THE DAM BUSTERS (1954) POSTER, BRITISH

Film Posters of the 50s, Aurum Press Limited 2000, page 100

This British epic war film was directed by Michael Anderson, and stars Richard Todd and Michael Redgrave. It was based on two books - The Dam Busters by Paul Brickhill in 1951 and Enemy Coast Ahead by Guy Gibson in 1946. The film re-enacts the true story of Operation Chastise. An attack in May 1943 by the Royal Air Force No. 617 Squadron, later called the Dam Busters, on German dams by using Barnes Wallis's bouncing bomb. This attack caused catastrophic flooding and destruction to Germany's industrial base, together with the loss of civilian life.  

This is one of the most highly prized British film posters. Not all great films have great posters, but in this case Angelo Cesselon's designed a fantastically strong poster for this classic World War II film.