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Title: CASTLES IN THE SKY

Reference number: 13923

Date: 2014

Director: d. Gillies MacKinnon

Sponsor: National Lottery through Creative Scotland

Production company: Hero Film & televison Production, Black Camel Pictures

Sound: sound

Certificate: PG

Colour: col

Fiction: fiction

Running time: 89.03 mins

Description: A dramatised account of the invention of radar. Scottish meteorologist Robert Watson Watt answers the call when the Air Ministry seeks an invention to help protect Britain. After a successful small scale field test, Watson Watt assembles a team of unproven scientists. [Synopsis taken from BFI archive, https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/53fe584ea037a, last accessed 18/11/21]

Catalogued from secondary sources including the BFI and the BBFC website.

See here for a BBC Castles in the Sky webpage, where you can learn more about the film and radar, https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04gnhv7 [last accessed 18/11/21]

Credits: This film is inspired by real events and the life of Robert Watson Watt
Some characters and scenes have been created for dramatic purposes.

Hitler's Luftwaffe outnumbered the RAF by 3:1 at the Batlle of Britain. Watson Watt's Radar system proved decisive in their finest hour...
Watson Watt's great contribution was recognised with a knighthood in 1942.
Watson Watt said if he was the father of radar, then Arnold 'Skip' Wilkins was the mother.
Their invention went on to spawn many others that underpin the modern world, from air traffic control to the microwave oven...
(c) Castle Films Limited 2014
[Cast
Robert Watson Watt Eddie Izzard
Henry Tizard Alex Jennings
Frederick Lindemann David Hayman
Margaret Watson Watt Laura Fraser
Arnold 'Skip' Wilkins Karl Davies
Albert Rowe Julian Rhind-Tutt
Winston Churchill Tim McInnerny
Pat Arran Tulloch
Edward 'Taffy' Bowen Celyn Jones
Higgy Iain McKee
Bainbridge Bell Joe Bone
Secretary Lesley Harcourt
scientist Stephen Chance
scientist Carl Heap
Navy Guard Nick Elliott
Credits
Direction:
Director Gillies MacKinnon
Production:
Production Company Hero Film & televison Production
Production Company Black Camel Pictures
Executive Producer Judy Naake
Executive Producer Simon Wheeler
Executive Producer for BBC Scotland Ewan Angus
Producer Simon Wheeler
Writing:
Written by Ian Kershaw
Unknown:
[Produced] For BBC]