The thrilling human story behind the plane that licked the Luftwaffe!
This 1942 fictionalized biopic chronicles the true story of how two of the most remarkable men in aviation history - visionary Spitfire designer R.J. Mitchell and his test pilot Geoffrey Crisp - designed a streamlined monoplane that led to the development of the Spitfire.
The First of the Few (1942) is a war and drama film directed by Leslie Howard, released on September 14, 1942 with a runtime of 1h 58m. It stars Leslie Howard, David Niven, Rosamund John and Roland Culver. Viewers rate it 6.7 out of 10 across 42 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for The First of the Few before you stream it.
Leslie Howard
as R.J. Mitchell
David Niven
as Geoffrey Crisp
Rosamund John
as Diana Mitchell
Roland Culver
as Commander Bride
Anne Firth
as Miss Harper
David Horne
as Mr. Higgins
J.H. Roberts
as Sir Robert McLean
Derrick De Marney
as Squadron Leader Jefferson
Rosalyn Boulter
as Mabel Lovesay
Herbert Cameron
as MacPherson
Toni Edgar-Bruce
as Lady Houston
Gordon McLeod
as Major Buchan
Directed by Leslie Howard, written by Henry C. James, Katherine Strueby and Miles Malleson, produced by Leslie Howard.
Average viewer score of 6.7/10 from 42 ratings.
Leslie Howard had a hand in just about everything here, and has delivered quite a poignant story of a dedicated and visionary man who might just have a legitimate claim to really have helped stave off the Nazis. He portrays R.J. Mitchell, a man whose vision was as an aircraft designer. We were still using bi-planes at the time and though the engineering of flight was now well established, he was determined to push…
Reviewed on June 3, 2024
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The First of the Few (1942) is available to stream on Criterion Channel, and to rent or buy from Amazon Video. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
The main cast of The First of the Few (1942) includes Leslie Howard, David Niven, Rosamund John, Roland Culver and Anne Firth. The film was directed by Leslie Howard. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
The First of the Few was released on September 14, 1942 and runs for 1h 58m.
The First of the Few (1942) holds an average rating of 6.7 out of 10 from 42 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy war and drama films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official The First of the Few trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
