Malta Story
Encyclopedia
Malta Story is a 1953
British
war film
based on the heroic defence of Malta
, the island itself, its people and the RAF
aviators who fought to defend it. The film uses real and unique footage of the locations at which the battles were fought and includes a love story that ends with the death of the hero (a RAF pilot) and the anticipated execution of a young Maltese
man who became an Italian
spy.
seems imminent and Italians
and Germans
are regularly bombing the airfields and towns regardless. The RAF fight to survive against the odds using the few planes available. Flight Lt. Peter Ross, an archaeologist, is posted to Egypt
but is stranded in Malta due to the air attacks. He is then asked to join the RAF squadron there as an air reconnaissance
pilot. He meets Maria, a lovely Maltese girl working in the RAF operations room. The two fall in love and spend a few romantic hours in the Neolithic
temples of Mnajdra
and Ħaġar Qim on the island.
In the meantime, the situation becomes desperate. Many civilians are buried daily under the rubble, and famine is threatening their survival, as relief convoys become easy prey to the numerous attacks by air. Peter proposes marriage to Maria although they realise that wartime is not favourable to love affairs, as her mother suggests. Nevertheless the young couple remain hopeful of the future. In the meantime, Maria’s brother is arrested while trying to infiltrate the island from Italy, obviously on a spying mission, for which he is expected to be executed (which has some parallels to the real story of Carmelo Borg Pisani
). Maria’s mother lives a double drama.
The island relies on the last few ships of a convoy
for supplies. The scene of the heroic tanker SS Ohio
(real footage) arriving half sunk in Valletta
harbour is the apex of glory for the defenders and the island of Malta collectively receives the George Cross
from Britain's King George VI
.
The RAF holds on, and is eventually able to take the offensive, targeting enemy shipping on its way to Rommel
in Libya
. Many air raids take place either to defend the island with Spitfires
or a number of torpedo planes, like the Beauforts
, which succeed in sinking Italian tankers. There comes the moment when the most important enemy convoy is on its way to Libya
under cover of poor visibility. Peter's commanding officer
(Jack Hawkins
) needs desperately to locate this target and orders him to find it at any cost. Peter, flying in his Spitfire, finally finds it, but has to stay close to keep contact. He is attacked by six Messerschmitt Bf 109Fs
. Peter stays calm, but cannot escape his fate; he is shot down and killed, while Maria in the operations room listens helplessly to his radio broadcasts. Later the next day, Maria sits by the beach, thinking of her lost beloved Peter.
The unique footage used in the film is equivalent to true historic archive material. Additionally, many scenes were shot next to the real types of aircraft still available in Malta at that time, some of which did not exist any longer elsewhere. The Spitfires shown in action are, however, mainly of the later IX, XIV and XVI types that flew from Malta after 1943-44. In 1942, the RAF was mainly using the V type only that appears rarely in the film. In the footage, one can see however the planes that attacked Malta, such as the Italian SM79
and the German Bf 109F
.
The character of "Peter Ross" is apparently loosely based on that of Adrian Warburton
.
1953 in film
The year 1953 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*September 16 — The Robe debuts as the first anamorphic, widescreen CinemaScope film.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:A...
British
Cinema of the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has had a major influence on modern cinema. The first moving pictures developed on celluloid film were made in Hyde Park, London in 1889 by William Friese Greene, a British inventor, who patented the process in 1890. It is generally regarded that the British film industry...
war film
War film
War films are a film genre concerned with warfare, usually about naval, air or land battles, sometimes focusing instead on prisoners of war, covert operations, military training or other related subjects. At times war films focus on daily military or civilian life in wartime without depicting battles...
based on the heroic defence of Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, the island itself, its people and the RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
aviators who fought to defend it. The film uses real and unique footage of the locations at which the battles were fought and includes a love story that ends with the death of the hero (a RAF pilot) and the anticipated execution of a young Maltese
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
man who became an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
spy.
Plot
In 1942, Britain is trying hard to keep Malta while invasionInvasion
An invasion is a military offensive consisting of all, or large parts of the armed forces of one geopolitical entity aggressively entering territory controlled by another such entity, generally with the objective of either conquering, liberating or re-establishing control or authority over a...
seems imminent and Italians
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
and Germans
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
are regularly bombing the airfields and towns regardless. The RAF fight to survive against the odds using the few planes available. Flight Lt. Peter Ross, an archaeologist, is posted to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
but is stranded in Malta due to the air attacks. He is then asked to join the RAF squadron there as an air reconnaissance
Surveillance aircraft
A surveillance aircraft is an aircraft used for surveillance — collecting information over time. They are operated by military forces and other government agencies in roles such as intelligence gathering, battlefield surveillance, airspace surveillance, observation , border patrol and fishery...
pilot. He meets Maria, a lovely Maltese girl working in the RAF operations room. The two fall in love and spend a few romantic hours in the Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
temples of Mnajdra
Mnajdra
Mnajdra is a megalithic temple complex found on the southern coast of the Mediterranean island of Malta. Mnajdra is approximately 500 metres from the Ħaġar Qim megalithic complex...
and Ħaġar Qim on the island.
In the meantime, the situation becomes desperate. Many civilians are buried daily under the rubble, and famine is threatening their survival, as relief convoys become easy prey to the numerous attacks by air. Peter proposes marriage to Maria although they realise that wartime is not favourable to love affairs, as her mother suggests. Nevertheless the young couple remain hopeful of the future. In the meantime, Maria’s brother is arrested while trying to infiltrate the island from Italy, obviously on a spying mission, for which he is expected to be executed (which has some parallels to the real story of Carmelo Borg Pisani
Carmelo Borg Pisani
Carmelo Borg Pisani was a Maltese-born Italian Fascist who was found guilty by a Maltese war tribunal established by the Government under British rule and executed for treason against His Majesty's Government....
). Maria’s mother lives a double drama.
The island relies on the last few ships of a convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
for supplies. The scene of the heroic tanker SS Ohio
SS Ohio
The SS Ohio was an oil tanker built for the Texas Oil Company ; she was the largest oil tanker in the world when she was built. The tanker was launched on April 20, 1940 at the Sun Shipbuilding Yard in Chester, Pennsylvania, USA. SS Ohio was capable of doing over at sea...
(real footage) arriving half sunk in Valletta
Valletta
Valletta is the capital of Malta, colloquially known as Il-Belt in Maltese. It is located in the central-eastern portion of the island of Malta, and the historical city has a population of 6,098. The name "Valletta" is traditionally reserved for the historic walled citadel that serves as Malta's...
harbour is the apex of glory for the defenders and the island of Malta collectively receives the George Cross
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
from Britain's King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
.
The RAF holds on, and is eventually able to take the offensive, targeting enemy shipping on its way to Rommel
Erwin Rommel
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
in Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
. Many air raids take place either to defend the island with Spitfires
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
or a number of torpedo planes, like the Beauforts
Bristol Beaufort
The Bristol Beaufort was a British twin-engined torpedo bomber designed by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, and developed from experience gained designing and building the earlier Blenheim light bomber....
, which succeed in sinking Italian tankers. There comes the moment when the most important enemy convoy is on its way to Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
under cover of poor visibility. Peter's commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
(Jack Hawkins
Jack Hawkins
Colonel John Edward "Jack" Hawkins CBE was an English actor of the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s.-Career:Hawkins was born at Lyndhurst Road, Wood Green, Middlesex, the son of master builder Thomas George Hawkins and his wife, Phoebe née Goodman. The youngest of four children in a close-knit family,...
) needs desperately to locate this target and orders him to find it at any cost. Peter, flying in his Spitfire, finally finds it, but has to stay close to keep contact. He is attacked by six Messerschmitt Bf 109Fs
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
. Peter stays calm, but cannot escape his fate; he is shot down and killed, while Maria in the operations room listens helplessly to his radio broadcasts. Later the next day, Maria sits by the beach, thinking of her lost beloved Peter.
Cast
- Alec GuinnessAlec GuinnessSir Alec Guinness, CH, CBE was an English actor. He was featured in several of the Ealing Comedies, including Kind Hearts and Coronets in which he played eight different characters. He later won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Colonel Nicholson in The Bridge on the River Kwai...
as Flight LieutenantFlight LieutenantFlight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
Peter Ross - Jack HawkinsJack HawkinsColonel John Edward "Jack" Hawkins CBE was an English actor of the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s.-Career:Hawkins was born at Lyndhurst Road, Wood Green, Middlesex, the son of master builder Thomas George Hawkins and his wife, Phoebe née Goodman. The youngest of four children in a close-knit family,...
as Air CommodoreAir CommodoreAir commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Frank - Anthony Steel as Wing CommanderWing Commander (rank)Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
Bartlett - Muriel PavlowMuriel PavlowMuriel Lilian Pavlow is a British actress. Her mother was French and her father was Russian.-Film career:She began work as a child actor with John Gielgud and the Royal Shakespeare Company...
as Maria Gonzar - Renée AshersonRenee AshersonRenée Asherson , born Dorothy Renée Ascherson, is an English actress of stage, film and television.Much of Asherson's theatrical career was spent in Shakespearean plays, appearing at such venues as the Old Vic, the Liverpool Playhouse and the Westminster Theatre...
as Joan Rivers - Hugh BurdenHugh BurdenHugh Burden was an English actor and playwright.He was the son of a colonial official and was educated at Beaumont College and trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama and RADA...
as Eden, Security - Nigel Stock as Giuseppe Gonzar aka Ricardi
- Reginald TateReginald TateReginald Tate was an English actor, veteran of many roles on stage, in film and on television. He is best remembered as the first actor to play the television science-fiction character Professor Bernard Quatermass, in the 1953 BBC Television serial The Quatermass Experiment.-Early life:Reginald...
as Vice Admiral Payne - Ralph TrumanRalph TrumanRalph Truman was an English actor, usually cast as either a villain or an authority figure. He possessed a distinguished speaking voice...
as Vice Admiral Willie Banks - Flora RobsonFlora RobsonDame Flora McKenzie Robson DBE was an English actress, renowned as a character actress, who played roles ranging from queens to villainesses.-Early life:...
as Melita Gonzar, Maria's Mum
Production and release
The Ulster born director Brian Desmond Hurst was persuaded by his lifelong friend John Ford to direct the movie. Ford told Hurst "its right up your street". It was a success at the box office. "The combination of an A list cast, the portrayal of the iron relilence of the Maltese people, the gallantry of the RAF pilots and a tragic love story were the four components of its success" Malta Story (released 1953)- The Director's Cut page 15 by Allan Esler Smith, Treasures of Malta, number 48, Summer 2010, Vol. XVI No 3 published by Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti in association with the Malta Tourism Authority.The unique footage used in the film is equivalent to true historic archive material. Additionally, many scenes were shot next to the real types of aircraft still available in Malta at that time, some of which did not exist any longer elsewhere. The Spitfires shown in action are, however, mainly of the later IX, XIV and XVI types that flew from Malta after 1943-44. In 1942, the RAF was mainly using the V type only that appears rarely in the film. In the footage, one can see however the planes that attacked Malta, such as the Italian SM79
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79
The Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero was a three-engined Italian medium bomber with a wood and metal structure. Originally designed as a fast passenger aircraft, this low-wing monoplane, in the years 1937–39, set 26 world records that qualified it for some time as the fastest medium bomber in the...
and the German Bf 109F
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
.
The character of "Peter Ross" is apparently loosely based on that of Adrian Warburton
Adrian Warburton
Wing Commander Adrian "Warby" Warburton DSO & Bar, DFC & Two Bars was a Royal Air Force pilot during World War II. He became legendary in the RAF for his role in the defence of Malta...
.