MovieChat Forums > The Sound Barrier (1952) Discussion > great scenes,easy to knock

great scenes,easy to knock

posted 16 years ago by ib011f9545i
5 replies | jump to latest

I just say this on the big screen,part of a BFI tribute season to David Lean.

This film has several great scenes,it was filmed in real aircraft factories using real aircraft.
The photography is good and so is the acting,wonder why JOHN JUSTIN never became a star?

The style of the film is odd,it is almost mystical at points and of course almost everybody is upper class.
The couple behind me at the cinema kept sniggering at the old fashioned script and the relationships within the married couples,what did they expect for 1951/1952,drugs parties and orgies?

Of course the film is dated but if you look at the history Britain did have an amazing aircraft industry for at least 25 years after World War 11,there were lots of RAF air aces who became test pilots and there were people like the father in this who started as pilots and ended up making planes.

[–] Kinematico 16 years ago

I dunno if the word "dated" is an appropriate word to describe this film. IMO "The Sound Barrier" encapsulates a time period accurately. That's different than being "dated", at least for me.
"The Birth of a Nation" IS a perfect example of a dated movie.

Overall I'm agree with your thoughts about this remarkable film.

[–] hobnob53 16 years ago

Quite right, Kinematico. The film's a snapshot of another era, the exciting dawn of the jet age. Not "dated" at all. Rather nostalgic, in fact.

[–] markrob-3 15 years ago

Yes I love to see those old movies. The street scenes are a cameo to a time gone by. I got a kick out of seeing the baby...I was born in 1952 as well, so baby John is the same as me. Also it give me a greater understanding of my parents and times and culture that molded them.

[–] Jason_Radley 12 years ago

The cinematography is not just good, it's beautiful; for the flying scenes alone I'd give this film 9/10. It's the rest of the film that drags it down. I'd have preferred it if they'd played it straight in semi-documentary style. I can understand why several bigger name actors apparently turned down the Nigel Patrick role of Tony - and not because he gets killed off with half an hour to go. Tony (oh gosh!) is a complete blank around which the other characters play out their dramatic and emotional issues. It's a mystery to me how Richardson won two major awards for his performance.

[–] Gloede_The_Saint 12 years ago

Not sure what's dated about it. As others have said it reflects it's time, if we made a film about the same era today it would be similar. Part of the greatness of cinema is that it reflects and comes out of different times and cultures, perhaps even more so than other art during the last century(though that could be debatable). Not sure how the leads being upper class is odd, quite suiting given the storyline, and I didn't find the screenplay particularly old fashioned either.

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