Little ships

Dunkirk (1958)

We get to see two of the titans of British cinema in this film with Sir John Mills and Sir Richard Attenborough staring as a soldier and civilian respectively, although they share little screen time together. The British expeditionary force is in disarray as France and the low countries fall to the German onslaught in 1940.

Without the sugar coating of some films about World War 2 this film manages to capture the spirit of the times on both sides of the Channel, soldiers attempt to make it home through the chaos and civilians rally round to recover the British Army from the continent. While the failure of the Germans to put pressure on the pocket of British troops around Dunkirk is not covered the film does not stray from history and is a well made effort.

4/5 covers an important part of British military history accurately and entertainingly.