out of 5)," but it will open your eyes to the horrors of war and will instill a sense of awe and respect for WWII vets. If you can watch these kinds of movies and not feel a sense of gratitude, I pity you and your generation.

Rating:
Summary: A rivety, eye-opening experience movie!
Review: Take Top Gun, Iron Eagle, and any other aviation movie out there and none compare to the true-life story encompassed in Memphis Belle. Based on a true story, this movie focuses on a bomber crew which flies the famous and now vintage Boeing B-17 Stratofortress. After flying 24 successful missions, only one thing stops them from returning home, mission 25. During the 25th mission, every skill they have will be tested, their faith will be practiced, their hope will carry them through. With a diverse range of characters, great aerial photography (especially considering the planes in the movie hardly exist anymore), and a suspenceful, and heart-filled story, Memphis Belle flies... one of the most underrated movies of all time.

Rating:
Summary: A great war movie
Review: This movie was the best WWII movie I've ever seen. When I was 5 my dad and I went to see this movie in the theater we both came out sying it was great. I was suprised to see the reviews and finding out that the critics didn't like it much, I thought they were crazy.

Rating:
Summary: For WWII fans only
Review: If you are a World War II fan you are going to like it as I do. If you like WWII planes you are gonna love it. Else this is going to be a good drama that may not deserve an academy award but it worth to be seen.

All in all I consider it a far much better drama when compared with Midway. I own both.