Underplayed Gems

The First of the Few (1942)

The First of the Few poster
Directed by
Leslie Howard
Genre
biographical film
Country
United Kingdom
Runtime
1h 47m
Rated
G
Rating
6.7 of 10 from 41 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
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How it feels

This film tells the story of R. J. Mitchell, the man who designed the Spitfire fighter plane. It shows his dedication to his work and the sacrifices he made.

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What happens

The First of the Few (US title Spitfire) is a 1942 British black-and-white biographical film that was produced and directed by Leslie Howard, who stars as R. J. Mitchell, the designer of the Supermarine Spitfire fighter aircraft. David Niven co-stars as a Royal Air Force officer and test pilot, a composite character who represents the pilots who flew Mitchell's seaplanes and tested the Spitfire. The film depicts Mitchell's strong work ethic in designing the Spitfire and his death. The film's title alludes to Winston Churchill's speech describing Battle of Britain aircrew, subsequently known as the Few: "Never was so much owed by so many to so few". The film premiered at the Leicester Square Theatre in London at 6.30pm on Thurs 30 August 1942, as a charity performance in aid of the RAF Benevolent Fund. Leslie Howard's portrayal of Mitchell has a special significance since Howard was killed when the Lisbon-to-London civilian airliner in which he was travelling was shot down by the Luftwaffe on 1 June 1943. His death occurred only days before The First of the Few was released in the United States on 12 June 1943, under the alternative title of Spitfire. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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