The Dam Busters poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Richard Todd, Michael Redgrave, Stanley Van Beers, Ursula Jeans, Raymond Huntley ... see more see more... , Derek Farr , Patrick Barr , John Fraser , Basil Sydney , Ernest Clark , Laurence Naismith , Brewster Mason , Anthony Doonan , Nigel Stock , George Baker , Charles Carson , Harold Goodwin , Bill Kerr , Richard Leech , Frederick Leister , Harold Siddons , Ewen Solon , Colin Tapley , Richard Thorp , Tim Turner , Basil Appleby , Patrick McGoohan , Robert Shaw , Anthony Shaw , Edwin Styles , Hugh Moxey , Laidman Browne , Brian Nissen , Denys Graham , Eric Messiter , Frank Phillips

The British The Dam Busters is the story of the development and utilization of the "bouncing bombs" in World War II. Michael Redgrave stars as Dr. Barnes Wallis, who developed these unorthodox explosi... read more read more...ves. Wallis' invention is put to practical use during the British raid on the Ruhr Dams in Germany. Most of the film is devoted to the two years spent in creating the bombs and training the pilots; the final sequence is a special-effects masterpiece, even allowing for the obvious models standing in for the dams. Adapted by R.C. Sherriff from both Guy Gibson's book Enemy Coast Ahead and Paul Brickhill's The Dam Busters, this film was Britain's biggest box-office success of 1955. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Flixster Users

81% liked it

4,273 ratings

Critics

100% liked it

5 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 59 min.

Directed by: Michael Anderson

Release Date: December 1, 1954

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: October 17, 2006

Stats: 245 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

The Dam Busters The Dam Busters The Dam Busters The Dam Busters
Upload a Photo | View All The Dam Busters Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (245)

  • flixsterman
    April 14, 2012
    flixsterman
    I love films that combine my passion for WWII history with my passion for cinema.
  • ajv2688
    November 8, 2010
    ajv2688
    This isn't a bad movie, it's just boring, it would work better as a documentary or something because as a narrative film it's too boring.
  • gator681
    October 28, 2010
    gator681
    In "The Dam Busters," Barnes Wallis(Michael Redgrave), a research scientist at Vickers during World War II, and his doting wife(Ursula Jeans) do not so much raise their children, as breed them to be his lab assistants. His latest experiment involves a way to bomb the dams of the... read more Ruhr Valley which could potentially cripple Germany's steel production. The high command is about to give up on this and let him play with his expensive toys somewhere in Scotland when he has a breakthrough. Even after a successful test with live aircraft, approval is slow in coming. But once it does, Wing Commander Guy Gibson(Richard Todd) is put in charge of the mission.

    Based on a true story, "The Dam Busters" is a gripping tale of dogged determination in the face of adversity during wartime, taking the viewer through all the stages of a military mission from planning to completion. At the heart of it is the contrast between two men, Wallis, the thinker, and Gibson who implements the plan. Gibson does not contemplate what he has been ordered to do because on the surface it is quite insane and impossible. As a veteran of many bombing sorties, he knows he cannot afford to be emotional during a war which has its many peaks and valleys, not to mention down time.
  • Lemure
    July 7, 2009
    Lemure
    Somewhat linear and very dated now, but the story of persistence and dedication - not to mention patriotism, still shines through
  • holyoaka
    September 21, 2010
    holyoaka
    This film, made in 1955, portrays the development of an idea by a British aircraft engineer to produce a bomb that could be used to destroy major dams that would flood the industrial Rhur Valley. This bomb was unique in that it needed to be dropped from extremely low altitude, a... read morend the bomb would then skip across the surface of he water, over log booms and torpedo nets deployed to protect the bridges.

    The film does an excellent job showing the work and anguish of the inventor as he struggles to meet a deadline set by a combination of factors such as high water levels in the dams, and moon.

    The acting is quite good, and the thing I really liked about it was that they didn't use special effects while showing the testing of the bomb, it looks like they used actual footage shot during the testing of the bombs. Of course, there were some special effects in the film, and they are unavoidably outdated, but did an adequate job for the times.

    All in all this is a top-notch behind the scenes war film that includes some nice filming of low-level flying of British Lancaster 4-engine heavy bombers.

View All The Dam Busters Reviews

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz
February 18, 2009
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

One of the truly great war films. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
July 4, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

Starring Michael Redgrave, this exciting British WWII drama was nominated for the Special Effects Oscar. Full Review

Nell Minow
August 2, 2005
Nell Minow, Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies

No review available.

Almar Haflidason
January 1, 2000
Almar Haflidason, BBC

Click to read the article Full Review

Dragan Antulov
January 1, 2000
Dragan Antulov, rec.arts.movies.reviews

Click to read the article Full Review

January 26, 2006
Time Out

Click to read the article Full Review

May 24, 2003
Film4

Click to read the article Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Kelly's Heroes
    Kelly's Heroes (25%)
  • Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
    Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (57%)

More Movies like The Dam Busters

Facts

Submit a Fact | View All
    • Wing Cmdr. Guy Gibson: Get it done now bitch.
Submit a Fact | View All

The Dam Busters : Watch Free on TV

Movie Quizzes

No quizzes for The Dam Busters. Want to create one?

Video Clips

No video clips yet. Want to upload one?

Meet Other Fans

Add The Dam Busters to favorites

Recent News

Submit a Story |

View The Dam Busters News

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?