The Memphis Belle (1944) on Netflix
NR194445mDocumentaryHistoryWar
The Memphis Belle, a B-17 Flying Fortress of the U.S. 8th Air Force, flies its 25th bombing mission. Bombardier Vincent Evans and the crew head for German submarine pens at Wilhelmshaven.
- Netflix3.7/5
- IMDb7.4/102,125 votes
- Rotten TomatoesNot available
Plot summary
The cameras follow the crew of a B-17 Flying Fortress, the Memphis Belle, on the 25th bombing mission of their tour over Europe. The target is the German submarine pens at Wilhelmshaven, and the bombers set out for it from their base in England. Vincent Evans is the bombardier and Robert J. Hanson the radio operator. Cameras ride in the nose, tail, waist and radio hatch positions, and the color footage shows the bombers under anti-aircraft fire and attack by enemy fighters. The footage was shot on combat missions for a film meant to show people at home the courage of the crews who flew these bombers.
Cast
- Vince Evansas Self - Bombardier(Captain Vincent Evans)
- Jacob L. Deversas Self - U.S. Commander: European Theatre(General Devers)
- Ira C. Eakeras Self - Commander: 8th Air Force(General Eaker)
- Haywood Hansellas Self - USAAF(Brigadier General Hansell)
- Robert J. Hansonas Self - Radio Operator(Sgt. Bob Hanson)
- Eugene Kernas Narrator
- Captain Charles B. Leightonas Himself (Navigator on the Memphis Belle)
- Harold P. Lochas Self - Engineer and Top Turret Gunner(Sgt. Harold Loch)
- Casimer A. Nastalas Self - Waist Gunner(Sergeant Tony Nastal)
- John P. Quinlanas Self - Tail Gunner(Sgt. John Quinlan)
Show all 20 cast
- Cecil H. Scottas Self - Turret Gunner(Sgt. Cecil Scott)
- Clarence E. Winchellas Self - Waist Gunner(Sergeant Bill Winchell)
- Stanley Wrayas Self - Group Commander(Col. Stanley Wray)
- Robert Morganas Self - Pilot(Capt. Robert Morgan)
- James A. Verinisas Self - Co-Pilot(Capt. Jim Verinis)
- Charles B. Leightonas Self - Navigator(Capt. Chuck Leighton)
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about The Memphis Belle (1944)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- First Lieutenant Harold J. Tannenbaum, a World War I veteran and one of the three cinematographers shooting the film's actual battles, was killed in action during production when the bomber he was in was shot down over France on April 16, 1943.
- William Wyler had been following Captain Oscar O'Neill of the 401st Bomb Squadron, whose B-17 Invasion 2nd was one of six 401st bombers shot down over Bremen, Germany, on April 17, 1943, the Eighth Air Force's most costly mission to that point. Robert K. Morgan's crew was then chosen and re-united to finish its tour and return home for a war bond drive.
- Wyler told Robert K. Morgan that if the Memphis Belle was shot down on the crew's final mission he had a backup crew and B-17 ready: Hell's Angels of the 303d Bombardment Group, which actually completed its 25 missions first, on May 13, when the Belle had flown 19.
- The 16 mm color footage carried no sound, which was added later in Hollywood: during their war bonds drive, the original crew talked to each other while watching the silent film in a studio, and the result was hard to tell apart from real combat recordings.
- Despite heavy German fighter attacks that cost the 91st group two B-17s, Wyler flew at least six more combat missions with Morgan's crew, not all of them aboard the Memphis Belle, using cameras mounted in the nose, tail, right waist and radio hatch positions.
- In 2016 documentary filmmaker Eric Nelson found the 34 reels of raw footage Wyler had used for the film in the US National Archives, led a team that replaced scratched and faded frames, then cut the 90 hours of film into a new documentary, The Cold Blue.
