Warbird Information Exchange

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed on this site are the responsibility of the poster and do not reflect the views of the management.
It is currently Fri Mar 29, 2024 5:08 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Classic Wings Magazine WWII Naval Aviation Research Pacific Luftwaffe Resource Center
When Hollywood Ruled The Skies - Volumes 1 through 4 by Bruce Oriss


Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 4 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Wed Mar 22, 2017 4:55 pm 
Offline

Joined: Mon Mar 13, 2017 9:24 am
Posts: 126
One of my all time faves. Top notch acting from John Wayne, Burgess Meredith, Patricia O'Neal, and Kirk Douglas. I know people say John Wayne usuallly played John Wayne, but he had no fistfights or gun fights in this one. He plays Rock Tory, a heavy cruiser Captain. The Pearl Harbor atttack happpens just minutes after the film starts. Amazing footage because in this early 1960's flick, the U.S. Navy still had WW2 ships in service. Anyway, Rock's ship is torpedoed outside the harbor and he is faulted because he disregarded a directive. 8 or 9 months later, he's promoted to Rear Admiral and placed in charge of an areavwhere a large island battle is taking place. This sets a stage for a large sea battle. If youre into authenticity from an equipment point of view and can overlook the actual island names (Gabbbabutu is used instad of Guadalcanal), this is a great war flick. Five stars out of five.



Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Oct 13, 2020 10:18 pm 
Offline
Long Time Member
Long Time Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2011 12:27 am
Posts: 5230
Location: Eastern Washington
I agree, a fun film with a great score by Jerry Goldsmith.
Wayne and Douglas are great, but don't forget Burgess Meredith as a reserve Intel officer...he almost steals the show.

I also recommend the novel "Harm's Way" (no "In") which it is based on.
The author, James Bassett was Admiral Halsey's PIO, so he knew wartime admirals and staff types.
You also learn more about the character's backstories...like Wayne's Rock Torrey being a naval aviator.
It's available digitally on you know where at a low price.

Airplane wise, a Navy HU-16 subs for a PBY...It was filmed in Hawaii and the Navy ship was provided free, it would have cost a lot to fly a PBY in from California. Considering to 99% of the population, a seaplane is a seaplane, if you were the producer, what would you do?

Also, we see a B-25 substituting for a Marine PBJ. And for the first (and probably last) time, they refer to it as a PBJ!!!

Plus, some C-47s and in-flight models of what appear to be Wildcats.

_________________
Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Nov 20, 2020 4:14 pm 
Offline
1000+ Posts!
1000+ Posts!
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 01, 2004 6:11 pm
Posts: 1911
Location: Pacific Northwest USA, via North Florida
It was decently written and directed and acted, but I couldn't get past not one WW2 wheeled vehicle was used in the film. Also, I never understood why so many WW2 movies made in the 60s ignored women's fashions. All the women in this movie have 1960s (civilian) clothes and hairstyles!

_________________
Life member, 91st BG Memorial Association
Owner, 1944 Willys MB #366014
Former REMF (US Army, O3)


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Fri Jan 29, 2021 10:43 pm 
Offline
Long Time Member
Long Time Member
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2011 12:27 am
Posts: 5230
Location: Eastern Washington
The M151s pretending to be WWII Jeeps isn't much of a problem...and harmless as far as the story goes...rather like the HU-16 pretending to be a PBY or PBM...or maybe even a PB2Y, which I just learned was the aircraft assigned to Nimitz (CINCPAC).
In the film, CINCPAC gives Wayne his new assignment, so it's possible he loaned him his aircraft to get to his new assignment.

Women's hair is a common WWII film issue, it's especially egregious in The Battle of Britain, where they were trying to be historically correct, a woman was a main character and they should have done better.

_________________
Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 4 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group