Posts from ethanedwards in thread „Flying Leathernecks (1951)“

  • Flying Leathernecks (1951)


    Throughout a film, yes!!


    He was in The Longest Day,
    without checking, I think he
    was in one scene with Duke,
    when they were checking the maps!!
    in the briefing room!!

  • Flying Leathernecks (1951)

    Flying Leathernecks is a 1951 action film directed by Nicholas Ray,
    produced by Edmund Grainger, (who had produced Sands of Iwo Jima)
    and starring John Wayne and Robert Ryan.
    The movie details the exploits and personal battles of
    United States Marine Corps aviators during World War II.
    Marines have long had the nickname "leatherneck," hence the title.


    I enjoy this film.
    Once again it proved that Duke's war effort was better
    served in his films, than it probably would have been, in real life.
    He acts well as a Commander, and his embodiment, of how to do it,
    shows, Robert Ryan, the right way to go.
    With a good supporting cast, overall a decent movie.
    The critics found it an exciting film, but found the characters cliche,
    and some of the dialogue absurd.
    Ah well, you can't win them all, anyway I liked it!!


    User Review

    Quote

    Author: lbliss314 from USA


    On one level this is a standard flag-waving WW2 film--which was what audiences wanted. On another level, though, this movie says some pretty harsh things about war. Mixed in with the combat footage are several scenes of wounded soldiers covered in blood, the sort of images that were censored from pictures made during the war. Some have objected to this... but I think it adds an extra layer of realism. Yes, they are shocking images--maybe that was Ray's point. We should be shocked that men get killed like this. The interplay between Robert Ryan and John Wayne is fascinating. Ryan turns in a splendid performance and Wayne surprised me with the depth of emotion he displayed, particularly when he visits his family. The movie shows us the emotional toll of ordering men to their deaths. The movie has pacing problems, particularly in the final battle, and Jay C. Flippen's scrounging sergeant wears a little thin. Still, this is a well-done war film.

  • Flying Leathernecks (1951)

    FLYING LEATHERNECKS


    DIRECTED BY NICHOLAS RAY
    PRESENTED BY HOWARD HUGHES
    PRODUCED BY EDWARD GRAINGER
    RKO RADIO PICTURES


    Photo with the courtesy of lasbugas


    INFORMATION FROM IMDb


    Plot Summary
    Marine Major Dan Kirby is tough on his group of World War II aviators,
    tougher than his subordinate Captain Carl Griffin thinks is necessary.
    But Kirby proves that his method is more suited to the demands of war.


    Full Cast
    John Wayne .... Maj. Daniel Xavier Kirby
    Robert Ryan .... Capt. Carl 'Griff' Griffin
    Don Taylor .... Lt. Vern 'Cowboy' Blithe
    Janis Carter .... Joan Kirby
    Jay C. Flippen .... MSgt. Clancy, Line Chief
    William Harrigan .... Dr. Lt.Cdr. Joe Curran
    James Bell .... Colonel
    Barry Kelley .... Brigadier General
    Maurice Jara .... Shorty Vegay
    Adam Williams .... Lt. Bert Malotke
    James Dobson .... Lt. Pudge McCabe
    Carleton Young .... Col. Riley
    Michael St. Angel .... Capt. Harold Jorgensen, Ops. Officer (as Steve Flagg)
    Brett King .... 1st Lt. Ernie Stark
    Gordon Gebert .... Tommy Kirby
    Milburn Stone .... Fleet CIC radio operator
    Lynn Stalmaster .... Lt. Billy Castle
    Charles Brunner .... Navajo father on reservation (uncredited)
    Ralph Cook .... (uncredited)
    James Craven .... Fleet CIC commander (uncredited)
    Gail Davis .... Virginia Blithe (uncredited)
    Michael Devery .... (uncredited)
    Sam Edwards .... Junior (uncredited)
    Fred Graham .... MP sergeant (uncredited)
    Douglas Henderson .... (uncredited)
    Milton Kibbee .... Indian Affairs clerk (uncredited)
    Keith Larsen .... (uncredited)
    Harry Lauter .... Freddie (uncredited)
    John Mitchum .... Lt. Black (uncredited)
    Brit Norton .... Capt. Walter Tanner (uncredited)
    Melville Robert .... (uncredited)
    Elaine Roberts .... (uncredited)
    Harlan Warde .... Admiral's aide (uncredited)
    Dick Wessel .... Mess sergeant (uncredited)
    Mack Williams .... (uncredited)
    Adam York .... (uncredited)


    Writing Credits
    Kenneth Gamet story
    James Edward Grant screenplay
    Beirne Lay Jr. screenplay (uncredited)


    Original Music
    Roy Webb


    Cinematography
    William E. Snyder (director of photography)


    Trivia
    This movie is often considered merely another assignment of Nicholas Ray's at RKO for Howard Hughes to prove his political and professional alliance during the Red Scare. A blatant pro-war movie that Hughes cared about and Ray did not, Ray disagreed with the film's politics and is said, along with Robert Ryan, to intentionally over-act. Ryan and Ray, who were leftist liberals, constantly fought against John Wayne and Jay C. Flippen, who were conservatives and supported the Blacklist.


    There was some controversy over the casting, since both John Wayne and Robert Ryan were clearly much older than real pilots during World War II.


    This was Nicholas Ray's first film in color.


    Even though this film is in color, the RKO Studio's film logo seen at the beginning of the movie is in black-and-white.


    The film's dedication states: "Dedicated to the United States Marine Corps, and especially to Marine aviation. Appreciation is gratefully acknowledged for their participation and assistance which made this picture possible."


    John Wayne's character in this movie, Major Daniel Xavier Kirby, was based on Captain John Lucien Smith, USMC Ace who was Commanding Officer in the Marine Fighting Squadron 223 at Guadalcanal in 1942 during World War II. Smith was a Medal of Honor recipient in 1943 and a leader of the "Cactus" Air Force. Smith, a wildcat fighter pilot, shot down nineteen Japanese airplanes over Guadalcanal in 1942. Smith's achievements and commendations were well known to the public prior to this film being made. Smith was eventually promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and likewise, Wayne's Kirby character is also promoted to the same rank in this movie. Moreover, there is also a physical likeness and resemblance between Wayne and Smith.


    The Leathernecks of the film's title is military slang. Leatherneck is a common nickname for marines of the United States Marine Corps (USMC).


    Robert Ryan was cast by director Nicholas Ray because he had been a boxer in college and believed that he was the only actor that could play opposite John Wayne and "kick Wayne's ass."


    The film utilized actual color aerial battle footage. According to the book "Brassey's Guide to War Films", this movie utilized combat footage from newsreels of the Korean War [the Korean War was fought in its entirety between 1950-1953 but the footage would be circa 1950-1951 due to the production dates of the film]. Yet this is a World War II movie about the Battle of Guadalcanal which predates the Korean War.


    This film is about marine pilots fighting in the Battle of Guadalcanal. Guadalcanal is situated in the Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean, north-east of Australia. Its local name is Isatabu and contains the country's capital, Honiara. The island is humid and mostly made up of jungle with a surface area of 2,510 square miles or 6,500 square kilometers. Guadalcanal was named after Pedro de Ortega's home town Guadalcanal in Andalusia, Spain; de Ortega worked under Alvaro de Mendana de Neira who charted the island in 1568.


    This is a Howard Hughes production as the opening credits declare. It is well known that Hughes himself was an aviation aficionado who also produced Hell's Angels (1930), Sky Devils (1932) and Jet Pilot (1957), the latter of which also starred John Wayne.


    The squadron's designation in the movie was VMF-247 but in the real life campaign the movie was based on the designation was VMF-223. VMA 223 stands for Marine Attack Squadron 223. This was the United States Marine Corps fixed wing attack squadron that comprised mainly AV-8B Harrier (V/STOL) jets. It has been active since 1st May 1942 and is still presently today an active air force squadron.


    The fighter planes seen in the early part of the film are not the actual Grumman F4F Wildcat planes which were part of the Guadalcanal air campaign but Grumman F6F Hellcat planes. Hellcats were more readily available at the time the movie was made in 1951 as not many Wildcats had actually survived World War II. Moreover, Hellcats painted white and red also doubled as enemy Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter planes of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (IJNAS).


    Marines got the nickname of "Leathernecks" from the fact that early uniforms had a collar made of leather which was intended to protect the throat from knife wounds.


    Goofs
    * Crew or equipment visible: Wires used to pull the canopy away are visible when Cowboy bails out over point Zebra.


    * Anachronisms: When Major Kirby is just home from the war, he takes a letter from a mailbox which in a full-screen shot is shown to have a six-cent stamp. Six-cent stamps weren't issued until 1949, four years after the war ended.


    * Anachronisms: Early in the movie, it states the date was summer 1942. This would make the planes and insignia incorrect. After Pearl Harbor, the insignia removed the red circle inside the white star, but didn't have the white sidebars. Further, the planes shown are Grumman F6F Hellcats. In 1942 the Navy/Marines used the Grumman F4F Wildcat. The Hellcat didn't tangle with Japanese planes until the later half of 1943.


    * Continuity: During the 1st patrol off Guadalcanal after the nightly ship bombardment, "Jigsaw 4" is returning to base due to an engine problem (assumed cowardice by Pilot). Later in the same patrol, another Pilot is leaving formation and is shot down (later killed by Japanese Infantry) also under codename "Jigsaw 4".


    * Continuity: At about the 56 minute mark, the Navajo Indian pilot is shot in a dogfight. In the initial scene he is wounded in the right leg; in subsequent scenes, the wound is in the left leg.



    Filming Locations
    Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base, San Diego County, California, USA
    El Toro Marine Base, Lake Forest, California, USA


    Watch the Trailer


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    Some earlier discussion:-


    Flying Leathernecks