Flying For Their Lives - "Memphis Belle" (1990)

"Memphis Belle" is an ideal movie of the World War II genre. Movie that shows cruelty and horror of the conflict but at the same time focuses on specific bonds that are to be born between the men of duty. Audience gets familiar with a crew of so-called "flying fortress", the biggest bomber airplane used by Allied Forces in that period. Ten of brave, immature and so much different to each other young people on their way to final 25th combat flight over Nazi-Germany in May 1943.
Viewer is introduced to the circle of individuals with their own habits for example carrying lucky items. Strong belief in symbols and luck is characteristic for the people who find themselves in extreme situations. Those unforgettable events make every crew-member a part of a brotherhood. They will tease each other and make jokes but in crucial moments they are ready for a sacrifice themselves in the name of their friendship.
What makes the movie even more exciting is the scene when one of the main characters reads his poetry to the other crew-members. In fact he doesn’t read his poem. It’s a quotation from William Butler Yeats. An Irish writer awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1923. In decisive seconds he shouts writer’s name to admit he didn’t actually write it. "Memphis Belle" is a story of the people who volunteered to fight the enemy but also must struggle against their own weaknesses. Their airplane which is supposed to be their home comes out as a metal trap held high over the clouds. Pointless fight between the men and machine is shown in a very suggestive way.

Kaohsiung (18-09-2006)

"Memphis Belle" (1990), directed by Michael Caton-Jones, starring: Matthew Modine, Billy Zane and Eric Stoltz.