The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress

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Many big Hollywood directors saw active duty in World War II and often became adept at capturing combat footage. In directing this film about the crew of a B-17 "flying fortress" bomber as it approached its 25th mission, William Wyler insisted on using only genuine footage and soldiers, showing civilian audiences a more startlingly realistic view of the war than they'd seen before. Wyler's direct style of telling a story, masterfully written by Lester Koenig, required no embellishment. "The situation was dramatic in itself. You didn't have to dramatize." Wyler was assisted by several Hollywood-trained cinematographers, often under enemy fire, and later back in Hollywood by editor John Sturges, who would go on to direct a number of popular films after the war. Upon viewing the film, President Franklin D. Roosevelt urged, "This has to be shown right away, everywhere." Named to the National Film Registry in 2001.