MEMPHIS BELLE
(BRITISH)

A Warner Bros release of an Enigma production. Produced by David Puttnam, Catheline Wyler. Directed by Michael Caton-Jones. Screenplay, Monte Mellick; camera, David Watkin; editor, Jim Clark; music, George Fenton; production design, Stuart Craig; costume design, Jane Robinson; associate producer, Eric Rattray; Special effects supervisor/model unit director, Richard Conway; casting, Marion Dougherty, Juliet Taylor. Reviewed at Warner West End. London, July 15, 1990. Running time: 106 MIN.
Dennis.........................Matthew Modine
Danny.................................Eric Stoltz
Luke...............................Tate Donovan
Phil.................................D.B. Sweeney
Val.......................................Billy Zane
Rascal................................Sean Astin
Clay..........................Harry Connick Jr.
Virge.............................Reed Diamond
Eugene.........................Courtney Gains
Jack..................................Neil Giuntoli
Commanding Officer.....David Strathairn
Col. Bruce Derringer............John Lithgow

Offering a romanticized view of heroism drawn from the Hollywood war epic, "Memphis Belle" is unashamedly commercial. Its moral fabric is thinner than that of other David Puttnam productions, but it's still likely to be a classy draw this fall.

As with Puttnam's "Chariots Of Fire," "The Killing Fields" and "The Mission," there is a grandness about "Memphis Belle." The sweeping landscapes are stunningly photographed, and the score is emphatically emotional.

Director Michael Caton-Jones, foliowing his theatrical debut on "Scandal," choreographed a cast of 10 distinctive young men and a host of original World War II fighter planes. He handles with equal flair the emotional exchanges on the ground and action sequences in the air.

Pic's subject is the 25th and final mission of the Memphis Belle, the most celebrated of the U.S. Air Force B-17 bombers. The plane flew 24 perfect missions, and its 25th became part of a massive p.r. drive to boost warbond sales and morale.

The plane and its team are sent to Germany to drop one last load, setting the scene for suspense, tension, terror and a fitting celebration when all return safe and (almost) sound.

Large chunk of the film is set on the ground, providing adequate exposition of events and character to involve the audience in the mission. Played up is the fact that these 10 guys are barely out of their teens and don't see themselves as heroes. They're just doing their job for Uncle Sam (a cliche actually used by Dennis, Matthew Modine's character, at the end).

It's easy to be cynical about the subject matter, especially considering the post-Vietnam view of war. But war is not the central issue in this film; it's friendship, idealism and good old-fashioned bravado.

Performances are all keen. Dennis is the quiet, understated leader. The romantic Danny is played expressively by Eric Stoltz. Billy Zane's suave Val, medico for the troupe, reveals himself as a fake when Danny's life is in danger. Tate Donovan's ambitious copilot, Luke, unwittingly causes the death of the crew in a companion plane, a breathtaking and horrific scene.

By the end of the mission the audience should feel as relieved as the Memphis Belle's mascot dog, which lies in wait by the airstrip as the other planes return. The dog may seem like over-the-top schmaltz, but it really existed.

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 soldiers read over it by the commanding officer, thoughtfully played by David Strathairn.

Action scene camerawork is superb, and Caton-Jones' depiction of the claustrophobic conditions inside the plane is vivid. Use of five original B-17s, three ME-1O9s and eight Mustangs adds to the feel of authenticity. On a 70m screen, the flying sequences are outstanding.

"Memphis Belle" makes for a thoroughly entertaining night at the cinema, which is all Puttnam and Caton-Jones say they set out to achieve. — Krug.