The First of the Few (1942)
Directed by Leslie Howard

Plot Summary: By the late 1920's aircraft designer R.J. Mitchell feels he has achieved all he wants with his revolutionary mono-planes winning trophy after trophy. But a holiday in Germany shortly after Hitler assumes power convinces him that it is vital to design a completely new type of fighter plane and that sooner or later Britain's very survival may depend on what he comes to call the Spitfire.

One of the leading British propaganda films probably on a par with the "Miniver" pictures - one of the programmes Howard had committed himself to - and still a remarkably good one. It traces the story of the Spitfire and the incredible self-sacrifice of its brilliant designer, R. J. Mitchell, from just after the first world war until the day, one week after the first prototype of the Spitfire was delivered, when the sick and exhausted Mitchell died. Reginald Mitchell was recovering on holiday from a major lung operation when he fell into conversation with some young German pilots. He became convinced that war was inevitable and that his revolutionary new fighter-plane concept, then just an idea drifting around in his mind, would be a decisive factor in the defence of Britain. He thereafter refused all treatment or rest until the final prototype was ready. Niven is the test pilot, Geoffrey Crisp, who acts as narrator, telling the story to a Spitfire squadron waiting to scramble during the Battle of Britain. A bit tight-lipped, but this is hardly to be avoided, given Mitchell's stoicism and personal sacrifice.

While sometimes a bit melodramatic,"The First of the Few" is a good historical-based drama that follows the development of the Spitfire aeroplane that was so important to Britain in World War II though the development was nowhere near as smooth as depicted! Most of the film concerns the work that went into the plane, but there are also a few aerial scenes. The historical story is interesting and significant, and was even more so at the time that the film was made. It moves rather slowly at times, but is carried by the two fine stars in the lead roles.

Leslie Howard works well as Mitchell, the designer of the plane. His dreaminess seems appropriate for a man who created an effective new invention by looking beyond the ways that things had been done in the past. David Niven is particularly good as the pilot who tests the plane and invests his own time and career to see that Mitchell's invention gets a chance. Those two help make up for some slow stretches in the plot. At times things also seem a bit exaggerated, but then it was a time when daily events were filled with melodrama. The William Walton score (now known as the "Spitfire Prelude and Fugue") works particularly well.

This would be a good film to watch for anyone with an interest in historical or war films.

Leslie Howard who directed this film also played Ashley Wilkes, the honour bound disillusioned intellectual southern gentleman in 'Gone with the Wind'. But war clouds were gathering over England and Leslie devoted all his energy on behalf of the war effort. He directed films, wrote articles and made radio broadcasts. He died in 1943 when the British Overseas Airways plane he was on was shot down by German fighters over the Bay of Biscay.

In America "The First of the Few" was not released until 1948, six years after the film's British premier under the title "Spitfire".

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