The British have a reputation for keeping calm in the face of danger, and this is something that was reflected throughout the movie Dunkirk. There are a few scenes in particular that illustrate how remaining calm enabled characters to improvise their way out of danger and to make the most out of no-win situations. Let’s take a closer look at these examples and how they illustrate the importance of not panicking during a life-or-death situation.
Fighter Pilots
British pilots who were sent to defend the ships that were picking up stranded soldiers faced enormous odds when they encountered German fighters and bombers. In fact, all of the British fighters were taken out by the Germans. However, they were able to thwart a couple of bombings and protect a number of troops before they were neutralized. Additionally, two pilots were able to stay alive because of their quick thinking and ability to work through a no-win scenario.
In one scene, a fighter damaged to the point where the pilot had to choose between ditching the plane or bailing out. Bailing out would have made him a sitting duck for Germans to shoot at whereas ditching involved risking being killed upon impacting on the water. The pilot elected to ditch, but he was able to scan the area and pick a spot that would put him as close to rescue vessels as possible. While he was able to ditch successfully, and a rescue ship was heading in his direction, he couldn’t open the canopy to escape. Fortunately, he landed close enough to the ship that the captain was able to arrive on-scene and break the canopy from the outside before pulling the pilot to safety.
In another scene, a fighter was running on fumes as the pilot chose to engage a bomber that was targeting a ship full of evacuees. He knew that his chances of getting to safety were minimal at best, and his decision to go after the bomber was a sacrifice. He succeeded in shooting down the bomber and saving lives, but he also saw another opportunity to save the lives of troops on the beach as well. As he glided his way to the beach to land, he was able to take out a German fighter that was ready to bomb a pier where people were waiting to be rescued. He then glided the plane to the far end of the beach in order to create a diversion that caused a platoon of German soldiers to pursue the plane instead of the troops. While he was taken prisoner, the other soldiers were able to escape.
The Courageous Captain
One of the civilian captains who sailed his ship in the flotilla to rescue the solders came across a shell-shocked and violent sailor. The sailor lost his mind while on board, tried to force the captain to change course and sail back to Britain, and he accidentally killed a young crew member in the process. The captain was able to keep his cool and finesse the sailor into submission before continuing the mission and rescuing dozens of soldiers.
While it is debatable whether these scenes were a reflection of reality or just a little bit of movie magic, they illustrate how remaining calm in the midst of a crisis allows us to make good decisions that can save lives, including our own. On the other hand, as the sailor who lost his mind illustrates, the opposite can be true if we don’t keep our cool.
Staying calm in crisis situations comes naturally for some people whereas others need to train in order to hone this skill. Take some time to think about how well you react to adversity, and use this as an opportunity to come up with ways to cope when danger strikes. One thing is for certain: Being able to stay calm and focused increases the chances of getting out alive, but it’s up to us know that we can shine in the face of adversity when that time comes.
