User reviews

This is a must see documentary on the people and the flying machine they perfected to protect and defend Britain during the WW2 German attacks.

The Spitfire fighter plane was both functional and beautiful in form. The citizens of Britain honor this machine and it's pilots for their bravery during one of the most frightful times for their country.

Yes, this is an emotional walk into the memory of those directly involved with the history of this plane. But how can it not be emotional when these brave people got through the nightmare of WW2 by the skin of their teeth.

As with so many of my generation who spent their boyhood up in bedrooms ,fingers covered in 'airfix glue and paint',my love affair of the 'Spitfire 'has stayed with me and grown,inexplicably intertwined with family,from lost uncles as pilots in WW2 themselves to parents and grandparents . The movie starts with a comment early on from a present day fighter pilot, that " the Spitfire is the most beautiful machine ever built by man " who could argue ?, Eloquently narrated by Charles Dance conjuring up the essence of a quintessential United Kingdom now sadly lost ,you are taken on a journey from engineering genius to impossible bravery ,with commentary from the last of the "few"who share a lifetime of feelings so many years later.In the last scene ,but so as not to spoil it, a very well known WW2 lady is reunited with a plane she delivered back in 1944 and you realise that the Spitfire is about people, thats why we love them,PS ,hold on to your heart strings during the closing flight scene ,accompanied with beautifully scored music. A dvd i will treasure.George Wheelwright.

Music is so loud it drowns out the comments of the pilots. To the directors: learn that story is most important thing doesn't need overpowering, intrusive music.

Perhaps the finest film ever made on the Spitfire. From its entrancing story line, to the mesmerising aerials, a transcendent score and a stellar cast of thoughtful reflective, respectful people - you are left feeling both inadequate and inspired. The film makers should be applauded for capturing this exceptional story so sensitively before the door closes forever on the last of the few.

I applaud the film makers for bringing this brilliant documentary to our screens. It is a very worthy tribute to the iconic flying machine that was designed by a genius , built and maintained by master craftsmen and flown by heroes. It was heart rendering to listen to the remaining 'few' recall their experiences of flying the spitfire and how they regarded it as the most famous and beautiful combat aircraft ever built and reminding us all that it was first and foremost a weapon of war. It was a pleasure to watch and it certainly brought a tear to my eye. A very fitting tribute to the brave and remarkable generation of people who flew and fought in our skies during World War Two.

This is a documentary about the famed WWII British fighter plane. It's a reverent portrait of a machine and the people who flew it. As information, it's very lacking. There is little technical understanding. Quite frankly, it doesn't even explain the difference between a Spitfire and a Hurricane other than they're different planes. What is the great innovation in a Spitfire? What is its advantages against its German counterparts? That is a bit about them upgrading the Spitfire to shoot down the buzz bombs. The only great bit is the wind tunnel for the full scale testing. The film goes through a few of the battles but again not in detail. It has a section on the women flying the planes and has a nice bit about one of them. It also an anti-war bent to close it out. This is a perfectly nice documentary but it lacks the details to be truly informative. This is more like a reunion special for those who love the plane.

A pleasure to be able to have the opportunity to experience this once in a lifetime cinematic showing. A fantastic documentary telling the story of the bond and relationship of the legends (men, women and machine) who were tasked at a very young age of protecting our skies, island and future. From start to finish I was fixed to the big screen and hair stood up on the sound of those Merlin engines roaring throughout. Thank you to the cast and crew for bringing this extraordinary story to the big screen and allowing the general public to have a greater appreciation and insight of the sacrifices made.

It's a beautifully crafted movie, full of magnificent images and interesting characters. But this is not a documentary about the legendary Spitfire and more so a movie about a part of the Second World War, some of its machines, people and events. The British plane has an important role in the narrative. One could say it is from its perspective that the movie unfolds. But there is a general lack of information, of insight, of enlightenment about the fighter itself wich is a deception for someone looking to watch a proper documentary about the above mentioned subject.

What a pleasure to watch. Great cinematography. Certainly fantastic to view at the cinema, and to appreciate the Spitfire in all its beauty.

Firstly this is a stirring and well made documentary with excellent aerial footage and some interesting revelations I was not aware of. The photography is first class in places and the interviews provide some surprising revelations. The soundtrack is also very well done and as a commemoration to the key role of the plane and the men and women who made it possible this film is a wonderful achievement on such a small.budget.

My only issue with the film is that it doesn't follow up the military history of the spitfire between the end of WW2 and when it was finally retired from service in the 1950s. It would have been nice to hear about what happened to the majority of the thousands of planes when the war was over. Instead the film awkwardly misses out the last five years of its working life as part of our front line defence.

Secondly, despite being a fine actor, I found Charles Dance's narration to be oddly flat and droll. I couldn't help thinking that perhaps the narrator needed a more lively voice. To me Jeremy Clarkson ( who is also a big supporter of the armed forces) would have been a good choice, but I guess that is my own personal preference.

Anyway, congratulations to the team for making a solid tribute to one of the icons of the sky. The honesty and hard work was well worth it despite my minor quibbles.

A mixture of nostalgia, history, humour and pathos together with the most spectacular air to air filming I have ever seen. Thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.

An interesting documentary, but it misses far too much about the Spitfire, things like the design and also the different marks (which are not explored in depth in the documentary). Lots of time spent interviewing the people who flew the Spit, but not enough about the design, development and actual building of them. There is very little about how and where they were built, and we do not see many pictures of their construction.

But the biggest fault of this documentary is the wishy-washy music (loud at times) which the director has put over the sound of the Merlin and Griffon engines. The Merlin engine is music enough, without spoiling it by drowning it out with silly music. This takes away a lot of the pleasure of watching the Spitfire fly.

So an interesting programme, but one that could have been made much better than it has been.

Unlike what was said on other reviews this documentary should be seen as a whole and not something specific. Simply enjoy its beauty and specially the connection between the plane and the people that were involved in flying the most beautiful plane ever made.

What can i say, i loved the film so much i bought the DVD,there are not many films that can bring a lump to my throat, but this film did,the stories from the actual people who flew them, 3 of which died not long after the release of this film.they are rebuilding SPITFIRES thankfully all the time now, but you cannot get the stories from the the likes of GEOFFREY WELLUM,and MARY ELLIS, any more,and i wish i had heard more from them while they were alive,the actual scenes of the SPITFIRES in flight are stunning, you get so close, i do not know how they did it, i am so glad i saw SPITFIRE the feature documentary at the cinema,this is the first time i have ever reviewed a film, but it moved me so much.

There's lots of stirring music, great footage, and teary tributes to this great airplane, but there's almost nothing about WHAT made it great. Very little hard information about the design and construction of the airplane. How did the designers and builders of this marvelous fighter pull off the feat of creating a superior fighter?

I know very little more about this plane now than I did before I started watching this documentary. And I didn't know much before I started watching it. It's not as if they had to impress some lifelong aficionado!.

As the British would say. . . Pity.

Always enjoy the sound of a Merlin. The new flying takes were very good after decades of Battle of Britain (1967) out takes for flying fill. Pleased to see Schneider trophy footage that's been hidden away as it showed the era that seeded the Spitfire. It felt like an enthusiasts movie which undoubtedly will be over the heads of your common garden movie goer. Good effort but a rare story so don't expect many of these productions to happen.

Wonderful, were it not for the absurdly loud soundtrack. It's too high in the mix so you can barely hear the characters speak. Which is a shame, as what these heroes are saying is so important. Visual delight but good grief... who in earth was in charge of the sound?

I'm 42 I've seen them fly over many times in my life, I love them as much as any Englishmen, but this film touched me in a way I didn't expect. It's a human film, not just a documentary about a machine.

The history of one of the most iconic and historically significant aircraft in history: the Supermarine Spitfire.

Okay but disappointing. Rather than concentrating on history this documentary seems to rely on sentimentality. I was hoping for a detailed discussion about the history of the Spitfire, especially the design aspects, the improvements from one mark to the next and the different variants. There are elements of that - we have brief discussions on the improvements from the Mark V to Mark IX and IX to XIV - but that's it.

The interviews with former Spitfire pilots were broadly necessary and welcome but rather than inform the historical discussion they became the focal point. Plus, they're not always relevant, e.g. a discussion regarding a squadron flying to Malta that had nothing to do with the Spitfire: they were flying Hurricanes!

The main problem appears to be that the target audience is not people who already know about WW2/aviation/Spitfire history and want to know more but people who know nothing about these. So the whole thing is dumbed down.

The tone doesn't help either: rather than being objective everything seems rather hyperbolic and cheerleader-like.

Overall, it's still watchable, especially as there is some great footage of the Spitfire, both archival and filmed for the film, but it could have been heaps better.

Not only to the plane and its designers but to all that flew them and the very experience that they associate with Spitfires. Some truly wonderful stories that are both poignant, honest and deeply felt from the people who lived them. The photography is exquisite and air to air shots really outstanding. I like the way it was edited and produced and admit to having felt some strong emotions near the end.

This is really a love story between the Spitfire, those that designed and flew them or simply watched them in any capacity as spectator, and a world, that to a great degree owed its future to the existence of this, ahead of its time, fighter.

My father, who has long passed, flew a few variants of the Spit in WW2, while in the RCAF. In later years when conversations occasionally touched on the topic, his voice and tenor would wax affectionately in discussions of the Spit, and controlling the bird was to him "like wearing a glove."

"Ahhh what a beautiful plane" in a tone that matched the sentiment, he would occasionally remark upon viewing even a picture.

The movie apart from touching on the history of the plane, is really a sentimental journey to those that once flew these magnificent birds and a fond hope for those who barely know of its existence to get a sense of the awe they felt.

The movie succeeds masterfully.

Bravo!

I had tears in my eyes watching this beautiful documentary. What stunning planes the Spitfires were & still are. I have loved planes since I was a little girl. The vintage war & dog fight footage is spell binding & hearing the retelling from the remaining pilots mouths is amazing. Watching these magnificent planes & the love people still have for them today is awe inspiring. The ending where Mary Ellis sees the plane she signed in WW2 is fantastic. What joy this must of bought to her & the pilot.

My interests in flying started at a very early age. Dad was a season fight pilot in WWll flying P38's and 51's. I was a baby boomer. His stories fuel my primary desire to be like him and fly as soon as able. Over the decades and hundreds of hours behind me I learned to appreciate the thought and design in the old warbirds and admire them for their beautify and the fortunate pilots who flew them. I can't get enough of the documentaries of these aircraft. This particular one is of extreme importance because of what it is and who build this amazing flying machine. The Brits seemingly get most things right and in my opinion hit the mark with this film. I can't stop thinking about it and extend my many thinks to all those involved in the creation of this film. SWU.

This presents the story of the Spitfire and how it was used well. In certain parts it lacked full explanation ( as with how they used it to tip V1s over, rather than just shoot them down) ; my criticism is that Charles Dance's voice is wrong for the commentary . Monotonous and at the wrong pitch. The interviews with the pilots were good, a shame it didn't point out that Geoffrey Wellum has died subsequently.