About

A counterpoint to Powell and Pressburger's earlier film 49th Parallel 1941. After an emergency landing in occupied Netherlands, the crew members of a British bomber are assisted by the Dutch underground, notably school-teacher Els Meertens (Pamela Brown) and restaurant owner Jo De Vries (Googie Withers), to make their way back to England, meanwhile donning Dutch outfits and mocking Nazi nationalism along the way. Made to support the Dutch Resistance movements, and echoing popular wartime themes of solidarity and teamwork, One of Our Aircraft is Missing is playful and self-reflexive in its tone, and powerfully modernist in its unsentimental approach. This is the first of many films opening with the credits “written, produced and directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger”, and heralded their official creative partnership: The Archers.

One of Our Aircraft is Missing will screen from an imported 35mm print.