Product Description

The Memphis Belle is a World War II bomber, piloted by a young crew on dangerous bombing raids into Europe. The crew only have to make one more bombing raid before they have finished their duty and can go home. In the briefing before their last flight, the crew discover that the target for the day is Dresden, a heavily-defended town that invariably causes many Allied casualties.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #29818 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-12-17
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.37:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 45 minutes

About the Director
Overview Date of Birth:1 July 1902, Mülhausen, Alsace, Germany [now Mulhouse, Haut-Rhin, France] more Date of Death:27 July 1981, Los Angeles, California, USA. (heart attack) more Mini Biography:William Wyler was an American filmmaker who, at the time of his death in 1981... more Trivia:Has directed three films on the American Film Institute's 100 Most Inspiring... more Awards:Won 3 Oscars. Another 18 wins & 34 nominations more Alternate Names:Bill Wyler / Lt Col William Wyler US TV Schedule:Sat. Sept. 29 8:00 PM TCM Roman Holiday -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Filmography Jump to filmography as: Director, Producer, Actor, Writer, Second Unit Director or Assistant Director, Cinematographer, Miscellaneous Crew, Thanks, Self, Archive Footage Director: 1970s 1960s 1950s 1940s 1930s 1920s The Liberation of L.B. Jones (1970) Funny Girl (1968) How to Steal a Million (1966) ... aka How to Steal a Million Dollars and Live Happily Ever After ... aka William Wyler's How to Steal a Million (USA: complete title) The Collector (1965) ... aka The Butterfly Collector (UK) The Children's Hour (1961) ... aka The Loudest Whisper (UK) Ben-Hur (1959) ... aka Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (USA: alternative title) The Big Country (1958) Friendly Persuasion (1956) The Desperate Hours (1955) "Producers' Showcase" (1954) TV Series (unknown episodes) Roman Holiday (1953) Carrie (1952) Detective Story (1951) ... aka The Detective Story (Australia: TV title) The Heiress (1949) Thunderbolt (1947) (as Lt Col William Wyler) The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) ... aka Samuel Goldwyn's The Best Years of Our Lives (USA: poster title) The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress (1944) ... aka The Memphis Belle (USA: short title) Mrs. Miniver (1942) The Little Foxes (1941) The Letter (1940) The Westerner (1940) Wuthering Heights (1939) Jezebel (1938) Dead End (1937) ... aka Dead End: Cradle of Crime (USA: reissue title) Come and Get It (1936) (completed film) ... aka Roaring Timbers (USA: reissue title) Dodsworth (1936) These Three (1936) Barbary Coast (1935) (uncredited; replaced by Howard Hawks) ... aka Port of Wickedness (USA: reissue title) The Gay Deception (1935) The Good Fairy (1935) Glamour (1934) Counsellor at Law (1933) Her First Mate (1933) Tom Brown of Culver (1932) A House Divided (1931) The Storm (1930) Hell's Heroes (1930) The Love Trap (1929) The Shakedown (1929) Anybody Here Seen Kelly? (1928) ... aka Has Anybody Here Seen Kelly? (UK) Thunder Riders (1928) Desert Dust (1927) The Border Cavalier (1927) Daze of the West (1927) The Horse Trader (1927) The Square Shooter (1927) The Phantom Outlaw (1927) Gun Justice (1927) The Home Trail (1927) The Ore Raiders (1927) The Lone Star (1927) Hard Fists (1927) The Haunted Homestead (1927) Galloping Justice (1927) Shooting Straight (1927) ... aka Range Riders ... aka Straight Shootin' Blazing Days (1927) The Silent Partner (1927) Tenderfoot Courage (1927) Kelcy Gets His Man (1927) The Two Fister (1927) The Stolen Ranch (1926) Lazy Lightning (1926) Martin of the Mounted (1926) The Pinnacle Rider (1926) Don't Shoot (1926) The Fire Barrier (1926) Ridin' for Love (1926) The Gunless Bad Man (1926) The Crook Buster (1925) Producer: 1960s 1950s 1940s 1930s The Children's Hour (1961) (producer) ... aka The Loudest Whisper (UK) Ben-Hur (1959) (producer) (uncredited) ... aka Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (USA: alternative title) The Big Country (1958) (producer) Friendly Persuasion (1956) (producer) The Desperate Hours (1955) (producer) Roman Holiday (1953) (producer) Carrie (1952) (producer) Detective Story (1

Customer Reviews

One of the best aviation movies on WW2 ever produced
If you've never seen an aviation movie before in your entire life, you'll be blissfully ignorant of the fact that Memphis Belle shamelessly (and yet gloriously) incorporates just about every cliché in the flight-movie handbook. If you're a big fan of aviation movies--especially movies about World War II bomber crews--you'll be glad that the genre's clichés have been handled with such professional flair. As it follows the crew of a B-17 bomber on its final and most dangerous mission over Germany, Memphis Belle may be little more than a slick and highly authentic presentation of familiar thrills and characters, but it's a rousing piece of entertainment.

Featuring an ensemble cast of fresh faces who've since enjoyed thriving careers (including Billy Zane, Sean Astin, Eric Stoltz, D.B. Sweeney, and Harry Connick Jr.), the movie exists as a fitting tribute to the men who fought and often died in the air over hostile territory. It's the Hollywood version of a 1944 wartime documentary made by legendary director William Wyler (whose daughter served as one of this film's producers), and as such it's a bit contrived and melodramatic. And yet, this exciting movie is almost certain to grab and hold your attention, offering an honorable reminder of the bravery and integrity that were crucial ingredients of any bomber's crew.

From a former military aircraft crewmember
I have to give this one a full 5 stars. It is one of my favorites. As a former hookup man, crew chief, flight engineer, and door gunner, I have seen exactly the type of character assortment and wacky actions that this film portrays. There is always one that is afraid of dying. There is always AT LEAST one hung over person, usually with a barf bag within reach. There is always the one that tries to ride herd on the rest and keep them paying attention to their job. There is always one glory hound that feels he must get a shot at everybody's job so he has bragging rights when he gets home. So this set of characters is totally credible and all were played with extraordinary skill. I love them all, even the jerk.

As for historical accuracy, it is not accurate. They based the story on the Memphis Belle, but incorporated all the incidents and accidents that happened to the flying fortresses. If it didn't happen to the Belle, her crew witnessed it. In my opinion, the movie is made better for this. It also serves to educate people about the realities of WWII bomber flights. I'm all for that. The public needs to be made aware that these men went through a hell that most cannot begin to imagine. Thus, this movie performs a vital function.

As for the entertainment value ... it is top of the line. You will feel the pain and dodge the shrapnel! The anti-aircraft rounds make me get in fast motion! I especially like the part about the monkey harness and can identify fully with it. The pilot always had to force me to put mine on, and like the guy in this movie, it saved my bacon once. There's just no comparison to flapping in the breeze beneath an aircraft while other crewmembers try to haul you back aboard. (But you'll never have to be told to put on your monkey harness again!) Thus, I identify and empathize with his position ... literally!

Order a copy today and see if it doesn't fully engage all your systems!

Terrific Depiction of Allied Daylight Bombing Over Germany!
I watched this great movie with wonder at all the restored vintage B-17 bombers used in the filming. When one watches as they take off and land with such dangerous imprecision, it's remarkable to realize how far we've come technologically since those dangerous days of daylight bombing by the Americans (the Brits went at night) and the murderous losses over German skies. All of this as depicted was before we developed the P-51 with its much longer range and its ability to escort the bombers to the target area to fend off Luftwaffe fighters who shot down so many bombers in 1942, 1943, and 1944.

This is a wonderful movie, very accurate, authentic, and quite appealing. Starring Matthew Modine as the Pilot of the fabled "Memphis Belle", the first bomber crew to accomplish its mission tour and be returned to the states (to sell war bonds, among other things), is retells the amazing story of how thousands of kids as depicted here went off to England to fly thousands and thousands of planes through the perilous skies of Europe in a sustained effort to bomb the Third Reich into submission. Off they went, seeking the industrial and urban targets, knowing full well they might as well have had `bullseyes' painted on their fuselages. The costs of flying the missions in terms of lost people and planes were almost overwhelming to the Allies.

The story is told in all its fullness, and one comes to recognize just how many of these plucky kids leaving the air field would never come back, as the daily losses to German fighters, flak and mishap were atrocious. Yet they went up again the next day and the next and the next, in a dazzling display of uncommon courage, tenacity, and maturity beyond their tender years. This is a poignant and well-told, scripted and acted story brilliantly photographed on location over the hills and dales of bonny olde England, where it all unfolded in its grand yet grisly magnificence fifty some years ago.