Wartime tale of a group of British scientists efforts to develop the first radar system. They did it just in time for it to be used in the Battle of Britain against the might of the Nazi Luftwaffe. Without it the little island could well have been overrun.
Acting
Ralph Richardson anchors the boffin brigade with gravitas.
Direction
Peter Ustinov's debut — already playing with ensemble chaos.
Writing
Wry British humor cutting through wartime earnestness.
Director
Peter Ustinov
Ralph Richardson
Prof. Heatherville
Raymond Huntley
Prof. Laxton-Jones
John Laurie
Dr. McVitie
David Tomlinson
Mr. Watlington
Finlay Currie
Sir Duncan Wills
Michael Hordern
Lt. Cmdr. Lowther
Pamela Matthews
Mrs. Watlington
Joan Young
Mrs. McVitie
Richard Attenborough
Jack Arnold
David Hutcheson
Squadron Leader Sowerby
Patrick Waddington
Group Capt. Aspinall
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The film was so top-secret that crew members didn't know what 'RDF' stood for during production.
Released when radar was still classified, it helped Britons finally understand how they'd survived 1940.
US
GB
