The Dam Busters (1955): Cast, Box Office & Plot
The Dam Busters is a 1955 war thriller directed by Michael Anderson, starring Richard Leech as Squadron Leader H. M. Young, D.F.C., Richard Thorp and Michael Redgrave. It runs 2 hours 4 minutes and earned $765,362 worldwide.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 4m (124 min)
- Director
- Michael Anderson
- Original language
-
English - After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Dam Busters About?
The premise of The Dam Busters without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
It follows the development of a revolutionary British weapon designed to breach the Ruhr’s massive dams, and chronicles the meticulous planning, training, and daring night operation carried out by RAF 617 Squadron, famously known as the Dam Busters, as they execute the high‑risk raid.
The Dam Busters Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- world war two
- based on true story
- based on book
- dangerous mission
- bomb
- dam
- low flying
- raf bomber command
- british military
- risk taking
- strategic bomber
- aviation
+38 more Show fewer
- world war two in europe
- world war two pilot
- terror bombing
- risk
- year 1943
- bombing
- air crew
- elite team
- experiment
- flood
- flight training
- royal air force
- airfield
- bomber
- bouncing bomb
- dam busting
- destruction
- military briefing
- mission
- n word
- reference to horatio nelson
- reference to adolf hitler
- reference to the battle of the nile
- scientist
- aerial combat
- killing a dog
- animal death
- squadron
- spotlight
- physics
- idiosyncratic character
- cricket bat
- chorus girl
- bureaucracy
- crew
- uniform
- air base
- plan
The Dam Busters Cast & Characters
Richard Leech leads the cast as Squadron Leader H. M. Young, D.F.C., with Richard Thorp as Squadron Leader H. E. Maudslay, D.F.C. and Michael Redgrave as Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S.. Directed by Michael Anderson; 50 actors are credited in all.
-
Director Michael Anderson
- Richard Leech as Squadron Leader H. M. Young, D.F.C.
- Richard Thorp as Squadron Leader H. E. Maudslay, D.F.C.
- Michael Redgrave as Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S.
- Ursula Jeans as Mrs. Wallis
Also Starring in The Dam Busters
· 46 more- Hugh Manning Official, Ministry of Aircraft Production
- Basil Sydney Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Harris G.C.B., O.B.E., A.F.C.
- Harold Goodwin Wing Comdr. Gibson's Batman
- Richard Todd Wing Commander Guy Gibson, V.C., D.S.O., D.F.C.
- Raymond Huntley Official, National Physical Laboratory
- Robert Shaw Flt / Sgt. J. Pulford, D.F.M.
- Ernest Clark Air Vice-Marshal The Hon. Ralph Cochrane G.B.E., K.C.B., A.F.C.
- Peter Arne Staff Officer to Air-Vice Marshal Cochrane (uncredited)
- Laurence Naismith Farmer
- George Baker Flight Lieutenant D. J. H. Maltby, D.S.O., D.F.C.
- Charles Carson Doctor
- Patrick Barr Captain Joseph (Mutt) Summers, C.B.E.
- Arthur Howard RAF Pay Clerk in NAAFI (uncredited)
- Frederick Leister Committee Member
- Patrick McGoohan Guard at door (uncredited)
- Colin Tapley Doctor W.H. Glanville, C.B., C.B.E.
Show all 50 cast members Show fewer cast members
- Derek Farr Group Captain J. N. H. Whitworth, D.S.O., D.F.C.
- Bill Kerr Flight Lieutenant H. B. Martin, D.S.O., D.F.C., A.F.C.
- Ewen Solon Flight Sergeant G. E. Powell
- Lloyd Lamble Collins (uncredited)
- Edwin Richfield RAF Officer (uncredited)
- Nigel Stock Flying / Off. F. M. Spafford, D.F.C., D.F.M.
- Brenda de Banzie Waitress (uncredited)
- John Fraser Flight Lieutenant J. V. Hopgood, D.F.C.
- Brian Nissen Flt / Lt. A. T. Taerum, D.F.C.
- Harold Siddons Group Signals Officer
- Hugh Moxey Observer at Trials
- Richard Coleman RAF Officer (uncredited)
- Tim Turner Flight Lieutenant J. F. Leggo, D.F.C.
- Peter Diamond Tail Gunner (uncredited)
- Edwin Styles Observer at Trials
- Philip Latham Flight Sergeant (uncredited)
- Gerald Harper RAF Officer (uncredited)
- Stanley Van Beers Sir David Pye, C.B., F.R.S.
- Edward Cast Crew Member (uncredited)
- Anthony Shaw R.A.F. Officer at Trials
- Tony Doonan Flt / Lt. R. E. G. Hutchison, D.F.C.
- Frank Phillips BBC Announcer
- Basil Appleby Flight Lieutenant R. C. Hay, D.F.C.
- Ronald Wilson Flight Lieutenant D. J. Shannon, D.S.O., D.F.C.
- Eric Messiter Committee Member
- Laidman Browne Committee Member
- Brewster Mason Flt / Lt. R. D. Trevor-Roper, D.F.C., D.F.M.
- Denys Graham Flying Officer L. G. Knight, D.S.O.
- Peter Assinder Plt/Off. G. A. Deering, D.F.C.
- David Morell Flight Lieutenant W. Astell, D.F.C.
More from Michael Anderson
More films directed by Michael Anderson, best-rated first: Around the World in 80 Days, Operation Crossbow, Logan's Run and Orca.
The Dam Busters Plot Summary
What happens in The Dam Busters from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In spring 1942, aeronautical engineer Barnes Wallis, Michael Redgrave, is wrestling with a radical plan to strike at Germany’s Ruhr Dams and cripple its vast industrial heart. He sketches out a bouncing bomb designed to skim over the water, riding on backspin to sink only after it touches the dam wall, where the explosion would be most devastating. Wallis calculates that the aircraft must fly incredibly low—about 150 feet (46 meters)—to let the bomb skip across the surface and reach the targets with the intended effect. Yet when he brings these conclusions to the Ministry of Aircraft Production, he runs into a brick wall: there simply isn’t enough production capacity to pursue the idea.
Full summary
The whole story of The Dam Busters, scene by scene
The Dam Busters Box Office
The Dam Busters grossed $765,362 worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$765.4K
- International
- $765.4K
The Dam Busters Trailers & Videos
The trailer of The Dam Busters.
How Well Do You Know The Dam Busters?
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
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who was the aeronautical engineer who designed the bouncing bomb?
The Dam Busters Also Known As
18 alternative titles, including “Nocny nalot” and “The Dam Busters - Die Zerstörung der Talsperren”.
- Also known as
-
- Nocny nalot
- The Dam Busters - Die Zerstörung der Talsperren
- Los Destructores de Diques
- Mai '43 - Die Zerstörung der Talsperren
- Les Briseurs de barrages
- I guastatori delle dighe
- Ďáblové v oblacích
- De Dambrekers
- Labaredas do Inferno
- Mørkets eskadrille
- A gátrombolók - A gátrobbantók
- De flögo österut
+6 more Show fewer
- 敌后大爆破
- سد شکنان
- 댐 버스터
- Разрушители плотин
- פורצי הסכרים
- 敵後大爆破
Seen The Dam Busters?
Movies Like The Dam Busters
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Battle of the Damned, Operation Dunkirk and Target for Tonight.
The Dam Busters FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office and post-credit scenes of The Dam Busters, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Dam Busters?
The Dam Busters runs 2 hours 4 minutes (124 minutes).
When was The Dam Busters released?
The Dam Busters was released on May 16, 1955.
Who directed The Dam Busters?
The Dam Busters was directed by Michael Anderson.
More films by Michael Anderson Who is in the cast of The Dam Busters?
The Dam Busters stars Richard Leech as Squadron Leader H. M. Young, D.F.C., Richard Thorp as Squadron Leader H. E. Maudslay, D.F.C. and Michael Redgrave as Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S., among 50 credited actors.
How much did The Dam Busters make at the box office?
The Dam Busters grossed $765,362 worldwide.
Does The Dam Busters have a post-credit scene?
No. The Dam Busters has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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