MovieChat Forums > Q Planes (1939) Discussion > R1 DVD -- ever?

R1 DVD -- ever?

posted 16 years ago by hobnob53
13 replies | jump to latest

I see this is the first post ever on this site -- how come? A terrific, little-known British film, great tongue-in-cheek spy comedy/thriller, with a peerless performance by Ralph Richardson -- rumor has it the character of John Steed in "The Avengers" 20+ years later was based on Richardson's character here.

Known and occasionally shown in the US under the bland title CLOUDS OVER EUROPE.

I see that there's an R2 disc (under its original title, Q PLANES) out in the UK, as you'd expect -- one more great British film that's not yet seen the light of DVD day over here. Maybe, someday -- and under its original title? Along with a few others we still lack -- THE SOUND BARRIER (Update 12/23/08: The Sound Barrier at least came out in May 2008), THE BLUE LAGOON (the original 1949 classic, not the 1980 Brooke Shields mishmash), THE QUATERMASS XPERIMENT...etc., etc., etc.

If you've never seen this film, catch it, it's great -- in the US, under that CLOUDS OVER EUROPE title.

[–] dcavalli 16 years ago

Well said.

I wish I knew who ones the rights to old movies, so correspondence could be directed to the appropriate parties.

[–] hobnob53 16 years ago

Thanks for your post! Q PLANES was a United Artists release, in the US anyway (as CLOUDS OVER EUROPE), but I don't know whether UA still holds the rights -- though I think they might (MGM/UA, specifically). But one other thing -- the American release was, as usual, edited from the full length British original. I hope any DVD here would be of the complete film, as well as under its great original title.

Glad to find a fellow fan.

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] marga73 14 years ago

I have the UK dvd and it has good quality. The film is entertaining, Richardson is very funny and Olivier is very handsome :D

__________________________________
Excuse my English, I was born in a galaxy far, far away

[–] Squeeth2 12 years ago

Thanks the dvd arrived today. It dosn't look restored but is a much clearer print than the vid version.

Marlon, Claudia and Dimby the cats 1989-2005, 2007 and 2010.

[–] pitcairn89 13 years ago

I agree with you about this film- it is excellent. I watched it last night on YouTube, and found it to be very enjoyable, and so tongue-in-cheek, as you so perceptively said. I could see that the John Steed character might have been based on this. Richardson is a riot here. I love his comments on womanhood, just after his sister, Valerie Hobson, has left his apartment. To Olivier, "And there you have the modern woman, etc., etc." Very funny. You also wonder if Ian Fleming was influenced by this. It has the same mix of thrills and humor that the Bond films are so famous for. Anyway, it is definitely worth a look. Especially for the performance of Sir Ralph.

[–] hobnob53 13 years ago

Hello pitcairn --

Good to hear from you. How are you getting on -- assuming you're still in Japan? Hope all is well, particularly in the circumstances. (PM if you wish.)

Glad you saw Q Planes. I finally got the Region 2 DVD in England (it's out of print but got it through their version of Amazon Marketplace), and it's great to finally have it for viewing using my Region 0 DVD player. Hopefully one day it will make it onto DVD here in the States. And yes, Ralph R. easily steals the show, admittedly in the best role. No one ever accused Olivier of being funny, and he's not especially so here, but it's something of a pleasant surprise seeing him in a film like this, at this stage in his career. And Valerie was divine. If only she hadn't married John Profumo!

Take care and hope to hear from you again sometime.

[–] barenekd 13 years ago

It was aired last week on TCM as "Clouds over Europe," but the credits were for Q Planes. There was no reference to "Clouds ever Europe" anywhere. It was 88 minutes long so I'm assuming that it is the full English version. It is also on Archive.com in its complete form, but the quality isn't quite as good as TCM.
It is an entertaining little movie, Quite enjoyable, even though the battle scene on the ship is just too hokie. Strictly modern day action-adventure crap!!
Bare

[–] hobnob53 13 years ago

I saw some of it at TCM's recent showing (on July 13, well over a week ago!) but missed the opening credits. If they read Q Planes that's the first time I know of that the original version was shown on American TV. The film's full running time is 82 mins. (not 88), while the edited US version runs 78, but having not seen all the film I didn't notice which version was broadcast. The TCM guide listed it under its American title but British running time, which is not unusual for them, so that's of little help.

The climactic fight scene was a bit hokey but in all honesty it wasn't the kind of action British filmmakers were particularly adept at staging in that era. That sort of thing wasn't seen anywhere near as often in British films of the 30s as it was in American films of the period, which is one reason they imported an American director, Tim Whelan, to helm the movie. But that batlle was also somewhat anitclimactic. The main thrust of the film is derived from its droll dialogue and the interaction between the actors.

[–] buxtehude99 11 years ago

This is two years after the last post, but check ebay. There is a public domain DVD dealer who has "Q Planes" for less than $5.00. And lots of other good stuff.

[–] hobnob53 11 years ago

Thanks for the info. Personally I'm a little leery of p.d. sellers, and since I have the good-quality UK DVD that'll do until -- and if! -- the film finally gets a legitimate release in the States. But others might want to check out your lead.

[–] grahammarshall270 10 years ago

It has just been released on R2 by Network who seem to be releasing a lot of the more obscure British Films.

[–] hobnob53 10 years ago

Another R2 release, but still no R1! Thanks for the information, though.