Film Review
One of the least known and most underrated of David Lean's films,
The Sound Barrier offers a
fascinating glimpse of Britain in the early 1950s, particularly in
regard to the faith that many Britons had in their country's capability
to participate in, if not lead, the technological revolution that was
coming. In the early years of that decade, nothing symbolised
modernity more than the jet aeroplane, and over the following two
decades, Britain would be at the forefront of aircraft technology,
culminating in the development and exploitation of the world's first
commercially operated supersonic aeroplane,
Concorde.
The Sound Barrier captures the
spirit of the moment and the hope that many felt, not just in Britain's
future, but in what science had to offer the world, bringing a decisive
end to a period of gloom and uncertainty that followed the end of the
Second World War. Little wonder that the film was a box office
hit in the UK.
Although what the film presents is entirely fictional and
highly inaccurate in its technical detail, it succeeds in telling a compelling story which
doesn't shy away from the human cost of research. The film argues
that whilst a few lives may be lost along the way, this is more than
outweighed by the knowledge that man gains through his understanding of
the natural world, enabling him to achieve a superior quality of life
and make further strides in areas of science and technology. In a
sense, this is a propaganda film - militating not for war, but for
science, a film that seeks to persuade us of the necessity of
scientific research, however risky, if we are to move forward as a
species and better equip ourselves for whatever nightmares Nature may
have in store for us in the future.
The Sound Barrier may not
match up to the artistic and technical excellence of some of David
Lean's previous films, but it is a well-crafted and gripping piece of
drama, with excellent performances from Ralph Richardson and Ann Todd,
and some stunning photography. The film's one moment of genius is
sequence in which the demonic sound of a jet aeroplane is played over
static shots of the ancient world, a powerful reminder of the way in
which our world is changing, bringing advances that only a few decades
before would have been unthinkable. Here is the future,
our future - and it is both awesome
and wondrous.
© James Travers 2009
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Next David Lean film:
Hobson's Choice (1954)
Film Synopsis
During WWII, fighter pilot Tony Garthwaite meets and falls in love with
Susan, the daughter of the oil magnate John Ridgefield. After the
war, now married to Susan, Tony finds himself employed by Ridgefield as
a test pilot for the jet aeroplanes that he is developing at his
burgeoning aeronautics factory. After the death of her brother,
who died learning to fly aeroplanes to please his father, Susan is
afraid that her husband may go the same way. Her worries grow
when she learns that her father is determined to build an aeroplane
that can fly faster than the speed of sound, a feat that some believe
to be technically impossible. Despite the dangers, Tony is as
determined to break the sound barrier as his father, although Susan's
worst fears are soon borne out...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.