I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Another day, another 1950s-era patriotic British WW2 movie with an ensemble cast of respected male actors and the odd female face (namely the formly Dinah Sheridan here). Dirk Bogarde once again places the introspective lead character, a bomber pilot jaded by the pressures of the war and the endless toll of men and planes lost on a daily basis. This is a film that focuses almost entirely on human rather than wartime drama, although there's a bit of stock footage inserted here and there. The calibre of the acting is enough to see this one through, although in an overloaded genre the tale was done better elsewhere.

Appointment in London: It is 1943, and a Wing Commander of Bomber Command is fighting his personal demons whilst edging towards his 90th (and final) operation over Germany, flying Avro Lancaster bombers.To put this film into context it was made in 1952, from a story written by a WWII veteran who had himself survived over 100 operations. Most of the film's outdoor sequences were shot at RAF Upwood (http://www.rafupwood.co.uk/) which was at that time home to a squadron of soon-to-be obsolete Avro Lincoln bombers. These appear in the background and (at a distance) pass well enough as Lancasters, a few of which were of course used for the closer shots.Britain in 1952 was still suffering the after-effects of WWII; petrol had not long come off the ration, but rationing was to remain on many basic foodstuffs for another two years to come. Most folk didn't have two beans to rub together, yet the country faced the prospect of the developing Cold War, which could have turned hot at any time.Despite near bankruptcy, the UK was in the midst of developing it's V bomber force (the iconic 'Vulcan' had just made its maiden flight) and the nuclear weapons that they would carry; a product of the 'freedom at any cost' mentality which must have prevailed during WWII.Bomber Command's role in WWII is today in some danger of being overlooked. It should not be forgotten that for several years they were the sole means of striking back at the enemy, and that they arguably waged what remains the most costly air war ever fought; whilst the US Eighth Air Force suffered appalling aircrew losses (~26000 casualties), Bomber Command lost over twice as many, but from a smaller complement. Their losses averaged over 44%, and their daily losses were on occasion almost inconceivable, in some instances exceeding (say) the total losses of Fighter Command during the whole Battle of Britain.The effect of this air campaign will be debated for decades to come, but in round numbers -even without allowing for the bombing damage itself- it is estimated that at any one time it cost the Germans the use of about 1000 operational fighter aircraft, several hundred thousand men, about 10000 of the lethal 88mm gun (which was also one of the most devastating anti-tank weapons of WWII), millions of shells, and all the manufacturing facilities and infrastructure to support them.However Albert Speer (Germany's armaments minister during WWII) was in no doubt about the significance of the air war against Germany. Years after the war he is quoted as saying that "... No one has yet seen that this was the greatest lost battle on the German side".This is one of the few films that makes any real attempt to show what the bulk of Bomber Command's operations would have been like in 1943; night ops over Germany, with a high loss rate. The final operation in the film is portrayed as a mission against a secret weapon facility in Germany; this is quite realistic, echoing the real 'Operation Hydra' of August 1943, in which the V2 development facility at Peenemunde was bombed, causing significant delays to the missile programme.It is all played in a rather understated fashion in this film, and it perhaps lacks the drama of some other WWII films. (And of course there are a few goofs; e.g. the final scenes 'wartime London' show cars without blackout gear and a few 1950's unibody models...) Yet it is a very good, and rather significant film that is sadly underrated. Without films of this sort, important parts of our history may soon be forgotten.Near to me, there are still the remains of dozens of WWII airfields. In most cases they are just crumbling back into the landscape, home to little more than old ghosts and fading memories. I can't imagine what it would have been like over 70 years ago, but films like this can give you some idea.Definitely worth watching.

I am surprised I haven't run across this one before discovering it recently on-line. What most of the other reviews have said is true. The bombing sequence at the end of the movie has a documentary quality to it readily evoking MEMPHIS BELLE -- not the disappointing 1990 movie, but the 1944, William-Wyler-directed wartime documentary released by the United States Army Air Forces during the war itself. It is also a highly detailed treatment that illuminates the RAF's night-time area bombing tactics far beyond else ever dramatized. By the same token, the entire rest of the film tends to be a straightforward representation of what it was like for participants in that phase of the war, remarkable as a movie for its minimization of histrionics. It deserves at least a bare minimum of a 7 on IMDb.

I quite love this film. It DOES feel a bit talky because it's predominantly so ground based...but the depiction of Wing Commander Mason's 90th "op" puts it into a class of its own. I love the audio in the raid of the Pathfinder commander...Has such an urgency and veracity which is irresistible. I agree that it's not in the same class as "12 o'clock High"...For me the film Gregory Peck should have won his Oscar for..it truly is a "maxium effort"..but it's an elegant and high quality cinematic testament to the heroism of Bomber-Command. I like too the Aussie pilot played by Bill Kerr in his darker blue RAAF uniform. We Aussies were there in high numbers like so many Commonwealth aircrew who included my Pilot-Officer Uncle Arthur(Nash)shot down with the loss of all in a Wellington bomber on a night raid over Dusseldorf.