1944 memphis belle movie

Filming the mock air war in memphis belle we talk with the filmmakers about the fleet of b17s used to create the movies aerial sequences. Bruce derringer john lithgow to earn a decisive victory for the allies. At the beginning of the film, the belles crew had successfully completed twentyfour missions in the toughest theater of the air war in europe. While the memphis belle flew its last missions, an army air forces film crew flew aboard it and other aircraft of its group to produce footage for a documentary movie. A story of a flying fortress is a 1944 documentary film which ostensibly provides an account of the final mission of the crew of the memphis belle, a boeing b17 flying fortress. This unique film was the brainchild of legendary film director william wyler. It is a documentary about the eighth air force in wwii and in particular the boeing b17f which was the first bomber to complete 25 missions over occupied europe. A story of a flying fortress 1944 out of 4 william wyler directed this documentary that takes a look at a group of b17 flyers on their 25th and final mission over europe. Memphis belle was directed by william wyler, who also flew several missions with the crew, manning the camera himself at considerable risk. A story of a flying fortress, and a 1990 hollywood feature film, memphis belle. If you like memphis belle you are looking for tense, exciting and rough movies about with bomber, soldier, battles, one last job, mission, military and behind enemy lines themes of action, drama and war genre shot in uk or japan. But wyler was filming the belle, so the belle it was. In the briefing before their last flight, the crew discover that the target for the day is dresden, a heavilydefended city that invariably causes many allied casualties keywords. Catalog information at nars gives the films title as memphis belle.

The old fashioned doc complete with a commanding narrator focuses on the real memphis belle and follows the crew through its mission briefing, take off, bomb run, and return home. This documentary centers on the crew of the b17 flying fortress memphis belle as it prepares to execute a strategic bombing raid on subpens in wilhelmshaven, germany. A story of a flying fortress by director william wyler, about the 25th and last mission of an american boeing b17 flying fortress bomber, the memphis belle, based in england during world war ii. Filmed in color, the memphis belle has long been held up as a model wartime documentary.

The collection includes memoranda, correspondence, speeches, reports, policy statements, and pamphlets covering the creation of. Dennis dearborn matthew modine knows the mission is a dangerous one, but hes under pressure from army public relations man lt. Being a film done at the time gives an immediacy to the events. Air force history and museums program as a recipient of the 2019 air force heritage award for its restoration by the national museum of the u. The films credits note that paramount distributed memphis belle under the auspices of the owi through the wars activities committee, motion picture industry. So, models of the belle, the last movie memphis belle, and even the reworked b17g portraying the belle now, have to have slightly different artwork from the actual originals. Documentary about the 25th and last bombing mission of a b17, the memphis belle and the flying fortress. Memphis belle tells of the last combat mission of a legendary wwii b17 bomber and her crew. The memphis belle, directed by william wyler, is a tribute to the crew of the united states air forces 324th squadron, 91st heavy bomber unit, an airplane more familiarly known as the memphis belle. The first heavy bomber in the 8th air force to complete 25 mission in world war ii was the b24 liberator hot stuff.

The memphis belle nose does not belong to the crew, or history. Ww iis memphis belle earns its wings at air force museum. Army air force base in england, the crew members of b17 bomber memphis belle prepare for their 25th and final sortie into enemy german territory. The film invents characters, events, and entire missions for the sake of dramatic license. Nonetheless, the film is offers a good cast, good drama, plenty of suspense and action. A story of a flying fortress jan 26, 2009 singled out to represent the heroic u. Original footage from the 1944 documentary memphis belle by william wyler, father of coproducer catherine wyler, is used for the guaranteed tearjerking scene, with letters from parents of dead. For more information and to download this film, please visit itemmbrs00009301 many big hollywood directors saw active. S air force fact sheet published january 31, 2018, b17f hells angels completed its 25th mission one week earlier than the memphis belle, but stayed in theater until 1944. The film chronicles the 25th mission of the boeing b17 memphis belle, flying deep into germany to strike the all important uboat submarine.

Army air forces heavy bomber to complete 25 missions over europe, but the first to return to the united states. Condensation trails swirl off of the props on a cool autumn morning. Hollywood has never let facts get in the way of a good story. In a terse, exciting 41 minutes, the film assembles footage from several allied bombing missions into one single representative flight of the famed flying fortress known as the memphis belle. Memphis belle poster for 1944 war activities film directed by william wyler courtney gains sean astin tate donovan harry connick jr eric stoltz billy zane matthew modine memphis belle 1990 memphis belle. A story of a flying fortress is a 1944 documentary film which ostensibly provides an account of the final mission of the. The film is hollywoodized for entertainment value and doesnt square with history on many counts including a fully fictionalized crew. The movie memphis belle boeing b17 flying fortress. Expand your home video library from a huge online selection of movies at. The four officers and six enlisted men of the memphis belle a b17 bomber so nicknamed for the girlfriend of its stern and stoic captain, dennis dearborn will soon start their twentyfifth mission, having completed their previous twentyfour successfully with nary an incident, while fewer and fewer other planes are coming back from their. A story of a flying fortress 1944 041944 us documentary, war 45m. The final crew and the bomber gained fame on a nationwide wartime bond tour, which stopped in dayton, and for a 1944 movie memphis belle that documented its combat exploits over europe. A story of a flying fortress, a 45minute documentary that was notable for its stunning 16mm color footage of servicemen on the ground and in the air.

An unforgettable movie collects recently discovered color. National broadcasting company history files, the nbc history files document the activities of the first national broadcasting network in the united states. Memphis belle is a fictionalization of the 1944 documentary memphis belle. A story of a flying fortress, purported to show the final mission of the bomber memphis belle. In a terse, exciting 41 minutes, the film assembles footage from several allied bombing missions into one. It completed its 25th mission on february 7, 1943, three and a half months before the b17 memphis belle. A story of a flying fortress increased the aircraft and crews already substantial fame. In a 1944 color film, footage from the belles second to last mission was used as a method of building morale on the homefront. The aircraft was one of the first united states army air forces b17 heavy bombers to complete 25 combat missions. Memphis belle restoration selected for air force heritage. This film follows the crew of the b17 flying fortress memphis belle as it prepares for a mission. My husband was the eastern division secretary for twelve years while paul chryst, joe camelleri, joe giambrone were co chairmen and treasurer. This film is a war documentary produced by one of the hollywood colonels, william wyler, who joined the air force film unit and recorded the sights and sounds of the last mission of a b17 bomber known as the memphis belle, named after the girlfriend of the pilot.

How the story of hollywood directors in world war ii became a great netflix series documentarian laurent bouzereau and writer. Memphis belle air force historical support division. Memphis belle is about the officers and crew of one united states air force b17 bomber, called memphis belle, on its 25th and final mission, a daylight raid over germany on may 17, 1943. A documentary on the 25th bombing mission of the memphis belle, a b17 in the us 8th air force. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. The documentary, directed by noted hollywood producer and director william wyler, was released to the public in 1944, and a dramatization of the original film was produced in 1990.

This documentary film is powerful in a way no hollywood movie about the memphis belle can ever bethis film is real. The overall excellence of the memphis belle is even more obvious when compared to the hokey fictionalized 1990 movie version of the belles 25th mission. The movie memphis belle, which will also fly in the air show at the niagara falls air reserve station on saturday and sunday was the star of a 1990 warner brothers film titled memphis. Memphis belle is a boeing b17f flying fortress used during the second world war that inspired the making of two motion pictures. Read the memphis belle movie synopsis, view the movie trailer, get cast and crew information, see movie photos, and more on. A story of a flying fortress 1944 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. A story of a flying fortress is a 1944 documentary film which ostensibly provides an account of the final mission of the crew of the memphis. In 1942, major wyler went to england to film heavy bomber operations in europe. We were also friends with the crew chief of the memphis belle.