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War drama

Dunkirk (1958): Cast, Box Office, Plot & Where to Watch

Dunkirk (1958) movie poster

Dunkirk is a 1958 war drama directed by Leslie Norman, starring Bernard Lee as Charles Foreman, Christopher Rhodes and Richard Attenborough. It runs 2 hours 14 minutes and earned $222 worldwide. Stream it on BFI Player and Hoopla, or rent or buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.

Where to watch Watch the trailer
Dunkirk (1958) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 14m (134 min)
Director
Leslie Norman
Genres
Drama , War
Original language
English
Studio
Ealing Studios
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Dunkirk About?

The premise of Dunkirk without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A British corporal in France assumes command after his officer is killed, bearing responsibility for his men’s survival and their desperate push toward Britain. Meanwhile, Operation Dynamo mobilizes British civilians to rescue stranded French and British troops from the Dunkirk beaches, with many eager to help while others hesitate.

Dunkirk Themes & Keywords

· 29 tags
  • encirclement
  • nazis invade france
  • operation dynamo
  • british military
  • escape
  • english channel
  • year 1940
  • dunkirk france
  • dunkirk
  • place name in title
  • seaside
  • transport
+17 more
  • shore
  • ship
  • car wreck
  • british seaman
  • 1940s
  • france
  • evacuation
  • soldier
  • uniform
  • survival
  • reporter
  • death
  • strafing
  • beach
  • flanders
  • world war two
  • title spoken by character
Where to watch

Where to Watch Dunkirk

Stream it on BFI Player and Hoopla, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. US availability and prices from JustWatch.

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Streaming availability in the US, powered by JustWatch logo

Cast & crew

Dunkirk Cast & Characters

Bernard Lee leads the cast as Charles Foreman, with Christopher Rhodes as Sergeant on the beaches and Richard Attenborough as John Holden. Directed by Leslie Norman; 44 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Dunkirk

· 40 more
Show all 44 cast members
Plot

Dunkirk Plot Summary

What happens in Dunkirk from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In 1940, as darkness gathers over western Europe, Charles Foreman, Bernard Lee, a sharp English journalist, pursues the truth with a clear eye for propaganda and a stubborn insistence that the public deserves to know the full scale of the German build‑up. He clashes with the Ministry of Information, whose brief is to manage morale rather than expose danger, and his warnings fall on ears still dulled by a long stretch of the so‑called Phoney War. Nearby, his neighbor John Holden, Richard Attenborough, runs a garage that also quietly manufactures belt buckles for the British Army, embodying a practical, wary optimism that something is about to change.

Full summary

The whole story of Dunkirk, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Dunkirk Box Office

Dunkirk grossed $222 worldwide.

1958 box office

Worldwide gross

$222

International
$102
Videos

Dunkirk Trailers & Videos

2 videos: 1 trailer and 1 featurette.

DUNKIRK TRAILER
  • Featurette Brian Trenchard-Smith on DUNKIRK
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Dunkirk?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Which actor portrayed the English journalist Charles Foreman?
Cars

Cars in Dunkirk

12 cars on screen, including the 1941 Austin K3/KJ and the Fordson WOT2E.

All 12 cars
  • 1941 Austin K3/KJ in Dunkirk 1941 Austin K3/KJ Important role
  • Fordson WOT2E in Dunkirk Fordson WOT2E Minor role
  • Renault unknown in Dunkirk Renault unknown Minor role
  • Aveling-Barford Universal Carrier Mk.I in Dunkirk Aveling-Barford Universal Carrier Mk.I Background role
Details

Dunkirk Also Known As

8 alternative titles, including “O Drama de Dunquerque” and “Dunkirk - Die Schlacht von Dünkirchen”.

Also known as
  • O Drama de Dunquerque
  • Dunkirk - Die Schlacht von Dünkirchen
  • Dunkerque
  • Dünkirchen
  • Dunquerque
  • Дюнкерк
  • 敦刻尔克
  • 덩케르크 디 오리지널

Seen Dunkirk?
More like this

Movies Like Dunkirk

Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Dunkirk, Operation Dunkirk and Weekend at Dunkirk.

FAQ

Dunkirk FAQ: Where to Watch, Cast & Box Office

Runtime, release date, director, cast, where to watch, box office and post-credit scenes of Dunkirk, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Dunkirk?

Dunkirk runs 2 hours 14 minutes (134 minutes).

When was Dunkirk released?

Dunkirk was released on March 20, 1958.

Who directed Dunkirk?

Dunkirk was directed by Leslie Norman.

More films by Leslie Norman

Who is in the cast of Dunkirk?

Dunkirk stars Bernard Lee as Charles Foreman, Christopher Rhodes as Sergeant on the beaches and Richard Attenborough as John Holden, among 44 credited actors.

Where can I watch Dunkirk?

In the US, Dunkirk is streaming on BFI Player, Hoopla and Kanopy and available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home (availability from JustWatch).

How much did Dunkirk make at the box office?

Dunkirk grossed $222 worldwide.

Does Dunkirk have a post-credit scene?

No. Dunkirk has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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