georgewilliamnoble During WW2 In the Pacific war American marine pilots flying Hellcat fighters defeat the Japanese.It is always easy to view a film made six decades earlier and see it as poorly made or badly written or acted or all three as just dated. Well they make plenty of unrealistic films today but war films in particular seem to suffer from the limitations of their time and this is a case in point. While all the aviation scenes are reused combat footage and thus ultra realistic the dialogue and attitudes represented grind hard against modern views and cynicism. This is a John Wayne film first a world war two film second and is undiluted in its patriotism and heroism in the worst American way but typical of the pre-Vietnam fifties. It is worth comparing British films of the same era "The Dam Busters" for example how understated they are by contrast. However as a action war film with lots of fabulous and original combat footage it is worth a look, but the John Wayne performance and part is just pure Hollywood all death or glory and the superiority of American power and the American way.

CitizenCaine Flying Leathernecks is notable as Director Nicholas Ray's first color film and his only war film. Right wing Howard Hughes controlled the production at RKO, while left wing Nicholas Ray made the best of it. As a result, Ray cast Robert Ryan as Captain Carl Griffin to counter John Wayne's Major Dan Kirby. Ryan and Wayne were also politically antithetical as were their characters, creating an interesting contrast and making a standard war film a bit more believable in light of several mishaps. Wayne and Ryan are well-balanced throughout the film as the hard as nails flight commander vs. the more humane second in command. Both have to keep a bunch of young squadron fighters together as they face mission after perilous mission. The film is set during the summer of 1942, following the Pearl Harbor Attack. Several reviewers have already pointed out the anachronisms involving the different planes used in the film, having them appear earlier in the war (in the context of the film) than was actually the case. This was often the case when films were made during the era of a present war, in this case the Korean War, about the era of a previous war (World War II). It's hard to imagine aerial color footage of the period depicted was not available, or it's possible Howard Hughes wanted to use the available footage because of little or no cost vs. researching more appropriate footage. In any event, color aerial and battle footage from the Korean War was used. Some of the wounded soldiers seen in the footage are jarring in such a Hollywood production and serve as a contrast to the largely flag-waving viewpoint of the film. As much as it is carefully interspersed in the film, even the casual viewer can decipher between the actual footage and studio sets because the lighting changes make it obvious. Therefore, the plane sequences with the actors are hopelessly phony due to the repeated actual aerial footage seen. Although usually not often the case, the film also takes time in several instances to highlight those left behind when soldiers are off to fight: parents, wives, children. Jay C. Flippen adds a supporting turn as Master Sergeant Clancy. **1/2 of 4 stars.

Spikeopath Major Dan Kirby {John Wayne} is a tough no nonsense leader, he takes control of his new unit, the Wildcats Squadron, and from the outset they find him overly harsh. They were hoping that the more amiable Captain Carl Griffin {Robert Ryan} was to lead them, and as the war rages both Kirby & Griffin find themselves at odds with each other, but as the battle of Guadalcanal looms, this unit must come together or face the consequences.The Flying Leathernecks has its problems for sure, the production is poor and the inter cutting of real footage is overkilled to the maximum. However the acting is very good and its tale of men under pressure trying to do the right thing is highly engrossing. The aerial sequences have the desired effect, and the horrors of war are fully realised, but ultimately what makes The Flying Leathernecks a worthy picture is the portrayal of the two lead characters by Wayne & Ryan, how the two men do what it takes to give their squadron the best chance of surviving, both Wayne & Ryan shine and put much gravitas to the picture. As a character study it isn't as good as something like Twelve O'Clock High, but it's a very involving picture that deserves to be considered a worthwhile entry to the sub-genre of psychological war films. 7/10

Don Rogers Made only two years later, this plays like a pale (albeit colorized) remake of Sands of Iwo Jima (1949). Not only does it have the same star (Wayne) playing essentially the same tough-as-nails Marine sergeant character, it also has the same screenwriter (James Edward Grant).Though this film was directed by Nicholas Ray, it has none of his characteristic directorial excesses. It feels much more like a (lesser) Howard Hawks film. The use of color in the battle sequences must have seemed to 1951 audiences like a step forward in gory realism, but they are not that impressive by today's standard.The film benefits from a very good second-lead performance by Robert Ryan, who plays the more humane foil to Wayne's hard-bitten taskmaster. On the other hand, Jay C. Flippen more than exhausts his welcome as the stock comedy relief.An OK Duke/WW2 picture -- worth seeing once. But by all means, see Sands of Iwo Jima and They Were Expendable first.