Watch The Thousand Plane Raid For Free

The first must-see film of the year.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

This is a poor man's "Twelve O'Clock High". Even some of the characters track: a pushy commanding officer with an idea and a leadership problem, an adjutant (only a woman this time to try to appeal to the female audience). There is even an attitude-changing event (getting wounded) during the last raid that tries to turn him into more of a likable human being. However, there was one statement he made during a briefing that turned out to be very accurate in real life. During one briefing on his idea of a 1,000 plane raid, the British were insisting on a night raid, the American Colonel Brandon said, "If the Germans couldn't bomb the British into submission, what makes us think we can do it to them?"

The director Boris Segal directed several good films. The star Christopher George was a good actor with a strong presence on film. Laraine Stephens had a great naked back and good hair. There is a terrific low flying stunt (repeated scene several times) with a B-17 wing just above the ground. There is excellent cutting with stock combat footage from the Second World War.Yet all that amounts to not that much. A television writer Donald Sanford wrote a script that might have worked for a made-for-television feature. Even though the narrative comes from an actual raid, the complexities of the script—the hardbound commander never quite engages viewers—at least it did not engage this viewer. I kept wondering what purpose Gabrielle had on the English base other than sleeping with Commander Brandon. The film lacks any sense of majesty, terror, or depth. It seems another mindless war movie made in the late sixties but reflecting an earlier ethos. I kept wondering what the BBC would have done with this material. Review updated: This is a good-looking film with attention to sets and design. Editing is extremely good.

Just saw this 36 year old movie on a Spanish T.V. channel.It was a midnight movie and it's dubbed in Spanish. This movie is very and I mean very cheaply made. It looks more like a made for T.V. movie. However, it was made in 1969 and most likely it was riding on the coat-tails of such films as Battle for Britan or Operation Crossbow. I like Christopher George, but the poor guy just wasn't given any decent acting roles. I feel his "meatiest" role was that of gunman Nelson McCloud in the John Wayne movie, El Dorado. Sadly, Christopher George died of a massive heart attack at 54, and is best remembered for his hit 1960s T.V. show, The Rat Patrol. As for this film, well, it's better in Spanish! Only thing, I don't speak Spanish!

Amusing piece of waffle with a brief acknowledgement that the UK actually did fight from their home country, and in fact did mount the first 1000 bomber raid on Germany. Throw in a stereo typical RAF upper class twit to teach the Yanks Fighter Tactics.. I wish they wouldn't assume all RAF fighter Pilots were like that.. Many were Sergeant Pilots and my 86 year old Neighbour, A Spitfire Pilot with 8 kills to his Credit speaks broad Geordie (To our American Pals a Dialect found in the Newcastle area of North East England which can hardly be called upper class.) Still the footage of the B17s was brilliant and did these wonderful Planes credit ) There were several correct statements , particularly that night Bombing carried out by the RAF in the early days was terribly inaccurate, at least until 'Gee' and 'Oboe'(Radio position systems) came into service. Remember that the Luftwaffe switched to night bombing of British Cities during 1940-1941 because of their Losses. However a good piece of escapism anyway,with many inaccuracies, but someone did at least attempt some Historic research...