Customer Reviews

Flying Leathernecks

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Flying Leathernecks is one of my favorite war dramas to watch on a boring, rainy, summer day. John Wayne is a Marine avatior who drives his men to the edge during training and in the war, installing hatred in their hearts againist him, especially his second in command, played by Robert Ryan, who clashes with Wayne, but goes easy on the squad. Later in the movie, Wayne teaches Ryan the importance of being hard and rough on the squad. This movies should have got some Oscar nominations for
Best Actor: John Wayne
Best Cinematography
Best Supporting Actor: Robert Ryan and for
Best Special Effects.
If you were in the Marine Corps, and if you want to see some old war planes, like Corsairs, Wildcats, a PBY seaplane, and a real harsh look at what Marine Corps pilots went through in WWII, give this movie a try. I recemend it to anyone who served in the Marines, John Wayne fans, and models buffs. Semper Fi Go Marines.

Flying Leathernecks is an entertaining John Wayne adventure about a squadron of Marine fighters stationed on Guadalcanal during the fierce fighting. The Duke plays Major Daniel Kirby, a new squadron leader who tries to get the men into fighting shape as he tries to prove his theory of ground attacks heavily supported by air support. Kirby and his executive officer, Captain Griffin butt heads as they argue over how to treat the men. The plot might sound familiar to Sands of Iwo Jima which it is, but it is still a quality movie. The aerial shots are taken from actual WWII footage that work pretty well with the shots of the actors in their planes. The story is fairly predictable, but it is still worth a watch if nothing else.

John Wayne is pretty good as tough as nails Major Kirby, a role very similar to his role as Sergeant Stryker that earned him a Best Actor nomination. Robert Ryan gives a decent performance as Captain Griffin, who Kirby believes is not ready to take over command of the squadron. Wayne and Ryan work well together throughout. Don Taylor plays Griffin's brother-in-law and fellow squadron member. Jay C. Flippen has a very funny role as Master Sergeant Clancy, Kirby's line chief who has a talent for taking things that are just lying around. Like all Duke movies, I hope this one gets a DVD release since the VHS is not in the best of shape. For an enjoyable Duke adventure, check out Flying Leathernecks!

The Duke himself is in this movie about Marine pilots in the South Pacific during World War II. Since this movie was made in the fifties, there is not a lot of gore and violence. The fight scenes you see are mostly actual footage from aerial combats during WWII.

The movie centers around two things. First, it shows the usage of military planes providing close ground support. Repeatedly, everyone mentions it can't be done, but the Duke and his group continue to show that it is viable. Second, we see the agonies of command.

John Wayne is a major who is not always liked by his subordinates. He is a career military man trying to keep his team, mostly young college men, alive by enforcing discipline. He drives them relentlessly as the executive officer tries to ease up on them. By the end of the movie, the executive officer gets an explanation on why it is necessary for commanders to push their men.

For military film buffs or John Wayne fans, I would highly recommend seeing this movie.

'Flying Leathernecks' illustrates the problems of leadership...

Major Dan Kirby (John Wayne) is commander of a Marine Corps fighting unit sent to Guadalcanal to give support to the ground troops... He is short of planes and pilots, and drives his men to the point of complete breakdown...

The executive officer, Griff (Robert Ryan) objects to Kirby's hard treatment of the men, but he lets his human feelings cloud his judgment... For a soldier that is bad... Kirby is recalled to the States to train pilots in his new low-level attack technique, and before leaving he informs Griff that he does not consider him fit to command... He hasn't yet got the guts to lead...

When they are reunited later, the hostility between them is intense... An emergency arises, and there is a scramble to get into the air to intercept a formation of Japanese bombers...

In the air, Griff's brother-in-law develops engine trouble, turns back and suddenly finds Japanese fighters on his tail... He radios for help... It is Griff's decision... Reluctantly, he commands his men to proceed... They are not to turn back...

Ray was a dynamic, socially conscious director with a keen visual sense and a gift for attaining fluid motion on the screen... He was more comfortable with the darker shadings of 'Rebel Without a Cause' and 'Johnny Guitar,' but he gets fine performances from his stars...

Wayne's strict discipline play well against Ryan's angry intensity, even if everyone in the audience understands that they're going to wind up on the same side by the end of the film...

The air combats shots are impressive but Ray never really puts the viewer in the airplane the way the best flying films do... Nothing here comes close to John Guillermin's 'The Blue Max', 1966 or even Howard Hughes' 'Hell's Angels', 1930.

*** 1951. Directed by Nicholas Ray and produced by Howard Hughes, RKO's owner at that time. John Wayne and Robert Ryan don't agree with the way to handle the young pilots of the Wildcats squadron during the battle of Guadalcanal. A lot of actual World War II footage, a few air battles but no Nicholas Ray in the picture here except maybe in the scenes between Wayne and Ryan. Average.

This movie depicts a time when Pearl Harbor had just been several months ago and Japanese aggression was still on the ascendancy. Major Kirby (John Wayne) is in command of a group of Marine pilots on Guadalcanal. The men are stuck in a miserable jungle, beset by frequent rains. Japanese air raids destroy some of their airplanes on the ground, and too many others are lost in aerial combat. The men are overworked to the breaking point. Besides, their precarious position may be overrun by the Japanese at any time.

While dealing with a rival commander, Major Kirby turns things around. In time, he leads an attack which cripples the Japanese naval forces in the area. He and his fellow pilots also have to fend off Japanese kamikaze attacks.

Kirby's excellent performance results in his elevation in rank to Lieutenant Colonel. He returns to the US, where he gets to see his wife and son. The American High Command has new plans for him...

typical world war two aviation yarn starring the duke as the tough as nails squadron commander. good supporting cast. a plus for the film is the fact that its shot in color, a rarity for this type of film at the time. if you like john wayne and ww2, you'll like flying leathernecks

One of Nicholas Ray's least personal efforts, "Flying Leathernecks" (1951) benefits from the director's humanistic touches. John Wayne and Robert Ryan display solid chemistry in this routine WWII adventure, with good support from Jay C. Flippen as the resourceful supply sergeant. Unfortunately, William E. Snyder's impressive Technicolor cinematography makes the aerial stock footage stick out like a sore thumb. "Flying Leathernecks" does not belong in the pantheon of great war movies, yet the Howard Hughes production is worth seeing at least once.

As a retired army officer and an adjunct history professor I thought it was important to review what I consider the best war movies depicting the challenges of leadership and the command of men.

"The Flying Leathernecks" is one of the best movies at depicting how a good leader puts the mission before his personal relationships, even when it involves friends. I always liked John Wayne in war movies more than in westerns. This movie is similar in theme to another of the "Duke's" movie "In Harm's Way."

Major Daniel Kirby (John Wayne) takes command of a squadron of Marine fliers just before they are about to go into combat. While the men are well meaning, he finds them undisciplined and prone to always finding excuses to do what is easy rather than what is necessary. The root of the problem is the second in command, Capt. Carl 'Griff' Griffin Robert Ryan). Griff is the best flier in the group but Kirby finds him a poor commander who is not prepared to the difficult decision that all commanders have to make - to put men in harm's way knowing that they may be killed. This movie is great at depicting the importance of a leader serving as a mentor to prepare subordinates of increasing leadership responsibility.

John plays a hard-nosed squadron commander in this war film who isn't well received or looked upon by the members of the squadron. But, over time the reasons for his treatment of the fliers as well as why he tackles the problems and situations at hand come to be respected and understood by all. In the end, he becomes the hero and and the tactics and stratagies of the squadron are successful and become the standard for all flying squadrons. A must see for John Wayne fans!