The First of the Few
| The First of the Few | |
|---|---|
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Title frame
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| Directed by | Leslie Howard |
| Produced by |
Leslie Howard George King John Stafford |
| Written by | Henry C. James Kay Strueby Miles Malleson Anatole de Grunwald |
| Starring |
Leslie Howard David Niven |
| Music by | William Walton |
| Cinematography | Georges Périnal |
| Distributed by | General Film Distributors (UK), RKO Radio Pictures Inc. (USA) |
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Release date
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14 September 1942 (20 August 1942 at the Leicester Square Theatre, London) |
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Running time
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118 minutes (UK), 90 minutes (USA) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
The First of the Few (US title Spitfire) is a 1942 British biographical film 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 that 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".
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, with the title Spitfire.
A newsreel sets the scene for summer 1940, showing Nazi advances in Europe with Britain facing invasion and aerial attacks on the island increasing. On 15 September 1940, during the Battle of Britain, RAF Squadron Leader Geoffrey Crisp (David Niven), the station commander of a Spitfire squadron, recounts the story of how his friend, R. J. Mitchell (Leslie Howard) designed the Spitfire fighter. His pilots listen as Crisp begins with the 1922 Schneider Trophy competition, where Mitchell began his most important work, designing high speed aircraft. While watching seagulls with his binoculars, he envisages a new shape for aircraft in the future. Crisp, an ex-First World War pilot seeking work, captivates Mitchell with his enthusiasm and the designer promises to hire him as test pilot should his design ever go into production. Facing opposition from official sources, Mitchell succeeds in creating a series of highly successful seaplane racers, eventually winning the Schneider Trophy outright for Great Britain.
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Wikipedia