Versatile and highly controversial characterizations. Variety, however, called it, an epic story of courage and endurance. And there are plenty of real shots of the spitfires, and plane wrecks. Oct 27, 2011 alec guinness stars as peter ross, a world war ii pilot photographer, who is forced to land in malta. This underrated 1953 war film takes place during the siege of malta in 1942, one of the critical but perhaps lesserknown events of wwii. Plenty of realistic reenactments and archival combat footage as the british are beseiged and try to fight off the luftwaffe. Discover some film locations in malta ahead of your trip. Editors are not solely limited to the film industry. It is of vital importance that the island remains under the control of the allies, and peter is the man selected to trace and destroy the enemy convoy. Malta story alec guinness at 100 pictures cbs news. The island is constantly under attack from the air.
This is one of the immediate post war british movies, starring a number of first rate actors, such as alec guiness and jack hawkins fairly accurate telling of the malta story, with a gentle love story, using vintage footage cut into the new film very cleanly the film has been restored very well and is nice and crisp. He only made five war films, but jack hawkins, whose centenary falls. Malta story is a 1953 black and white war film based on the heroic defence of malta, the island itself, its people and the raf aviators who fought to defend it. These successes have spurred the malta film commission to put forward proposals to make film production in malta even more attractive. In fact the industry has now been included in the list of activities that qualify for benefits under the revamped business promotion act. Guinness, however, is another story all of his scenes performed with a distant, slightly. Wartime drama starring alec guiness as peter ross, an raf reconnaisance photographer assigned to trace and destroy an italian convoy.
He appears to have done this well and has the respect of his men. While many movies use footage from the war, and splice it into the movie shot footage, it often doesnt match. Malta story, a british import, at the guild ladd stars in hell below zero at globe. In world war ii, the island of malta, strategically located and vital to supply lines in the mediterranean sea, is fiercely attacked by the germans, but staunchly defended by the british.
In this 1953 photo, actor alec guinness poses in flying kit at pinewood studios near london, for his starring part as an raf pilot in malta story. Nothing special, but worthy film on neglected if not forgotten subject. Producing a film about dom mintoff in a country which is split down the middle in its opinions about the man was no mean feat. Low on fuel and men, the officer is all but helpless as the italians mount their. Malta story 1953 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. The main culprit is the screenplay, which, while not exactly hackneyed, is also not exactly bursting with originality. After seeing this film i bought the book the ohio and malta, which describes the true story of the tanker ohio. Near the end of the film much is made of alec guinness self sacrifice in breaking radio silence to report the position of a germanitalian convoy. Jun 10, 20 malta is a tiny crumb of land further along the same trajectory, known mainly on this side of the pond for its cinematic association with a certain fictional falcon. Join the global conversation about the most iteresting movie today. Worthy war story on a worthy subject is quite good when it sticks to the combat, but bogs down when it comes to the inevitable romantic subplots.
Falkun films were awarded funds from the malta film fund to produce this documentary which captures mintoff and malta s modern history from 1948 till 2008. There are model shots of course, but they are pretty good for the time. Malta has become one of the most sought after filming locations in europe. Based on the true events that had the whole country at a standstill for a couple of days back in july 2008, simshar was the first film that malta ever submitted as an entry for the best foreign language film at the 87th academy awards. Alec guinness stars as peter ross, a world war ii pilot photographer, who is forced to land in malta. This movie was well done, kept our interest the entire time, and was suitable for general viewing. The malta story 1954 during world war ii, british photoreconnaissance pilot peter alec guinness discovers that the italians are planning a secret invasion of malta, a strategically important island nation critical to keeping the allied supply lines open. May 2, 20 bay retro have unearthed an amazing photo of charles arrigo interviewing actor alec guiness during a break in the filming of malta story in 1952. Malta story 1953 alec guinness full movie hd youtube. Malta story 1953 film complet en francais film complet francais. See the full list of the malta story cast and crew including actors, directors, producers and more. The film uses real and unique footage of the locations at which the battles were fought and includes a love story between a raf pilot and a maltese woman, as well as the anticipated execution of her brother, caught as an italian spy. There he finds himself attached to the local regiment and on studying aerial photographs he discovers that italy is preparing to invade malta. The only maltese film to make it on the list is actually one worthy of the hype surrounding it.
The axis also wanted it for their own supply lines. In 1942 britain was clinging to the island of malta since it was critical to keeping allied supply lines open. In world war ii, the island of malta, strategically located and vital to supply lines in. The new york film academys 4week digital editing workshops provide students with instruction in editing theory, techniques and the fundamentals of digital editing. Although the glorious roles played by both the military and civilian populations of malta during the terrible, dark days of 1942 obviously is the stuff of which movies should be made, malta story. The photos reveal that the italians are planning a major invasion of the island. The film uses real and unique footage of the locations at which the battles were fought and includes a love story between a raf pilot and a maltese woman, as well as the. This malta story, unlike the actual one, does not stir the senses or send the spirit soaring. Churchill in his speech in the house of commons this afternoon said. Malta story 1953 alec guinness and muriel pavlow in malta story 1953. There is some romance in the movie for story continuity, but the depiction of malta is correct. Malta story is a 1953 british war film, directed by brian desmond hurst, which is based on the.
Hawkins was named as the top boxoffice draw in britain in 1954. Malta film commission the producers creative partnership. In 1942, britain was clinging to the island of malta since it was critical to keeping allied supply lines open. But in the mediterranean theater of war prior to the arrival of the americans, malta was a small but pivotal linchpin in the allied plans. They endured the thousands of tons of bombs that the german and italian airforces dropped on malta. The film uses real and unique footage of the locations at which the battles were fought and includes a love story that ends with the death of the hero a raf pilot and the execution of a young maltese man who became an italian spy. Alec guinness, jack hawkins, anthony steel, muriel pavlow.
This film is a fine testament to those who lived and fought on malta during these perilous times. Malta story is a 1953 british war film, directed by brian desmond hurst, which is based on the heroic air defence of malta during. They want it and britains small garrison means to keep her. The malta story 1954 during world war ii, british photoreconnaissance pilot peter alec guinness discovers that the italians are planning a secret invasion of. Against this background, a raf reconnaissance photographers romance with a local girl is endangered as he. Malta story 1953 movie mistakes, goofs and bloopers. Arthur rank organisation, british film makers, besitz beschreibung des films. The island of malta is significant to the british supply lines to north africa. Angels onefive, malta story and, the mother of them all, the cruel sea. Malta story is a 1953 british war film, directed by brian desmond hurst, which is based on the heroic air defence of malta during the siege of malta in the second world war. In world war ii, the island of malta, strategically located and vital to supply lines in the mediterranean sea, is fiercely.
In world war ii, the island of malta, strategically located and vital to supply lines in the mediterranean sea, is fiercely attacked by the germans. Consultant malta drama league consultant people of malta consultant war office costume designer ellacott, joan director of photography krasker, robert draughtsperson box, john draughtsperson cartwright, robert draughtsperson gow, john editor gordon, michael s. This movie was welldone, kept our interest the entire time, and was suitable for general viewing. A detailed history about malta s film commission mfc and financial incentives updated december 2018 the maltese islands have been a popular destination for foreign film shoots from as far back as 1925 with sons of the sea and then 1930 when the british film tell england also known as the battle of gallipoli came to its shores. Alec guinness stars as peter ross, a world war ii pilot photographer. They were used to direct the allied air campaign and the hq for the invasion of sicily and then into italy. Crashlanding in malta, ross presents his photographs to the resident air officer jack hawkins. The island of malta is vital to the british supply lines to north africa. In due course he is shot down by german fighters, only the convoy had already sighted him and were shooting at him, so his breaking radio silence surely wasnt going to make his position any worse. Mar 28, 2020 the lascaris war rooms the rooms are located some 40m under the saluting battery.
For now nearly two years malta has stood against the enemy. The malta story stars alec guinness as ww ii camera reconnaissance pilot peter ross. Malta story 1953 1h 37min drama, history, war 5 august 1954 usa in world war ii, the island of malta, strategically located and vital to supply lines in the mediterranean sea, is fiercely attacked by the germans, but staunchly defended by the british. Lying just south of italy and north of africa, malta is vital to the axis powers as well. Alec guinness playing a character loosely based on adrian warburton is a reconnaissance pilot serving under the capable but totally stressedout air commodore frank jack hawkins. The malta story is a curiously uninvolved account of the strategic malta base in world war ii and the role it and its people played in defeating the axis powers. British malta holds out against 3,000 air raids from june 1940 to december 1942.