Robert Towne To Re-Tell THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN
Graham King will produce the World War II movie about the largest and most famous air battle in history of warfare when Adolf Hitler's German Luftwaffe and Winston Churchill's Royal Air Force locked horns over the skies of London.
Deadline reports that Graham King's GK Films have hired famed screenwriter Robert Towne (Chinatown) to write The Battle of Britain, a World War II movie about the largest and most famous air battle in history of warfare when Adolf Hitler's German Luftwaffe and Winston Churchill's Royal Air Force locked horns over the skies of London. The famous battle is usually seen as one of the crucial landmarks of the war as it prevented a Nazi invasion of Britain. A celebratory movie with amazing flying sequences and costing a huge fortune to produce was made in 1969 and it starred a whole host of famous Brits; Harry Andrews, Michael Caine, Laurence Oliver, Robert Shaw, Ralph Richardson, Michael Redgrave and many more including even a young Ian McShane and Canadian Christopher Plummer captured the importance of the historic event. It was directed by frequent Bond helmer Guy Hamilton but it's not that movie which has peaked Graham King's interest, but instead first hand accounts of what the battle was like to witness from his father; My father lived in London and watched this spectacular dog fight over the city, so bringing this story of endurance and triumph to the big screen means a great deal to me, King said in a statement. I am also extremely excited to be joining forces with the iconic Robert Towne who is a master of mixing complex characters and tremendously compelling plots. Robert has a passion for history and a shared love of this particular story.Despite my loathing for remakes, it alleviates the pain somewhat when it's simply another adaptation of a real life event and with over 40 years of new technology since Hamilton's movie, clearly there's an argument made here for a more thrilling and realistic take on The Battle of Britain, an important moment in 20th century UK history that the current generation should be aware of. And with Graham King making it and with an icon like Robert Towne writing. You know I just wonder. I just wonder if Martin Scorsese will get the itch for aviation again and give his friend Graham King (who produced The Departed and his next movie Hugo) a call to see if he wants him to direct. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atkbSqBU98Q