The Lion Has Wings
| The Lion Has Wings | |
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US theatrical release poster
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| Directed by |
Michael Powell Brian Desmond Hurst Adrian Brunel Alexander Korda (uncredited) |
| Produced by | Alexander Korda Ian Dalrymple |
| Written by | Adrian Brunel E.V.H. Emmett |
| Story by | Ian Dalrymple |
| Starring |
Merle Oberon Ralph Richardson June Duprez |
| Narrated by |
E.V.H. Emmett (UK) Lowell Thomas (US) |
| Music by | Richard Addinsell |
| Cinematography |
Osmond Borradaile Bernard Browne Harry Stradling Sr. |
| Edited by | Henry Cornelius Charles Frend Hugh Stewart Derek N. Twist |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by | United Artists |
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Release date
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Running time
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76 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | £30,000 |
The Lion Has Wings is a 1939 British, black-and-white, documentary-style, propaganda war film. The film was directed by Adrian Brunel, Brian Desmond Hurst, Alexander Korda and Michael Powell. It was produced by London Film Productions and Alexander Korda Film Productions.
The film was made at the outbreak of the Second World War, released to cinemas very quickly, and helped convince the government of the value of film in both the propaganda battle and the dissemination of information.
The Lion Has Wings is recounted in various "chapters" with a linking story revolving around a senior Royal Air Force (RAF) officer, played by Ralph Richardson, his wife and his family.
The film opens with a newsreel style documentary comparing life in Britain to life in Nazi Germany, narrated by E.V.H. Emmett in the upbeat and patriotic narrative style common to such newsreels in Britain. This mainly uses existing newsreel footage with some additional footage shot especially for this film. It includes scenes from Fire Over England with Queen Elizabeth I giving her speech to the troops at Tilbury about repelling invaders. It also compares the relaxed lifestyles and openness of the British Royal Family and the British people with the militarism of Nazi Germany by including footage from Triumph of the Will (Triumph des Willens).
The second chapter shows an early bombing raid on German warships in the Kiel Canal. Although it was mainly recreated in the studio and with special effects, it also includes some footage of the real bombers and their crews returning from the raid.
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Wikipedia