Grade: C-
Synopsis: The crew of a B-17 flying fortress set out for Pearl Harbor on the eve of the United States’ entry into World War II.
Air Force is director Howard Hawks’ salute to the Army Air Corps. It’s basically an epic wartime propaganda film, but its use of authentic equipment and Hawks’ mastery of the material make it something more.
There are two big problems with Air Force. The first is that the cast is too homogenized. With the exception of Harry Carey, they all blend together. John Wayne would have been a knockout in John Ridgely’s role as the pilot, but his and Hawks first collaboration wouldn’t be for another six years.
The second problem lies with the film’s first half. It’s very talky. For a war picture, the first hour is very slow. Things pick up quickly in the second half, but a stronger opening would go a long way.
Despite these problems, Howard Hawks still turns in a descent movie. The finale really delivers, and Hawks’ innate feel for the camaraderie amongst men serves him well.
Bottom Line: Fans of the genre should enjoy it, as will World War II buffs due to the authentic hardware, but others should probably look elsewhere.
2 Responses on “Air Force (1943)”:
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Dennis Holton said:
Grade: A+
I could not disagree more with Frank’s poor review. Let’s face facts: “Air Force” is right up there with “God Is My Co-Pilot, Run Silent, Run Deep and other fabulous WWII movies!
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Stephen Holton said:
Grade: A
I also believe that Frank’s review is also significantly off the mark. Considering the special effects of the time, the model work is rather sophiticated. The mixture of serious events, like the death of Harry Cary’s son, and humor, like the name given to the mascot of “Mr. Moto” is developed rather well. It stands amoung other WWII films such as Humphrey Bogar’s Sahara, and Robert Montgomery’s They Were Expendable. It took until a stellar film like 12 O’clock High to factually deal with the true tole combat inflicts on normal humans in abnormal situations. Yes there is some mellow drama and a bit of race related hatred, it reflects well on the cast, crew and Mr. Hawks. Though I am somewhat biased as a former military security investigator, this film mixes the patriotic fervor with the realities of the time.
