Flying Leathernecks (1951)
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This was his best war film. I liked how it was more favourable in its portrayal of the enemy than earlier war films, and Robert Ryan was always effective.
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"Flying Leathernecks" and "They Were Expendable" were each very good with a minimum of fake heroics. Add to that "Sands of Iwo Jima".
Pretty much all war films have to be looked at in consideration of the era they were produced. Many WWII films were either thinly veiled or outright propaganda for the home front. That doesn't mean they weren't good films...you simply have to take into consideration the message being given. Two very good examples..."Air Force" and "The 49th Parallel"...the former American...the latter British produced. Each is a fine film in its own right but both were pushing the propaganda angle to maintain public support.
Most of the better war films...that is more realistic about war and its costs with less fake heroics...came either late in the war or were filmed post-war..."12 O'Clock High"..."The Best Years of Their Lives"..."Battleground".
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"Flying Leathernecks" and "They Were Expendable" were each very good with a minimum of fake heroics. Add to that "Sands of Iwo Jima".
Pretty much all war films have to be looked at in consideration of the era they were produced. Many WWII films were either thinly veiled or outright propaganda for the home front. That doesn't mean they weren't good films...you simply have to take into consideration the message being given. Two very good examples..."Air Force" and "The 49th Parallel"...the former American...the latter British produced. Each is a fine film in its own right but both were pushing the propaganda angle to maintain public support.
Most of the better war films...that is more realistic about war and its costs with less fake heroics...came either late in the war or were filmed post-war..."12 O'Clock High"..."The Best Years of Their Lives"..."Battleground".
I found "The Fighting Seebees" hard to watch due to its blatant racism. Fortunately by the time "The Flying Leathernecks" was made in 1950-51 the United States was at war with China, and so the portrayal of the Japanese was far more balanced.
Of the old war films I liked "The Cruel Sea" most as it did not contain any propaganda or false heroics.
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I should have typed Seabees, not Seebees.
Of course it also helped that "Flying Leathernecks" was in colour.
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To me the best part of "The Fighting Seabees" was seeing Duke jitter-bug.
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There are two great portraits of John Wayne in "Flying Leathernecks" on Fine Art America, but sadly they are both black and white. If they had been in colour I would have ordered them.