TrueHello Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Fatma Suarez The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Hattie I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

thefinalcredits 'The Lancaster bombing raid which climaxes the film is just about the best treatment of this subject I have seen.' Daily Mail 1953Not only does this film contain good solid performances and evidence the director's solid capabilities, but more importantly captures the tension and high risks of serving in Bomber Command in the Second World War. The audience acquires a better feel for the sheer exhaustion and pain at the loss of comrades those serving in these squadrons experienced. The degree of realism achieved was largely the result of the presence in the team of writers of John Wooldridge, who as part of his professional expertise also provided the typically bombastic score. Before becoming a film composer he had been a decorated member of Bomber Command, who had served alongside Dambuster Guy Gibson. Moreover, the links with that famous bombing raid are further bolstered by the fact that Dirk Bogarde based his interpretation of Wing Commander Tim Mason on Gibson, while the Lancasters used in this production would two years later be captured to magnificent effect as cinematic tribute to the 'Dambusters' in the much more revered film detailing their exploits. Bogarde is nothing short of excellent in portraying a committed commanding officer who has flown too many sorties, and whose determination to fly one more mission, despite his mental exhaustion, leads him to be grounded by his superiors. Though well- respected by his men, a combination of recent losses and near-misses gradually lead to the feeling that both their commander and the squadron are jinxed. This escalates after the loss of one of the most popular members of the squadron, played by a youthful Brian Forbes. Bogarde's character holds himself responsible for the loss of this young pilot having reprimanded him prior to his fateful mission about endangering the secrecy of the squadron's missions. This was by sending coded messages to his girlfriend notifying her of his safe return after each previous mission completed. This sequence of events leads to one of the most memorable scenes of the movie when the lost pilot's wife reveals that her deceased partner had hidden their marriage, conscious of his commanding officer's demands that nothing should interfere with their focus on the mission at hand. The weakest element of the movie is the unconvincing love interest provided by Dinah Sheridan, obviously introduced to soften Bogarde's attitude to the importance of civilian life for his men. By contrast, the film achieves great dramatic effect with its depiction of the final mission over occupied Holland. This results from the director, Philip Leacock's earlier expertise in his career as a director of documentaries, with it's subtle interplay between genuine pictures of a Bomber Command mission, special effect lighting, and realistic radio communication. The title of the film not only is far better than that it acquired on its US release ('Raiders of the Skies') but has poignant significance to the film's story-line. The eponymous appointment refers to that which Bryan Forbes' character was never able to attend to pick up his Distinguished Flying Cross from Buckingham Palace for his bravery under fire. In the final scene of the film we accompany Mason, and a fellow pilot, as they head towards their own medals for gallantry, together with the widow of this lost colleague. Atmospheric despite its low key approach, this British feature sits comfortably against its much better known American counterpart, 'Twelve O'Clock High', released four years earlier.

Robert J. Maxwell We don't get to see that many movies about Bomber Command, though there are a goodly number of Eighth Air Force movies around. I guess American studios poured out more war movies but in the 1950s the Brits produced some hum dingers as well, and this is one of them.It bears some slight resemblance to "Twelve O'Clock High" in its structure. The men are convinced their squadron is jinxed and Bogarde must snap them out of it. Lots of tense ground scenes with the full story of a bombing raid over Germany saved until the end. And, like Gregory Peck, Dirk Bogarde is a pilot who has "done his share of flying" and is now a ground officer, enforcing discipline on the men. In an emergency, he climbs aboard a Lancaster for his final mission -- number ninety. When the Master Bomber, who acts as a kind of coach during the raid, is shot down, Bogarde takes over and saves the day. The appointment in London involves decorations for some of the men, to be awarded at Buckingham Palace. The role of Squadron Commander, though, really belongs to someone like Jack Hawkins, who can convey both empathy and necessity. Bogarde is stern enough but brings a slightly personal, bitchy quality to the role. As usual, the officers and men are a mixed group of Brits, Australians, and whatever people from Sheffield are called. There is an American major who slouches around, hands in pockets, wearing a big smile, acting as liaison officer to the RAF. He risks court martial by sneaking aboard on some raids and acting as tail gunner. You're likely to recognize him as the guarded Dr. Floyd in Kubrick's "2001." There are a couple of women too: a widow who is the object of rival affections, and a widow who generates sympathy. There is also the usual grabass in the mess hall, a kind of riot in which officers mark the ceiling with the inky prints of their bare feet. It's all rather good natured fun.The final raid is shown from its planning stages until the landing of the last overdue Lancaster. It's pretty tense. Bogarde is aboard one of the planes and the dramatic structure could go either way.I suspect that there may be more movies about the Americans' daylight precision bombing than about the British night-time area bombing partly because more combat footage is available from daylight missions. Of course, until fighters with sufficient range became available, daylight bombing meant unsustainable losses and the program was suspended for a while. The British program didn't do much better. Their losses were appalling. And the metric doesn't exist that would allow us to measure the airmen's suffering against that of the Germans beneath them. All the combatants took a terrific pummeling. War is an awful thing. One wonders why some of us seem so anxious to rush into the next one.

simonsnape This is probably the most realistic drama filmed about Bomber Command late in WWII. The technical details are superb.. the right aircraft in the right locations with the correct props and background.The acting really is first class and if it seems a little stilted then that's how it was then... if you don't believe me watch "Target for Tonight" which covered a Wellington Bomber mission early in the war and used real RAF crews .There are no over the top heroics, but the mood is just right, with a constant tension even in moments of relaxation... the war had become a relentless exercise in mechanised killing with operational crews knowing that the chances of them living to complete a full tour of 30 operations was one in four at best, but they just got on with it. far better than "The Dam Busters".

silverscreen888 "Appointment in London" is an unusually-atmospheric, stylish and very-consistently-interesting late British WWII film. The subject is the pilots of British Bomber Command and the stresses they encounter in battles as the fly Lancasters in night missions over the European mainland. Specifically, the film features as its central character a dedicated pilot, played elegantly by Dirk Bogarde. He has completed 89 missions and survived, but very much wants his 90th. Due to fatigue and concerns for his well being, echelon grounds him. he is angry and frustrated, but during his time on the ground, he reconnects to life and wins lovely Dinah Sheridan, who acts very strongly as the widow of a naval intelligence type, winning her from breezy Willaim Sylvester, a U.S. pilot. The added tension in the film comes from Bogarde's desire to complete his third tour with one final mission, and the fact that everything about it sets up to be a "jinxed" mission from the start. I will not give away the breath-taking and vivid climax, but apart from some leisurely spots here and there, I will claim that director Philip Leacock has produced one of the best of all war films in "Appointment in London" The script was credited to Robert Westerby and John Woolridge, with cinematography by Stephen Dade and art direction by Donald M. Ashton. John Woolridge also wrote the fine original score, and costumes were contributed by Sheila Graham. In appearance, the film is very strongly made, and attractively photographed. The aerial sequences are very good and the recreated picture of wartime London is a big selling point for this hard-to-find film. Bogarde and Sheridan are extraordinarily touching and intelligent; I cannot recommend this film too highly as drama, as a war movie or as a cinematic "sleeper", one which in lesser hands would not have been as absorbing as it was made to be.