The Eagle Has Wings, a British, black-and-white documentary-style, propaganda war film, was co-directed by Adrian Brunel, Brian Desmond Hurst, Alexander Korda and Michael Powell.
The film was produced by London Film and Alexander Korda Film Productions and ‘was preparing the nation for war and shining a light on the power of the RAF.
The Lion Has Wings was made at the outbreak of World War II and was released to cinemas quickly. It helped convince the British government of film’s value for disseminating propaganda and information.
The tale unfolds 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.
A RAF Vickers Wellington bomber sets off on attacking the Kiel shipyards in Germany, a pivotal event in the film.
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 the 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 the Nazi propaganda documentary 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.[3]
The third chapter shows an attack by Luftwaffe bombers, and how it is repelled by the RAF, with assistance from the Observer Corps and barrage balloons.
The epilogue has Mr. and Mrs. Richardson taking a break from their duties, enjoying an afternoon by the river. She gives a stirring speech about how the women of Britain have in the past given their sons and lovers to the land and to the sea, and must now give them to the air. They will do so willingly to defend all that is fair and kind about the British way of life. But Wing Commander Richardson is so tired he falls asleep part way through her speech.
Cast
Merle Oberon as Mrs. Richardson
Ralph Richardson as Wing Commander Richardson
June Duprez as June
Flora Robson as Queen Elizabeth I (Footage from Fire Over England)
Robert Douglas as Briefing officer
Anthony Bushell as Pilot
Brian Worth as Bobby
Austin Trevor as Schulemburg
Ivan Brandt as officer
G. H. Mulcaster as Controller
Herbert Lomas as Holveg
Milton Rosmer as Head of Observer Corps
Ronald Adam as Bomber Chief
Robert Rendel as Chief of Air Staff
Archibald Batty as Air Officer
Derrick De Marney as Bill
Bernard Miles as Observer Controller
E. V. H. Emmett as Narrator, UK (voice)
Lowell Thomas as Narrator, US (voice)
End Note
I am grateful to TCM for showing the movie on January 27, 2023.
