WarDrama

The First of the Few

- The thrilling human story behind the plane that licked the Luftwaffe!

This 1942 fictionalized biopic chronicles the true story of how two of the most remarkable men in aviation history - visionary Spitfire designer R.J. Mitchell and his test pilot Geoffrey Crisp - designed a streamlined monoplane that led to the development of the Spitfire.

Release Date : 1942-09-14

Language :EnglishItalianGerman

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : British Aviation Pictures

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles : Spitfire

Cast

Character Name : R.J. Mitchell

Original Name : Leslie Howard

Gender : Male

Character Name : Geoffrey Crisp

Original Name : David Niven

Gender : Male

Character Name : Diana Mitchell

Original Name : Rosamund John

Gender : Female

Character Name : Commander Bride

Original Name : Roland Culver

Gender : Male

Character Name : Miss Harper

Original Name : Anne Firth

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Higgins

Original Name : David Horne

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sir Robert McLean

Original Name : J.H. Roberts

Gender : Male

Character Name : Squadron Leader Jefferson

Original Name : Derrick De Marney

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mabel Lovesay

Original Name : Rosalyn Boulter

Gender : Male

Character Name : MacPherson

Original Name : Herbert Cameron

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lady Houston

Original Name : Toni Edgar-Bruce

Gender : Female

Character Name : Major Buchan

Original Name : Gordon McLeod

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Royce

Original Name : George Skillan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Messerschmitt

Original Name : Erik Freund

Gender : Male

Character Name : Von Straben

Original Name : Fritz Wendhausen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Krantz

Original Name : John Chandos

Gender : Male

Character Name : Von Crantz

Original Name : Victor Beaumont

Gender : Male

Character Name : Madeleine

Original Name : Suzanne Clair

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bertorelli

Original Name : Filippo Del Giudice

Gender : Male

Character Name : The Specialist

Original Name : Brefni O'Rorke

Gender : Male

Character Name : Radio Announcer

Original Name : Gerry Wilmot

Gender : Male

Character Name : Radio Announcer

Original Name : Jack Peach

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-06-03

Leslie Howard had a hand in just about everything here, and has delivered quite a poignant story of a dedicated and visionary man who might just have a legitimate claim to really have helped stave off the Nazis. He portrays R.J. Mitchell, a man whose vision was as an aircraft designer. We were still using bi-planes at the time and though the engineering of flight was now well established, he was determined to push the boundaries. His bosses at British firm SuperMarine were nervous about the investments - especially when he came up with a plan for the aircraft equivalent of a onesie. He sticks to his guns though, and next thing he, with the help of his accomplished pilot "Geoffrey Crisp" (David Niven), is winning the Schneider Trophy and pushing speed records from 200+ mph to 400+ mph. All of this development is coming at a time when the Germans are ignoring the Versailles treaty and rearming. There are plenty of Britons pushing for a similar programme, especially the vocal Lady Lucy Houston (Toni Edgar-Bruce) who donates the not inconsiderable sum of £100,000 so he can work with Rolls-Royce to take it's embryonic "Merlin" engine and fit it to a nimble fighter aircraft - the "Spitfire". Though it is Howard who takes centre stage, I think it's actually Niven who works the best here as the enthusiastic pilot who manages to motivate his friend whilst helping to manage his increasingly obsessive behaviour alongside wife Diana (Rosamund John). There's a sense of excitement as their peacetime racing enterprises illustrate the pre-eminence of this British team and then a sense of accruing menace as they realise those across the channel were playing nice whilst looking to Hermann Goering to fund an expansive programme of military Messerschmidt production. It does run a little to sentiment towards the end, but there is ample action, a bit of mischief and a lively score from William Walton make for a slightly rose-tinted but entertaining and sometimes quite informative watch.