Angels One Five | |
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DVD cover
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Directed by | George More O'Ferrall |
Produced by | John W. Gossage Derek Twist |
Written by | Pelham Groom (story) Derek Twist |
Starring |
Jack Hawkins Michael Denison Dulcie Gray John Gregson |
Cinematography | Christopher Challis |
Edited by | Daniel Birt |
Production
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Templar Productions
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Release date
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Running time
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98 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Box office | ₤258,199 (UK) |
Angels One Five is a 1952 British film directed by George More O'Ferrall, and starring Jack Hawkins, Michael Denison, Dulcie Gray, John Gregson, Cyril Raymond and Veronica Hurst. Based on the book What Are Your Angels Now? by Pelham Groom (who was also technical advisor to the film under his full title of W/Cdr. A. J. C. Pelham Groom), the plot centres on a young fighter pilot immediately before and during the Battle of Britain in the Second World War. Some scenes in the film were shot at RAF Uxbridge, home to a wartime operations room.
"Angels One Five" refers to RAF radio procedure words, from the Second World War, indicating the altitude of a radar contact is 15,000 feet. The film was the first British post-war production to deal with the Battle of Britain.
In 1940, a replacement, Pilot Officer T. B. "Septic" Baird (John Gregson), is landing his Hawker Hurricane at "Pimpernel" Squadron's airfield. Just as he touches down, however, a straggler from an earlier mission taxis across his path. Septic's quick reactions allow him to "leapfrog" the other Hurricane, averting a costly disaster. His action, however, causes him to crash his replacement aircraft into the bungalow of Squadron Leader Barry Clinton (Cyril Raymond) at the end of the runway.
This earns Septic the wrath of his new squadron leader, Bill Ponsford (Andrew Osborn), because he damaged his fighter aircraft. The crash also injures the ligaments in Septic's neck, which he is able to self-diagnose, as he had been a medical student before the war. The next morning, Septic is told by Group Captain "Tiger" Small (Jack Hawkins) that he will not be able to fly until his neck is healed, so he will instead serve in the operations room for the time being.