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make a breakthrough. Their success is illustrated by the effect radar has on the fighting abilities of the RAF over the skies of
Britain in the summer and autumn months of 1940. However, Germany is also planning its own radar capability and British commandos are dispatched to strike a German installation. The scientists complete their work just in time for
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time a Puffin, a bird with a mournful cry, got crossed with a Baffin, an obsolete service aircraft. Their offspring was a Boffin. This bird bursts with weird and sometimes inopportune ideas, but possesses staggering inventiveness. Its ideas, like its eggs, are conical and unbreakable. You push the unwanted ones away and they just roll back.
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The RAF has gained a reputation during the last few years, not only of being a brilliant warlike organisation, but also of inventing a new language. Among the lesser known words which appeared in the welter of "prangs", "scrambles" and "wizards", was the world "boffin", meaning scientist. Once upon a
304:
is represented as a key character. As a zoologist he is a respected scientist who shares the initial ignorance of the RAF on electronics, and thus provides a vital bridge between cultures. Reference is made to his previous work on 'the social life of monkeys and apes'. The difference between German
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and helped prevent the German invasion of
Britain in 1940. Five scientists, led by Professor Heatherville (Ralph Richardson), are brought together to work in secrecy and under pressure to develop the device. Their dedication disrupts their family lives as they are forced to sacrifice everything to
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and the RAF come out of it well, particularly in the terms of recruitment, leadership, the 'Sunday
Soviets' and more generally collaboration between scientists of different backgrounds, between boffins and the services, and between the more technical officers and the more familiar 'officer and
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wrote, "as would be expected from young writer-director
Ustinov (he was 25 years old at the time), a nice sense of humour is integrated into the proceedings, a refreshing change from the deadly serious propaganda films that dominated the screen at the time. Unfortunately, portions of
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and
British practice is well illustrated, where open bickering is more productive than sullen compliance. It is such aspects, rather than historical or technical details, that the film strives to put across.
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called the film a "sprightly melodrama. With its starry cast of character actor and witty dialogue, Ustinov focuses more on the diverse characters than scientific advances."
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O'Neill, Esther (October 2006). "BRITISH WORLD WAR TWO FILMS 1945-65: CATHARSIS OR NATIONAL REGENERATION?". Thesis. University of
Central Lancashire: 77, 78.
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are too talky and tend to drag on past the point of interest, but the action scenes are excitingly handled and manage to keep the narrative aloft", while
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gentleman' types. The boffins with technically relevant specialities are represented as having technocratic tendencies, requiring careful handling.
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The film only represents events and characters in the most general way. It ostensibly celebrates the boffins, but
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tells the story of the "boffins" - research scientists - who discovered and developed
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240:. Based on a 1942 RAF training film for would-be '
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435:Kenneth Milne-Buckley as Sqdn. Ldr. Buckley
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248:, the film celebrates the discovery of
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462:Ingrid Forrest as Penelope Birkenshaw
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660:"The Social Life of Monkeys and Apes"
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414:Andrew Blackett as Commando Captain
216:. In leading supporting roles were
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658:Zuckerman, S. (27 December 1933).
465:Geraldine Keyes as Phyllis Hammond
360:Pamela Matthews as Mrs. Watlington
14:
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946:Films shot at Denham Film Studios
721:
411:Robert Wyndham as Commando Major
966:Films scored by Alan Rawsthorne
901:Films directed by Peter Ustinov
631:Spicer, Andrew (25 July 2003).
507:Joseph Almas as Dr. Klemmerhahn
357:as Lieutenant Commander Lowther
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504:Guy Belmore as 3rd Club Member
1:
881:British black-and-white films
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351:Norman Webb as Dr. Wainwright
208:film written and directed by
941:1946 directorial debut films
891:1940s English-language films
7:
586:
513:Ernest Urbank as 1st Sentry
408:as R.A.F. Technical Officer
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16:1946 British war drama film
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961:English-language war films
390:as Squadron Leader Sowerby
369:Joan Young as Mrs. McVitie
260:with sets designed by the
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676:10.1017/S003181910006277X
510:Arthur Rieck as Lt. Hense
396:as Group Captain Aspinall
372:Ann Wilton as Mrs. Dainty
324:as Professor Laxton-Jones
318:as Professor Heatherville
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151:7 November 1946
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137:General Film Distributors
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516:Karl Morel as 2nd Sentry
483:as Sir Nicholas Hathaway
471:as WAAF Flight Sergeant
426:as Wives' Escort Officer
906:Battle of Britain films
678:– via PhilPapers.
637:. Bloomsbury Academic.
308:
270:
951:Two Cities Films films
896:Films about scientists
612:Cite journal requires
477:as Sir Desmond Prosser
402:as Flight Sergeant Cox
432:as Sqdn. Ldr. Slatter
708:"School for Secrets"
690:"School For Secrets"
563:"School for Secrets"
376:Richard Attenborough
366:as Mrs. Laxton-Jones
230:Richard Attenborough
204:) is a 1946 British
956:1940s British films
936:Films set in France
931:Films set in London
816:Romanoff and Juliet
441:as Flt. Lt. Argylle
348:as Sir Duncan Wills
35:British quad poster
840:Hammersmith Is Out
792:School for Secrets
778:Films directed by
729:School for Secrets
540:School for Secrets
528:Critical reception
501:as 2nd Club Member
495:as 1st Club Member
453:as Wing Cdr. Allen
447:as Flt. Lt. Norton
394:Patrick Waddington
276:School for Secrets
195:School for Secrets
24:School for Secrets
926:Films set in 1945
921:Films set in 1944
916:Films set in 1940
911:Films set in 1939
886:British war films
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342:as Mr. Watlington
256:, it was shot at
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493:Aubrey Mallalieu
489:as Old Retainer
316:Ralph Richardson
302:Solly Zuckermann
254:Two Cities Films
214:Ralph Richardson
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126:Two Cities Films
73:Ralph Richardson
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459:as Daphne Adams
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420:as Commando NCO
388:David Hutcheson
382:Marjorie Rhodes
355:Michael Hordern
340:David Tomlinson
322:Raymond Huntley
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222:Raymond Huntley
218:David Tomlinson
206:black-and-white
198:(also known as
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520:Kenneth More
424:Robin Bailey
406:James Hayter
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262:art director
246:Air Ministry
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167:Running time
144:Release date
18:
634:Typical Men
475:Edward Lexy
457:Peggy Evans
400:Cyril Smith
328:John Laurie
234:John Laurie
171:108 minutes
81:John Laurie
59:Produced by
41:Directed by
871:1946 films
865:Categories
824:Billy Budd
800:Vice Versa
664:Philosophy
550:References
481:Hugh Pryse
334:Ernest Jay
155:1946-11-07
118:Production
593:140789641
544:Britmovie
469:Vida Hope
418:Bill Owen
297:C.P. Snow
97:Edited by
694:TV Guide
534:TV Guide
291:Messages
184:Language
107:Music by
69:Starring
743:Variety
242:boffins
187:English
176:Country
153: (
120:company
851:(1984)
843:(1972)
835:(1965)
832:Lady L
827:(1962)
819:(1961)
811:(1949)
803:(1948)
795:(1946)
641:
591:
589:S2CID
285:D-Day
280:radar
250:radar
734:IMDb
639:ISBN
618:help
309:Cast
271:Plot
236:and
741:at
732:at
672:doi
567:BFI
867::
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607:}}
603:{{
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616:(
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
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