Mr_Poppins The story could have been really good but it did not deliver to its potential. It was worth watching to see the old planes in action, navigation methods tracking etc. The scenery was beautiful, but some looked like it was from the Alps, not eastern Canada. Acting, writing and direction was sometimes substandard. The actors seemed to have no idea of how cold 40 below is (especially when the wind is blowing).

Hot 888 Mama . . . and his child co-stars positioned in a YMCA swimming pool next to him for a scene from ISLAND IN THE SKY feared for their lives, according to Bill Wellman, Jr., son of ISLAND's director (and brother to these two kid actors), in a rogue (as in, not acknowledged on IMDb) DVD extra, DOOLEY'S DOWN: THE MAKING OF ISLAND IN THE SKY. In fact, wee Mikey Wellman was so fearful that Pops Wellman had to rewrite this swim pool scene on the fly. Before joining the air search for John Wayne, who's stranded near the North Pole, Devine's character was supposed to race "his" (that it, director Wellman's) two young sons across the short side of the small "Y" pool. Mikey was so hesitant to flop into the same puddle with a walrus-sized critter that his Daddy-the-Director wrote in a "head start" to get his youngster a little bit out of harm's way. This anecdote is just a small part of DOOLEY'S DOWN. (The Wayne Family's Batjac Company churns out many such efforts, and uses them as pieces of multi-part "Making Ofs" for who knows how many flicks, such as the short about screenwriter Ernie Gann, which is an independent chapter of the "Making Of" for BOTH 1953's ISLAND IN THE SKY, and 1954's THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY.)

Bill Slocum Watching John Wayne tear up as he faces the prospect of his own mortality is enough to bring a lump to anyone's throat. "Island In The Sky" is affecting that way, and others, too. If only it moved a little faster...Wayne is Dooley, pilot of a five-man cargo plane contracted by the U. S. Army to service military bases in the Arctic. During the return home, the plane ices up and has to crash land somewhere in the uncharted reaches of Labrador. As Dooley and his crew fend for survival, a team of fellow flyers dedicate themselves to the awesome, awful task of trying to find them."Of course there's nothing to be scared about," Dooley tells one of his crew. "Only a few thousand miles of snow and ice and sleet."Both tough-nosed and sentimental, "Island In The Sky" ostensibly portrays the fate of the stranded aircrew but is as much concerned with presenting the bonds of brotherhood they share with their fellow airmen. That, the narration tells us, is the titular island in the sky, "their special guarded world.""Professional pilots are, of necessity, uncomplicated, simple men," director William Wellman tells us in a narration that runs on and off through the length of the film. "Their thinking must remain straightforward, or they die...violently."The narration is one of "Island In The Sky's" key weaknesses, portentous in spelling out what should be either obvious on screen or felt inside by way of subtext. Another is the adventure itself; the sections with Dooley and his men feature a lot of hand-rubbing, staring at the horizon, and cranking their tiny "coffee grinder" radio in hope of sending a signal someone will hear. Wayne is only so-so here, not helped by the fact he must brood silently for long stretches while we hear his thoughts in voice-over. "Have you ever hit your own kid?" he asks us.The best thing to be said about "Island In The Sky" is the ensemble work of the men in the air looking for Dooley. Quite a lot has been said in these IMDb user reviews, rightly, about Andy Devine as one of the senior pilots, ever-cool and detached as he measures each situation before him analytically, but the rest of the supporting cast is solid, especially Lloyd Nolan and James Arness playing two other pilots, one a soulful wise guy, the other a cocky, impulsive kid.There are about seven different crews apart from Dooley's featured in the movie. Each crew has its own unique character, which we see both in the cockpits and on the ground. Whether it's the way they talk or interact with their instruments, their scenes have authenticity, probably because of aviator Ernest K. Gann taking such an active hand in adapting his book for the screen. I really got to enjoy their company.The film is also helped greatly by the aerial cinematography of William Clothier. At times, you almost gasp at how close the lumbering cargo planes get to the trees, the hills, and each other as their metal airframes glint against the sunlight.A memorable scene featuring a wandering member of Dooley's crew packs an unforgettable punch. But Wellman inserts more narration here in the form of the crewman's voiced-over thoughts. It's almost as if Wellman didn't trust the story enough on its own.However pushed "Island In The Sky" gets, it does communicate Gann's message, that man can find strength and hope in the bonds shared with others as well as their own fortitude. Doing so while telling an unusual story set in a remote part of the world gives the film a quality that makes it worth recommending.

nomoons11 I'll start off by saying that I'm no John Wayne fan. I never liked his wooden western portrayals. They were all alike. I didn't know what to expect with this one but what a surprise...it's an absolute winner.I think this one succeeds because John Wayne isn't the "whole" star of this. This film has an incredible cast that outdo Wayne in most scenes. Most of the film the supporting cast is what you see and boy they really get it done...with conviction.The premise is Dooley and his crew are on their way home from a trip and they run into bad weather over northern Canada and have to crash land the plane in a baron area on the Tundra. The other crew's at their home base in Maine find out and they all proceed to try and find where's he's at in time...before they freeze to death. Here's where the meat of the film is.I can't say enough how great the supporting cast is. They are this film. From James Arness right down to ole Alfalfa from Our gang. They all pitch in make this film a worthy watch.Take a chance on this one and you'll walk away cheering at the end.