I think this is a very good film about the British Royal Air Force defending Malta during WW 2; mixed with a romantic story between a Flight Lt. from the Royal Air Force and a local Maltese lady, working for the allied powers during WW 2.
I think both the actors - Muriel Pavlow and Alec Guinness - portray the struggle, hardship and sensitivity in this WW 2 romance picture very well. Especially Flight Lt. Peter Ross - of the highly esteemed British Royal Air Force defending Malta during the war - is portrayed by Alec Guinness as a very gentle and benign soul - all the more so, as he is shot down at the end by the Nazi Luftwaffe, in a scout plane, absolutely defenceless, and having no means to shoot back.
Considering that this movie is from 1953, it is quite interesting from a psychological point of view, I think, that the British seem to increasingly regard themselves very much as a gentle and benign country, who fought in WW 2 because they had no other option - the UK of course getting bankrupted by the war; the legitimacy of the foreseeable massive loss of lives, resources and funds having been challenged by leading politicians; before Winston Churchill finally convinced the UK Parliament to enter the war against Nazi Germany - unlike other countries who decided to stay neutral in the war, such as for example, the Republic of Ireland and Switzerland...
I would not go so far that this was a UK propaganda film, but I think it is fair to say that the British are trying very hard - even to this day - to justify the British war effort in WW 2; which was necessary to protect innocent people in the UK, as well as other countries, such as Malta.
So certainly a very good film concerning the ethical legitimacy of challenging the overpowering German Luftwaffe in the skies, and defending Malta from Nazi Germany, through the brave sacrifice by gentle British pilots.
Review of Malta Story
Malta Story
(1953)
A very good film about the British Royal Air Force defending Malta during WW 2
10 January 2020