I have a very vague memory of seeing an old film about the war on Malta when i was a kid. I don’t recall much at all, so i looked up Malta on IMDb and found there was a film in 1953 called “The Malta Story”.
This is probably the one. It says that it was actually filmed on Malta, which is commendable for a film of those days.
I was wondering, did the film use any aircraft in it? Or did they simply use archival wartime footage? Apparently Alec Guinness played a photo recon pilot, so I assume there must have been at least a Spitfire or something of that nature used for the filming. If so, was the aviation scenes also filmed in Malta or back in the UK?
Has anyone seen the film? Is it any good?
By: blueyonder - 15th June 2004 at 13:06
I got my copy of this last month after seeing Muriel Pavlow at the Merlins Over Malta day. I think I’ll be booking a hotel in malta for September 2005 soon. The scenes in the film of the aircraft flying up Grand Harbour in Valletta were great. I can’t wait to see it happen again with the Spitfire and Hurricane.
By: Mark12 - 15th June 2004 at 12:59
This film interests me because of the Spitfire content. The RAF flew four, I think it was, Mk IX/XVI Spitfires to Malta for this film. I am almost sure they were from 3CAACU at Exeter. They were repainted for the film, unfortunately with out serials, although one is said to TE358. One of the high back aircraft was painted to represent a PR XI photo recce Spitfire.
The DVD arrived this morning.
From the splendid artwork accompanying, I see my memory did not fail me. Three low back Mk XVIs and a high back mocked up to represent a PR Spitfire.
Mark
By: DazDaMan - 14th June 2004 at 08:22
A clip from that scene was later used in Reach for the Sky! :p
By: blairgowrie - 14th June 2004 at 00:02
It is one of my favourites. I think there is a scene in it where Alec Guinness gets shot down which is heart rendering. The shot is from above and the recon Spit he was flying just lazily goes down in a spiral dive leaving the audience to guess the end. I saw this film around 195something when it was first released when I was visiting my RN brother-in-law in Portsmouth where he was an Air Traffic Controller.
By: MarkG - 13th June 2004 at 21:52
Virgin have got it in their “4 for £20 or £5.99 each” sale in Cardiff.
Don’t know if that’s an indication of the quality of the film!
By: dhfan - 13th June 2004 at 05:03
Cheesy love story but I love the film. I get a lump in my throat every time I see the Ohio coming in to Grand Harbour.
By: DazDaMan - 12th June 2004 at 14:32
Out on DVD? Fearsome. I can’t find my video copy, and I can’t tape it on Friday as my VCR is elsewhere copying Spitfire Ace for Dave 😉
By: Moggy C - 12th June 2004 at 14:21
Broadcasts on terrestrial this coming week. 😉
Moggy
By: Hatton - 12th June 2004 at 14:19
dave, it’s just come out on region 2 dvd.
-steve
ps- turns out ive just repeated mark 12s info 🙂 should read more carefully i guess!
By: Mark12 - 12th June 2004 at 14:19
Malta Story
DaveH.
1) I Googled it out of interest and see Muriel Pavlow starred with Alec Guinness. I had forgotten this – and of course accounts for her presence at the ‘Merlins over Malta’ meet at Duxford the other week.
2) It is just out on DVD – so I ordered one.
This film interests me because of the Spitfire content. The RAF flew four, I think it was, Mk IX/XVI Spitfires to Malta for this film. I am almost sure they were from 3CAACU at Exeter. They were repainted for the film, unfortunately with out serials, although one is said to TE358. One of the high back aircraft was painted to represent a PR XI photo recce Spitfire.
Some years ago I did a video ‘freeze frame, analysis of the attack scenes and the aircraft being blown up. Although a bit shaky the pieces are of Firefly and if memory serves Seafire XVII.
There were some super shots taken of the Spitfire flight barrelling through Grand Harbour at Valletta.
I have just a few private shots of the Spitfires taken on the film set but they show no clues to identity
I will look forward to a more high tech analysis of the DVD when it arrives.
The same Spitfire source later went on to provide machines for the ‘Reach for the Sky’ film. So who knows perhaps one of the Malta Story Spitfires is a survivor.
Mark
By: DazDaMan - 12th June 2004 at 14:05
I’ve heard varying reviews on it, but I think it’s not too bad – although the obligatory love story is a bit naff. There are a few bits with Spitfires in it, though, although not in very authentic colour schemes (that I could see).
The model work was courtesy of Airfix! 😉
By: mmitch - 12th June 2004 at 13:46
Little while since I saw it now but it was made in dramatised documentary style. Some newsreel footage like the entry of the ‘Ohio’ tanker into the harbour for instance. Funny enough the film is on Ch 4 in the UK next Friday.
mmitch.
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June 12, 2004 at 12:15 pm