***SPOILERS*** Somewhat talky but very good WWII movie set on an English airfield of RAF Lancaster Bombers in the late summer of 1943. Grounded Wing-Commander Tim Mason, Dirk Bogarde, who has flown 89 bombing missions over German occupied Europe seems to have developed a dislike of his airmen under his command who have anything to do with their loved one's back home.
Mason feels that their, the bomber pilots, emotions will get in the way of their ability in flying their dangerous bombing missions over Europe. One of those airmen pilot Pete Greeno,Bryan Forbes,who was just recommended for the DFC, Distinguish flying Cross, for bravery is called into his office and is chewed out by Mason for calling his girl, really his wife, after every mission to tell her in code that he was all right.
Greeno who had an appointment in London to receive his DFC at Buckingham Palace never made it there, on his next mission his plane was lost over the English Channel after a bomb run over the skies of Germany. Mason is deeply hurt by what happened to Greeno and his crew since he feels that he jinxed him by giving him the berating that he did before his last flight and that may have taken the edge, by not being allowed to call his girl, off his flying skills.
Meeting his wife Pam Greeno, Anne Leon, later to give his sympathy and condolences Mason is even more hurt to find out that Mrs. Greeno knew all about his attitude towards her as well as all the other wives and girlfriends of his air crews and hated him for it. Mason was also a bit hypocritical since he was itching to go on a bombing mission and has a girlfriend himself back in England Eve Canyon, Dinah Sheridan, a officer in Naval intelligence and also a war widow of a navy man who was lost at Dunkirk.
Troubled and almost suicidal on what he did to the Greeno's Mason takes his 90th mission , against orders, on a night-time raid over German controlled Holland and guides his Lancaster Squadron over the target where they dropped their bomb payload successfully and then returned to the safety of the British Isles due to Mason's courage under fire. Receiving an award for bravery instead of a court-martial Mason together with bomber pilot and friend of the late Pete Greeno Bill Brown,Bill Kerr, and the widowed Pam Greeno are seen at the end off the movie on a taxi going to Buckingham Palace for their appointment in London. Even more important, to Mason, the late Pet Greeno's wife Pam has changed her mind about him and due to his brave actions in the air over Holland knows that he was very mournful and sorry for what he did to her husband by browbeating him about her and, what seems like to me, forgave Wing-Commander Mason for it.
The movie "Appointment in London" not only shows the courage under fire of the brave men and women of the RAF in WWII but also the dedication and courage of their friends families and loved ones that they left behind who may have never seen them come back.
Mason feels that their, the bomber pilots, emotions will get in the way of their ability in flying their dangerous bombing missions over Europe. One of those airmen pilot Pete Greeno,Bryan Forbes,who was just recommended for the DFC, Distinguish flying Cross, for bravery is called into his office and is chewed out by Mason for calling his girl, really his wife, after every mission to tell her in code that he was all right.
Greeno who had an appointment in London to receive his DFC at Buckingham Palace never made it there, on his next mission his plane was lost over the English Channel after a bomb run over the skies of Germany. Mason is deeply hurt by what happened to Greeno and his crew since he feels that he jinxed him by giving him the berating that he did before his last flight and that may have taken the edge, by not being allowed to call his girl, off his flying skills.
Meeting his wife Pam Greeno, Anne Leon, later to give his sympathy and condolences Mason is even more hurt to find out that Mrs. Greeno knew all about his attitude towards her as well as all the other wives and girlfriends of his air crews and hated him for it. Mason was also a bit hypocritical since he was itching to go on a bombing mission and has a girlfriend himself back in England Eve Canyon, Dinah Sheridan, a officer in Naval intelligence and also a war widow of a navy man who was lost at Dunkirk.
Troubled and almost suicidal on what he did to the Greeno's Mason takes his 90th mission , against orders, on a night-time raid over German controlled Holland and guides his Lancaster Squadron over the target where they dropped their bomb payload successfully and then returned to the safety of the British Isles due to Mason's courage under fire. Receiving an award for bravery instead of a court-martial Mason together with bomber pilot and friend of the late Pete Greeno Bill Brown,Bill Kerr, and the widowed Pam Greeno are seen at the end off the movie on a taxi going to Buckingham Palace for their appointment in London. Even more important, to Mason, the late Pet Greeno's wife Pam has changed her mind about him and due to his brave actions in the air over Holland knows that he was very mournful and sorry for what he did to her husband by browbeating him about her and, what seems like to me, forgave Wing-Commander Mason for it.
The movie "Appointment in London" not only shows the courage under fire of the brave men and women of the RAF in WWII but also the dedication and courage of their friends families and loved ones that they left behind who may have never seen them come back.