Customer Reviews

A Gathering of Eagles [VHS]

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I saw this film as a kid, growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, and it was the reason I decided then that I wanted to join the Air Force when I grew up. I served some time with a Titan II wing at Little Rock AFB, AR, as an enlisted man, and after getting commissioned, attending navigator and electronic warfare officer school, became a crew member on B-52Gs -- the same type as those in the film -- at Barksdale AFB, LA. The romance between Mary Peach and Rock Hudson is a bit hokey, but the aerial work by Paul Mantz and the minimum interval takeoff launch of B-52s during the ORI is GREAT. This film is extremely accurate, both for the missileers and the fly guys. It captures very well the look, the spirit, and the procedures of the real SAC. Kinda makes you nostalgic for those old 1505s (khaki uniforms), too!
Dick Cole, Major, USAF (Ret.), former B-52G instructor electronic warfare officer.

My father flew with SAC and experienced the ORI -- many times I watched this movie with him. And now I am retired Air Force.

This goes down as one of the all time great Air Force flicks. It's a little over dramatic but highlights problems in personnel and readiness which were accurately displayed, as well as the importance of to-the-moment readiness our military has maintained - and continues to maintain.

This is one of the golden classics and is a must see for anyone curious about Strategic Air Command then, and how we got to be where we are now.

Now when does it come out on DVD? I think extras about SAC and 8th Air Force would be wonderful.

I saw this movie three times: once as a child, the other in High School, and finally while I was on active duty at Wurtsmith AFB, MI., in 1981. Throw out the romance portion of the film, and one sees the Strategic Air Command (SAC) as it was during the Cold War era. I had arrived to Wurtsmith as the Wing/Base Level Data Automation Officer after serving three years in SAC Headquarters. Going through two Operational Readiness Inspections (ORI) in a ten month period -- the 379th BMW and my orginazation did well in both -- I saw what the real Air Force was like. The IG came unexpectedly and without notice. This film is pretty much acurate on how a base prepares for a contingency. When a Wing fails an inspection, the Wing Commander and pretty much all, or most his directors (thus the title "A Gathering of Eagles") are fired on the spot. Colonels with aspirations of making General are now forced to end there careers early. This is a must see film for military history buffs and those novices who are curious about the United States Air Force.

A Gathering of Eagles is an apparent Cold War adaptation of 1949's World War II-theme movie Twelve O'Clock High. In this feature Strategic Air Command assigns Colonel Jim Caldwell (Rock Hudson) to take over command of a B-52 bomber wing that recently failed an emergency readiness exercise. Similar to General Savage of Twelve O'Clock High, Colonel Caldwell comes in as the new, hard commander intent on improving the wing's readiness, taking on a tough persona to get his officers and airmen to perform their duties in accordance with SAC's demanding mission of nuclear deterrence. The job turns out to be tougher than expected as Caldwell's newlywed wife Victoria (Mary Peach) has trouble adjusting to life in SAC, and when his best friend Colonel Hollis Farr (Rod Taylor) begins to reveal liabilities as the vice commander. Matters become more complicated when Victoria and Hollis appear to be spending too much time together. While A Gathering of Eagles does not feature an air-combat theme as Twelve O'Clock High, it remains a serious Cold War piece on SAC's responsibility for maintaining nuclear forces ready to deploy at a moments notice. The marriage sub-plot with Caldwell and his wife, unfortunately, is boring and steals too much screen-time for the drama of Caldwell's command to match its World War II predecessor. Despite this criticism, Colonel Caldwell's challenges with Hollis and the wing remain interesting and it is a credible portrayal. The movie features some nice B-52 bomber scenes, and it's a good nostalgic feature of SAC in 1963.

I was stationed at Warner Robbins AFB GA. 1964-66, 465th bomb wing[H]. We had B-52's and KC-135's. I experinced two ORI's. I watched nine 52's and nine 135's take off within fifteen seconds of each other, just like it is shown in the movie. The noise and power those bad boys deliver is hard to imagine, but this movie does it very good justice. This movie, that has an average rating of 4 1/2 stars needs to be on DVD, with added features about the real SAC, from the archive of the USAF. Being on alert seven days on and seven off, was hard on the men and women who served in the military, along with their familys. We are free today because of that dedication, and it continues to this day.

I was only 3, but this movie is one I remember from an early age. My father flew in some of the scenes and was second in command, behind Gen. Byerly, the commanding officer at Beale AFB. My father was a B-52 pilot for the re-fueling scenes and also flew in the interval take-off, landing scene (I have a photo of the camera crew filming this scene. Awesome! They were right next to the runway.) The scene of the afternoon get-together in the backyard was the actual backyard of Gen. Byerly's house. The briefing room was actually the briefing room used at Beale and those are real Beale airmen Rock is talking to. A party was held for the cast and crew on the base. Byerly's wife had herself and my mom on either side of Rock. However, my mom could not attend - she couldn't find a babysitter for me! :)

Please put out on DVD!!

During the latter years of the 60s' I was stationed at Malmstrom
A.F.B. near Great Falls, Montana. We were a Minuteman missle base
and once every blue moon we might get treated to have a B-52 land
at our base. But as in the movie were were also subject to the
SAC Operational Readiness Inspections (ORI) and everything had to
be in tip-top shape and on the money. And as our other reviewers
and the movie indicated, the wing commander's job was on the line, so was the group or base commander. and the inspections
came with little or no warning. I enjoy watching A gathering of
Eagles due to the accuracy of the movie in depicting Air Force
life and the SAC mission. It also helps me to relive the exciting
days of my life as an airman with the 341st Strategic Missle Wing. I would highly recommend this movie to anyone.

Being retired Air Force, I was assigned to then 22nd Air Force or the 60MAW at Travis AFB, Ca from 1973-1990. I was a Flight Engineer on the C-5A and the C-141A/B and of course, we in MAC also had to deal with the ORI's that were "thrown" at us sometimnes without notice. The way the movie presented the facts are very accurate and it serves as a good example of how the aircrews and ground maintenance personnel dealt with the dailt attempts to launch their respective "birds. This movie is one of the best to show the workings of our Air Force and what is involved in assuring that we are always ready to support freedom anytime, anyplace in the world.

I liked the movie. I was in it when it was filmed at Beale AFB, CA
in 1963. I was a Security Policeman on the flight line and we, as
well as our aircrews and missle crews were used as background players.
SAC, with a little human dramatization, was pretty well portrayed with
the ORI (Operational Readiness Inspection) which typically hit about 2 AM
as a No Notice inspection by 15th Air Force.
When the end of the movie came and they showed a missle launch crew,
it was filmed at a Titan I site, and the launch crew and their dialogue
was real. They were not actors.
I would like to see this movie made into a DVD. I used to rent until
I got one that ruined my VCR after use by another renter who damaged the
tape and of course didn't tell anyone.
J.B. First, formerly USAF, SAC

One of Rock Hudson's greatest performances. The movie still resonates today. Wonderful photography, a great score and a fine cast compliment a true Cold War classic. The only crime here is that no DVD version exists for this feature. Those who love this film need to solicit MCA/Universal to get a DVD version released!!!!