Blu-Ray Memphis Belle 1990
Harry Connick Jr.
Eric Stolz
John Lithgow


Engels Gesproken
Engels Ondertiteld
Duitse Versie



Blu-Ray van de film Memphis Belle uit 1990, een oorlogsdrama geregisseerd door Michael Caton-Jones.

De film vertelt een fictieve versie van de laatste missie van de Amerikaanse B-17 Flying Fortress bommenwerper, de Memphis Belle, tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog.

Met in de hoofdrollen:
Matthew Modine, Eric Stoltz en Harry Connick Jr. (zijn filmdebuut).

Een eerbetoon aan alle vliegeniers die vochten in de luchten boven Europa.


Memphis Belle is a 1990 war drama film directed by Michael Caton-Jones and written by Monte Merrick.

The film stars Matthew Modine, Eric Stoltz, and Harry Connick Jr. (in his film debut).

Memphis Belle is a fictional version of the 1944 documentary Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress by director William Wyler, about the 25th and last mission of an American Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber, the Memphis Belle, based in England during World War II.

The 1990 version was co-produced by David Puttnam and Wyler's daughter Catherine and dedicated to her father. The film closes with a dedication to all airmen, friend or foe, who fought in the skies above Europe during World War II.

Memphis Belle

Directed by
Michael Caton-Jones
Written by
Monte Merrick
Produced by
David Puttnam
Catherine Wyler

Starring
Matthew Modine
Eric Stoltz
Sean Astin
Harry Connick Jr.
Reed Diamond
Tate Donovan
John Lithgow
D. B. Sweeney
Billy Zane
Courtney Gains
Neil Giuntoli
Cinematography
David Watkin

Edited by
Jim Clark
Music by
George Fenton
Production
companies
Enigma Productions
Fujisankei Communications
British Satellite Broadcasting
County NatWest Ventures

Distributed by
Warner Bros.
Release dates
5 September 1990 (Premiere)
7 September 1990 (United Kingdom)
12 October 1990 (United States)
Running time
107 minutes
Countries
United Kingdom
United States
Language
English
Budget
$23 million (estimated)[citation needed]
Box office
$27 million (USA)

Plot


In the summer of 1943, a fierce battle raged in the skies over Europe. Every day, hundreds of young airmen faced death as they flew bombing raids deep into enemy territory. Fewer and fewer were coming back.

— Opening captions
England – May 16th 1943: The crew of the Memphis Belle, a B-17 Flying Fortress, take a brief respite between missions to play football while the Belle is repaired for her final, twenty-fifth mission. If successful, they will be the first bomber crew in the Eighth Air Force to survive a full tour of duty. In anticipation, Army publicist Lieutenant Colonel Bruce Derringer reviews crewmen files, planning to make them famous war heroes, and use the Belle's accrued record to sell vital war bonds. Squadron commander Colonel Craig Harriman hopes to "give the boys a little break" at their Happy 1st Anniversary dance that evening, but must order ground crews to work all night for tomorrow's mission.

Everyone watches the squadron returning from today's mission. The damaged Paddlin Madelin attempts a one-wheeled belly landing, but after coming to a complete stop, it explodes, killing the entire crew.

Derringer photographs and interviews the Belle's crew. Tail gunner Clay Busby divvies Paddlin Madelin crewman Lewis Becker's more "embarrassing" possessions, before attending the dance. Captain Dennis Dearborn talks to his "gal" the Memphis Belle, while Virgil "Virgin" Hoogesteger and British dance gal Faith neck inside the nosecone.

Radioman "Danny Boy" Daly encourages Mother and Country's crewman Stan after Danny's fellow Belle crewmates razz the rookie, unsettling him to the point of nervous nausea.

Clay sings a number, cutting short Derringer's unlucky speech. Outside, navigator Phil Lowenthal, drunk, shouts "I don't want to die," convinced his last mission is doomed. In the morning bombardier Val Kozlowski gets Lowenthal sobered-up.

Herriman and Major Comstock brief the squadron on today's coordinated 360-plane bombing missions – theirs being an attack beyond the range of escort fighter coverage on a Focke-Wulf Fw 190 aircraft manufacturing plant in Bremen, Germany, dangerously situated next to civilian homes, a hospital, a school and playgrounds. Clouds over Bremen delays take-off. In the downtime, Gunner Richard "Rascal" Moore frets over his "rat trap" belly ball turret, Clay fixes a farmer's reaper-binder while co-pilot Luke Sinclair gripes about a chance at tail-gunning, and Danny recites poetry.

Finally, bombers with catchy names like Hot Lips, Vacillating Virgin, Sweet Dream, Black Eyed Pea, Clooney Baby, Buck A-Roo, Mamas Boys, and Baby Ruth taxi and take off. During formation, the Belle nearly has a mid-air collision. On the way, the crew listens to radio music, telling each other about their post-tour plans. The approach to the target is heavily opposed by enemy fighter planes. The squadron's lead bomber Windy City explodes in front of Memphis Belle, forcing Dearborn to pilot through its burning, smoky debris.

Meanwhile, Harriman chastises Derringer for his "homecoming" party preparations focused exclusively on the Belle, as Harriman has twenty-four crews "up there" and "they are all special to me." Harriman orders Derringer to start reading scores of letters from families who have already lost their sons, brothers, and husbands to the year-long air campaign.

The Belle takes the lead spot after C-Cup suffers severe damage, losing their nose-gunner. Left waist gunner Jack Bocci is knocked down by German fighter fire. Right waist gunner "Genie" McVey discovers Jack is OK, but his harmonica is destroyed, having deflected the bullet.

Approaching the target under intense flak, a smoke screen forces Dearborn to expose the formation twice to heavy fire by going around for a second pass. Sinclair gets his chance at the tail gun, but the German fighter he kills splits the Mother and Country in half; only two rookie crewman deploy their parachutes. Dearborn's tactic succeeds – the smoke screen dissipates, allowing bombing of an unobscured target.

On the return trip, the formation is harassed by German fighters, destroying Rascal's ball turret, but he is pulled up to safety. Danny is severely wounded, and damage causes an engine fire. The Belle is forced to drop out of formation to extinguish the fire by diving. Low on fuel, the Belle arrives over England with a damaged electric system and three dead engines.

The crew manually deploys the landing gear in time to avoid the disaster that occurred to the Paddlin Madelin. The whole squadron celebrates Memphis Belle's safe return, as Dearborn pops open a bottle of Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial. The Belle's crew accompanies Danny on the ambulance.

The "Memphis Belle" flew her 25th and final mission on 17th May, 1943.
Over a quarter of a million aircraft battled for supremacy in the skies over Western Europe, and nearly 200,000 air-crew lost their lives.
This film is dedicated to all the brave young men, whatever their nationality, who flew and fought in history's greatest airborne confrontation.
— Closing captions
Cast


Matthew Modine as Captain Dennis Dearborn, pilot: A humourless and socially inept perfectionist, he worked for his family's furniture business and named the titular plane after a woman he met in Memphis, Tennessee.
Eric Stoltz as Staff Sgt. (T/3) Danny "Danny Boy" Daly, radio operator: An earnest Irish-American, Daly was editor of the school paper, a valedictorian, and joined up right after graduating college.
Tate Donovan as 1st Lt. Luke Sinclair, co-pilot: The carefree and somewhat narcissistic former lifeguard, who wanted his own plane and is tired of being under Dearborn's command.
D.B. Sweeney as 1st Lt. Phil Lowenthal, navigator: Lowenthal is pessimistic and superstitious before their final mission, and is convinced that he is doomed to die.
Billy Zane as 1st Lt. Val Kozlowski, bombardier: While everyone believes the confident, self-assured Kozlowski to be a doctor, it is later revealed he attended only two weeks of medical school before enlisting.
Sean Astin as Staff Sgt. Richard "Rascal" Moore, ball turret gunner: Diminutive and often boastful, Rascal considers himself a ladies' man and delights in teasing his crewmates, especially Virgil.
Harry Connick Jr. as Staff Sgt. Clay Busby, tail gunner: After his father lost the family farm in a poker game, the laconic Busby earned money playing the piano in a New Orleans cathouse.
Reed Edward Diamond as Staff Sgt. (T/3) Virgil "Virge" or "Virgin" Hoogesteger, top turret gunner and flight engineer: He worked at his family's diner and plans to open a restaurant chain, while Rascal constantly mocks him for being a virgin.
Courtney Gains as Staff Sgt. Eugene "Genie" McVey, right waist gunner: A Catholic Irish-American from Cleveland who shares a cantankerous friendship with fellow waist gunner Bocci.
Neil Giuntoli as Sgt. Jack Bocci, left waist gunner: A hot-tempered Chicago hoodlum, Bocci shares a cantankerous friendship with fellow waist gunner McVey.
David Strathairn as Col. Craig Harriman, the sober-minded squadron commander who cares deeply for all his men.
John Lithgow as Lt. Col. Bruce Derringer, an Army publicist who plans to make the Memphis Belle crew famous for war propaganda.
Jane Horrocks as Faith, a British girl who has a fling with Virgil at a dance before the squadron's mission.
Mac McDonald as Les, a member of the squadron's ground crew.
Steve Mackintosh as Stan the Rookie, a nervous radio operator who is a crewmen on the new B-17, Mother and Country.