An original mix of film analysis and political history, this book examines the political and cinematic significance of The Dam Busters, as both a British institution and a fine war film. A critical and popular success, the film celebrates an image of gutsy ingenuity for the ""Brits at war,"" with the 1943 raid by Lancaster bombers on the dams of Germany's Ruhr region, using the extraordinary ""bouncing bomb."" Ramsden's fresh and incisive book offers an overall review of the film and its place in history. It convincingly suggests that the film's cultural impact made it difficult to assess the true value of Britain's bombing campaign.