Posts from ethanedwards in thread „Jet Pilot (1957)“

Great photo, and I said in the dedicated thread,
Stunning Russian!

Another great behind the scenes photo

Seems to be getting attention in the other thread,
so copied the relative posts over to here.

Hi Mark,

I've just noticed this duplicate thread has been started,
although the dedicated thread is here,
I have now merged the two.

Have a look at the top of the thread,
where there is a bit more detail,
as to why the film was delayed.
It looks to me, that it
was just Mr. Hughes's, strive for 'perfection'

I paid £5.99 for this movie, that was enough,
anymore, and I'd have felt cheated!!!

Quote from ethanedwards

Hi,

How Duke, could make Sands of Iwo Jima and Rio Grande
and manage to make this utter tosh, in-between, is beyond belief!!!
One of his Top 5 worse films!
He should have walked away, from this one, but perhaps it was the money!
Fortunately, for us all, Howard Hughes hid it from us, for a few years,
to save us from the torture!!!
Duke was at his worst hammy, and making silly facial expressions!!
Another film, adding ammunition, to the critics of his acting.
One quote I read said that the chemistry, between Duke and Janet was great,
I'm sorry, but I can't see that, it wasn't bad, but chemistry it wasn't.
The whole plot was prepostrous and uncredible,and with all those whooshing
sounds evertytime we saw, Janet's bosom, all went, to prove how obsessed, and sad,
Hughes was!!!
It was the Directors, only film, and from this result, one can see why!!
By the time the film was released,the cold war was obsolete, the planes were obsolete,and the whole film, was obsolete!!
Its reviews were devastating, critics were embarrassed,
of how outrageous and silly it all was, and the audiences agreed.

Rating 3/10 for the silliness!

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I haven't changed my mind!

Hi,
I have been researching all the threads, back to the start of the JWMB,
looking for previous discussion, relating to the movies.
I have found the following, comments, and have copied them here,
so that they are now under one forum:

Jet Pilot, Duke The Jet Pilot

Quote

William T Brooks
post Dec 19 2004, 03:59 PM

Ringo; Just got thru watching "JET PILOT" on "AMC Duke Weekend" and I think you had ask about "MIG ALLEY" in the Korean War and this was just after the War ended and the film was Released in 1957.
Because I was a Pilot at this time I had to watch the film. Duke made a very good jet pilot in the film, but think the story was a little weak but the Flyiny Scenes by Howard Hughes were Great as they all ways were when Howard did a flying film!
The aircraft that they came back to the U.S. in the end of the film is the same kind of Aircraft that I stay Current in Jets in and have to do each year in a T-33 and that was not a U.S.S.R.aircraft, but a U.S.A. trainer in the 1950s. I must go now but I will be back later and tell you more about Duke and "Jet Pilot" and "MIG ALLEY"!!! Chilibill

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chester7777
post Dec 19 2004, 04:11 PM

Chilibill isn't pulling our leg, as about a year ago, he sent me a video of himself being
re-certified in a T33 down in Texas. Very interesting as, since I was a kid, the T33 has been one of my favorite airplanes.
The flying scenes in Jet pilot are some of my most enjoyed in a John Wayne film also.

Chester

Quote

The Ringo Kid
post Dec 19 2004, 09:20 PM

Greetings Mr. Brooks, Chester.
I watched Jet Pilot the other night as well. It was my first time having a chance to watch the movie from beginning to ending. I loved the flying scenes too. You are correct, I was wanting to hear what you had to say about Mig Alley. I do not know if my father ever saw any of the air war or not. IN Korea he was in an Air Force Weather Detachment stationed on the top of some hill in Korea. Now in WWII, he was in B-17 Flying Forts as a Ball Turret Gunner. I would greatly enjoy hearing anything you have to say about Mig Alley. I am in the midst of trying to contact some A/F Vets who were there.
A T33, is that not the aircraft that has the two gastank-like things on the wingtips?
Take care Gentlemen, and best regards--TRK.

Quote

arthurarnell
post Dec 20 2004, 09:07 AM

Hi
The problem with Jet Pilot was that Howard Hughes wouldn't put an amen to it, he wouldn't let it go. So although the picture was made in 1949 he insisted on continually adding to the flying sequences with the reult that by the time the picture was released it had two strikes against it, namely it was out of date, and also, issued at a time when John Wayne's popularity at the box office was going through a lean period.
I think that for all that, having seen it on the large screen it is not a bad picture, the colour is superb, as is the sound, and Janet leigh looked very good. I have a couple of photographs including a head and shoulders one of miss Leigh which she autographed for me. Nice lady.

Regards
Arthur

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falc04
post Dec 20 2004, 03:02 PM

I enjoy 'Jet Pilot' very much! My feelings, on why the film is always considered to be one of Duke's worst, is that people are watching it in the wrong mindset. It is not an action picture, or drama....but a light-hearted comedy. There are many amusing back-and-forth conversations between Jim and Anna. Plus, as arthurarnell has mentioned, the technicolor photography is outstanding!

Quote

Stumpy
post Dec 20 2004, 03:13 PM

QUOTE(arthurarnell @ Dec 20 2004, 04:07 AM)
Janet leigh looked very good. I have a couple of photographs including a head and shoulders one of miss Leigh which she autographed for me. Nice lady.
I thought Janet was one of the best looking and sexiest women in Hollywood. I especially liked her in "Scaramouche" and "The Vikings".

Quote

William T Brooks
post Dec 20 2004, 03:25 PM

Ringo, Arthur and Chester; Arthur is right. Howard could never put anything to rest ! When I was flying all those movie people in and out Sedona some 20 years ago Jane Russell told me that when they were doing "The Outlaw" that they would shoot a scene time and time again,
and then months later he would shoot the same scene time and time again!!! Ringo yes that was a T-33 with the big Wing Tip Tanks that Duke and Janet flew back to the U.S.A. in "Jet Pilot".
Ringo; As to "Mig Alley" the B-29s would fly in from Bases in the Pacific and fly up South Korea from Japan and then over Soul toward North Korea and the "YALU RIVER" Between Korea and Southern China. The F-86s would come up out of Kimpo Air Base and fly escort for the B-29s and when the Migs jumped the B-29s the F-86s would take them on and what a job they did! They shot down Ten Migs for every one F-86 that we lost!!! After the B-29s dropped their Bomb load they would turn out towards the Yellow Sea and the F-86s went on North.
At the River they go east and jump the Migs coming out China and then all Hell Broke loose. With what we called "IVAN", U.S.S.R. pilots waiting 10,000 feet higher than the F-86s could go and waiting for a Aircraft that was Shot up and trying to get back to their Base. It was only a few years ago that the Russkys admitted that they had Pilots in China Flying some of these Mig-15s and they where very good Aces out of WW-2.
By this time the F-86s were low on Fuel and had to head South and try to get back to their Base, but some times they would Chase "IVAN" back into China at Low level, this was a NO-NO but they did it any way!!! That was MIG- ALLEY and this was the Last of the "FLYING GUNFIGHTERS"!!! Hope this helps. Chilibill

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Hi,
I have been researching all the threads, back to the start of the JWMB,
looking for previous discussion, relating to the movies.
I have found the following, comments, and have copied them here,
so that they are now under one forum:-

Take Off For Jet Pilot, it's not all that bad

Quote

Itdo
post Feb 14 2004, 09:55 PM

I was re-visiting JET PILOT today and thought I let you know.
I have an old 35mm print of the original release which is rare because Howard Hughes snatched up all the copies when he bought the film back and never showed it again, and it's all scratchy, needs a lot of attention, careful cleaning etc. (stupid hobby! for every minute I watch I do 5 minutes of cleaning) but the Technicolor is still vibrant, colors that just don't come out on a TV, no matter how good the DVD is. Anyway, the film wasn't a big success which is largely part of the belated release, when jets weren't all that new. But over time, the film made its way into the list of JW turkeys. Yet I feel it has a lot to offer.
I think its photography is just beautiful, certainly one of the best Technicolor films of Wayne, in the ranks with Quiet Man and Yellow Ribbon. Seldom was he photographed as a romantic lover that well. Director Josef von Sternberg knew what he was doing. The amour fou was his trademark since his Marlene Dietrich classics. There are soft spots of green and pink, soft shadows on the faces - just honey. Wayne is at his self-confident best in the role of a military man (his scenes with Paul Fix are very relaxed, very good). The romance is built up pretty good. Writer Jules Furthman tried his way with the "I have to search you" scene which he repeated almost exactly in Rio Bravo with Chance/Feathers. There's some very funny dialogue concerning the Russkies and Cold War, which, with the distance of time, seem even funnier than what they must have been back then. Sort of a Ninotchka in the Wayne-World. The hightlights of the film are the airborne sequences: up until then when you had sequences like that, you saw models, etc. Here the air stunts are the real thing. One can only imagine how long it took to shoot those scenes! They're perfect not only as pictures in themselves but for their meaning of story development: The planes of Shannon and Anna act like lovers in a romantic ballet in the air. And Janet Leigh back then was just the hottest thing on two legs. So, in conclusion, when I wonder did someone decide that this has to be one of Wayne's worst movies?

Agree or disagree?

Quote

SaddleTramp
post Feb 14 2004, 11:45 PM

to me you changed your mind from a turkey to a dove.Well the "DUKE" can do that to you. I haven't seen JET PILOT yet but after your unbiased review I will try to get it some time. John Wayne does have some turkey films,my pick is the Barbarian and the Geisha but thats just my opinion. I have collected to date 91 of his films and I can say that there are a few turkeys. But when you collect you collect RIGHT!!! When I see some of the garbage that comes on our satellite tv now a days it doesn't take long to find a "DUKE" film that I haven't seen for awhile(some times it's not that long).When I come in from checking Hiefers that are calving at three in the morning it doesn't take long to pop in one of his tapes. I am back out checking every half hour so it is nice to stop a tape or dvd and pick up where I left off. I guess I am one of the dinasaurs left over from times gone by but I wouldn't change my life as a cattleman-cowboy with anyone(Mad Cow has been a real Bi#*H). I guess that is why I am a DUKE fan. He never said quit and neither will I. The Jet Pilot is definitely on my gotta have list. Watch the DUKE with a Friend....SaddleTramp.... PS...When it comes to the Dukes Turkeys I just believe they are Doves in disguise Right!!!!....ST...

Quote

arthurarnell
post Feb 15 2004, 12:21 AM

I belong to the John Wayne appreciation society which has its base by Nottingham. This has a festival twice a year when they show two of Dukes films. Some years ago I travelled up country to attend one of the these festivals the two films shown were the Fighting Kentuckian, which holds particular memories for me as it was one of the first John Wayne films I saw, and Jet Pilot.

I agree with you. It is not a bad film.

Last night on the biography channel I watched Howard Hughes. Apparently Jet Pilot was his last picture and went from 1947 to 1957 because he tinkered with the picture and shot miles of ariel photography with William Clothier, who was one of Hollywoods great ariel photographers. It was said that John Wayne and Janet Leigh were called back for retakes a year after the film had ended. When it was released. Because of the time lapse the critics had a field day but it is not that bad a picture. Yes the colour is good, Yes Janet Leigh is very delectable - I sent her a photograph from Jet Pilot and she autographed it for me. Paul Fix is good as is J.C. Flippen. was this before or after he lost his leg.

The story does tend to stretch credibility but allowing for that if you want realism watch a documetary.

Regards

Arthur

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chester7777
post Feb 17 2004, 08:07 AM

Believe it or not, Jet Pilot is one of my favorite JW films (not quite into the Top 25 category, but up there nonetheless). As with your perspective, I really enjoyed it because of the aerial photography and sequences, with the jets flying through the clouds with the bright blue sky. In my mind, that made up for the movie plot, which was a bit slow at times. All in all, it was a pretty fun movie, and these jets were the same kind I remember as a young kid, with all of my friends, getting interested in military airplanes.

Chester

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William T Brooks
post Feb 17 2004, 11:59 AM

Chester7777; They were the same type of aircraft that I flew in the early 1950s in the Korean Conflict. I loved the flying scenes but did not care for the story line. Only Howard Hughes could have set up this type of flying scenes ! Chilibill

Hi Bill,
Thanks for your contribution,
and the pictures are great.
The other calalry films will be appearing in the next few days,
so I have no doubt you will be posting on those.

Best Wishe,

Hi Mike,
No problem and thanks for your support,
you have been great with your posts, and
it's been fun reading your comments,

Best Wishes, my friend,

Don't forget tomorrow REUNION IN FRANCE day,

Hi Mike,
by the way, the name is Keith,

Cheers,

Quote

Originally posted by DukePilgrim@Jan 27 2006, 03:14 PM
Do you not know Reunion in France is my favourite movie ever sniff sniff

Seriously, I would rather watch one of John's better movies than one the poorer results.

Mike

[snapback]26044[/snapback]

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Hi Mike,
I've reviewed your "favourite" RENUNION IN FRANCE
and it will be appearing tomorrow,

Best Wishes,

Jet Pilot is a 1957 Cold War action film starring John Wayne and Janet Leigh.
Written by Jules Furthman and co-produced by Furthman and Howard Hughes,
The Technicolor movie went through several directorial changes,
after Josef von Sternberg began the directing between October 1949 and February 1950.
After that point, Furthman, Philip Cochran (second unit director), Ed Killy (assistant),
Byron Haskin (for the model work) and Don Siegel also directed scenes
(Siegel's weren't used), as did Howard Hughes himself.

Filming dragged on for nearly four years.
The last day of shooting was in May 1953,
but the film was kept out of release by Howard Hughes due to his tinkering with the film
(something for which he was notorious) until October 1957,
by which time Hughes had sold RKO.
Universal ended up distributing Jet Pilot.

Although Jet Pilot was publicized as showcasing the U.S. Air Force's latest jets,
by the time it was finally shown most of the aircraft in the film were obsolescent or obsolete,
being supplanted by more modern aircraft.
In one aerial scene, the two lead characters fly a Lockheed F-94 Starfire
to test a radar approach to intercept a propeller driven Convair B-36 bomber.

Jet Pilot was reportedly Howard Hughes's favorite film,
one he watched repeatedly in his later years.

How Duke, could make Sands of Iwo Jima and Rio Grande
and manage to make this utter tosh, in-between, is beyond belief!!!
One of his Top 5 worse films!
He should have walked away, from this one, but perhaps it was the money!
Fortunately, for us all, Howard Hughes hid it from us, for a few years,
to save us from the torture!!!
Duke was at his worst hammy, and making silly facial expressions!!
Another film, adding ammunition, to the critics of his acting.

One quote I read said that

Quote

the chemistry, between Duke and Janet was great,

I'm sorry, but I can't see that, it wasn't bad, but chemistry there was not!!
The whole plot was preposterous and uncredible,
and everytime we saw, Janet's bosom, we got all those whooshing sounds!!
It all proved how obsessed and sad, Hughes really was!!!

It was the Directors, only film, and from this result, one can see why!!
By the time the film was released,the cold war was obsolete,
the planes were obsolete,and the whole film, was obsolete!!
Its reviews were devastating, critics were embarrassed,
of how outrageous and silly it all was, and the audiences agreed.

User Review

Quote

A waste
16 December 2004 | by oilerblueline (New York)

The aerial footage is nice, but once people start talking, the film goes into a tailspin. The plot seems as though it was made up as they went along (on a few occasions, I thought a reel must be missing) and I don't think I'm giving anything away (like there was any suspense anyway) by saying John Wayne must really love Janet Leigh to stay with her after she pistol whips him. Twice. It's unintentionally hilarious but unbelievably bad. I always like Hans Conreid, but he doesn't show up until the very end. All of the other actors in the film have a wooden presentation, as though they brought in actual air force officers to appear in the film. And if the U.S. military really hatched a plan like this, there should be courts martial all around.

INFORMATION FROM IMDb

Plot Summary
Air Force Colonel Shannon is assigned to escort defecting Soviet pilot Anna.
He falls in love with her, but she is scheming to lure him back to the USSR.
But Shannon has a scheme of his own.
Summary written by Jim Beaver

Full Cast
John Wayne .... Col. Jim Shannon
Janet Leigh .... Lt. Anna Marladovna Shannon/Olga Orlief
Jay C. Flippen .... Maj. Gen. Black
Paul Fix .... Maj. Rexford
Richard Rober .... FBI Agent George Rivers
Roland Winters .... Col. Sokolov
Hans Conried .... Col. Matoff
Ivan Triesault .... Gen. Langrad
Dorothy Abbott .... Girl (uncredited)
Phil Arnold .... Bellboy (uncredited)
Lois Austin .... Saleswoman at Palm Springs dress shop (uncredited)
Paul Bakanas .... Russian security man (uncredited)
Gregg Barton .... MP (uncredited)
John Bishop .... Maj. Sinclair (uncredited)
Perdita Chandler .... Georgia Rexford (uncredited)
Joyce Compton .... Mrs. Simpson (uncredited)
Tom Daly .... Hotel clerk (uncredited)
James Dime .... Russian security man (uncredited)
Alan Dinehart III .... Fresh kid at Palm Springs dress shop (uncredited)
Jane Easton .... Girl (uncredited)
Bill Erwin .... Sergeant (uncredited)
Gene Evans .... Airfield sergeant (uncredited)
Elizabeth Flournoy .... WAF captain (uncredited)
Paul Frees .... Lt. Tiompkin (uncredited)
Barbara Freking .... WAAF private (uncredited)
Vincent Gironda .... Muscleman (uncredited)
Fred Graham .... Sergeant (uncredited)
Don Haggerty .... Sergeant (uncredited)
Janice Hood .... Girl (uncredited)
Darrell Huntley .... Officer (uncredited)
Joan Jordan .... WAC sergeant (uncredited)
Mike Lally .... Waiter (uncredited)
Harry Lauter .... Sergeant (uncredited)
Ruth Lee .... Mother (uncredited)
Nelson Leigh .... FBI agent (uncredited)
Sylvia Lewis .... WAC corporal (uncredited)
Herbert Lytton .... FBI agent (uncredited)
Michael Mark .... Russian general (uncredited)
Allen Mathews .... Headwaiter (uncredited)
Keith McConnell .... Bartender (uncredited)
John Morgan .... Lieutenant (uncredited)
Al Murphy .... Waiter (uncredited)
Wendell Niles .... Major (uncredited)
Richard Norris .... Russian interrogator (uncredited)
David Ormont .... Russian interrogator (uncredited)
Jack Overman .... Sergeant (uncredited)
Denver Pyle .... Mr. Simpson (uncredited)
Theodore Rand .... Waiter (uncredited)
Joey Ray .... Waiter (uncredited)
Gene Roth .... Sokolov's batman (uncredited)
Jack Shea .... MP (uncredited)
Jim B. Smith .... (uncredited)
Ruthelma Stevens .... Saleswoman (uncredited)
Armand Tanny .... Muscleman (uncredited)
Kenneth Tobey .... Sergeant (uncredited)
Mamie Van Doren .... WAF (uncredited)
Billy Vernon .... Drunk (uncredited)
Smoki Whitfield .... Henry (uncredited)
Joan Whitney .... WAC sergeant (uncredited)
Biff Yeager .... Captain (uncredited)
Carleton Young .... Technical Sergeant in Palmer Field control tower (uncredited)

Writing Credits
Jules Furthman

Produced
Jules Furthman .... producer
Howard Hughes .... producer

Original Music
Bronislau Kaper

Cinematography
Winton C. Hoch

Stunts
Chuck Yeager .... aerial stunts (uncredited)

Trivia
Filmed between December 8, 1949 and February 8, 1950, this long held-back movie finally debuted on September 25, 1957 in Los Angeles, followed by its Manhattan opening at the Palace Theatre on October 4, 1957.

The US Air Force, still taking advantage of Chuck Yeager's 1947 supersonic flight for publicity, offered his services as a stunt pilot. During a stunt involving the inverted dive of an F-86, Yeager misjudged the dive and overstressed the plane's tail, causing the horizontal stabilizer to come apart while he was too low to eject. He barely managed to pull out.

In a later flight, his plane's engine lost a turbine disk during a routine climb, forcing a dead-stick landing.

Howard Hughes intended to show off the latest in aircraft technology in 1950 (when this film was shot). By the time it was released to the public, in 1957, the aircraft featured were already obsolete.

Features a night intercept of a B-36B by a Lockheed F-94A Starfire. Although the scene is very dark, the rarely seen retractable 20mm cannon turrets of the B-36B are visible in the extended position.

Russian "Yaks" were portrayed by Lockheed T-33As. Dark paint on the lower fuselage obscured the jet intakes, and the tip of the vertical stabilizer was painted light gray to change its outline.

Airfield scenes set in Russia were actually filmed on the main flightline at George AFB, outside of Victorville California, which appeared suitably primitive.

The gloss-black, prototype Northrop XP-89 scorpion appears in some scenes set in Russia.

The last two flights of the first Bell X-1, Glamorous Glennis, were filmed for inclusion in Jet Pilot. It played the part of a Soviet "parasite fighter". The movie shows it being launched from a Boeing B-29 Superfortress. The X-1 was repainted for its role. The vertical stabilizer, fairings on the top and bottom of the fuselage, and the left wing and horizontal stabilizer were painted white. It continued to wear the movie makeup while displayed at the National Air and Space Museum until it was restored for installation in the Milestones of Flight Gallery in 1976.

After intercepting the B-36 in a F-94 Starfire, they are shown departing in a F-80 Shooting Star.

In 1952, at the height of The Cold War, those "take cover" drills, the McCarthy Hearings and the aftermath of the Rosenberg Trials, this picture featured John Wayne portraying an American pilot in love with a defecting Russian spy. The film was put on the shelf for five years.

The film was produced by RKO in 1950 which was owned by Howard Hughes. By the time it was released in 1957, Hughes had sold RKO and the film was released by Universal.

Goofs
* Revealing mistakes: When the fighter breaks off after the radar intercept, the markings on the plane are backwards (flipped film).

* Continuity: When Anna climbs in the two seat jet, there is a canopy support visible. When she taxis away and lowers the canopy the support is missing. The support is used to prevent the canopy from accidentally closing when ground crew are working on the plane.

Advertising carried the credits "Starring John Wayne, Janet Leigh,
and the United States Air Force."

Memorable Quotes

Filming Locations
Edwards Air Force Base, California, USA
Victorville Air Force Base, Victorville, California, USA
Williams Air Force Base, Gilbert, Arizona, USA

Previous Discussion:-
Jet Pilot