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113 of 115 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Technicality, or where were you in 1942?, August 9, 2001
For those of you that will or want to screech about how technically incorrect this movie is, remember this movie was made and released in 1944. That means it was made and released during the Second World War. The U.S. government was loathed to confirm the fact that a sea battle even took place near Midway Island, let alone disclose what our force make-up was or what our or what it believed the enemies real battle looses were. Additionally, in 1944 it was still unknown for certain what was results of the Torpedo Bombers attack. It wasn't until after the war that it was learned what actually happened. Although it is true that the Torpedo Bombers didn't get hits on the Japanese Carriers, the real point is that the TBF Squadrons took nearly 75% casualties in this battle, that if it wasn't for those brave men who gave their lives up at very-low altitude, the Dive Bombers coming in from 12 to 15,000 feet above the torpedo attacks may not have got the chance they needed to get through the Japanese air cover. Once again, it's also true that in 1944 none of this information was either known or if suspected, any where near releasable to the population as true. Heck, one of our submarines reported sinking one of the 4 Japanese carriers and was actually credited with the sinking. That was until post war interrogations of the Japanese sailors that fought at Midway revealed they saw submarine torpedos hit a carrier during the air attacks and break up, without detonating. By the way, the character portrayed by Dana Andrews was right to be worrying about Japanese radar. Because even though the Japanese didn't have radar on their ships at Midway, the United States Navy thought they might have radar and trained its Carrier Wings to expect its use. When you get right down to it, this film is as technically correct as the US Navy in 1944 could be. I saw `A Wing and a Prayer` at least 30 times on board US Navy ships and on TV since 1946. I bought the VHS copy I'm reviewing now about two years ago. If you like classic war movies made during WWll, this is one of the best. It`s a fine film, with excellent acting.
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27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
"A Wing and a Prayer" - An excellent W.W.II Period film!, July 1, 2000
During W.W.II the Hollywood movie studios, as a part of the war effort, created many war films that were of a genre loosely known as "propaganda films". These films generally presented the movie goer with the same three basic points of view: 1. Why we need to fight W.W.II 2. We not only need to fight, but we need to fight as a team. 3. The going is tough now, but if we persist we will win. Many people (me included) think these movies presented the best of American values. ------ "A Wing and a Prayer" is an excellent example of this type of movie. It follows the exploits of "Carrier X" and her crew through the desperate opening months of W.W.II when Japan, following the US Pearl Harbor disaster, was seeking to destroy the remnants of the US Navy by engaging them in a decisive large scale sea battle, and remove them as a Pacific threat. We learn, though the death of several U.S. aviators, the reasons why they are willing to die for their country (why we fight). The cocky young "movie star" pilot ("Oscar") who thinks mainly of himself, at the beginning of the movie, is forced, by the end of the movie, to make a decision that weighs his own life and that of his crew against the lives of the men of "Carrier X" (sacrifice and teamwork). Finally we are shown that if we persist in our just cause we can, through sacrifice and teamwork, succeed against overwhelming odds (defeat of a large Japanese task force by a smaller American force). Though "Carrier X" is never identified, it is rumored that it is loosely based on the exploits of the USS Yorktown. Although the accuracy of everything from aircraft types used, to damage inflicted by and upon the enemy, and the accuracy and order of specific events can be questioned, the one thing cannot is that, in general, this situation actually happened (The Battle of Midway). ---- Finally, when considering your purchasing dollar, this is an excellent period film that belongs in your library, it can be viewed and reviewed, and still remain fresh and entertaining. Four Stars!
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51 of 57 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
just to set the record straight (Kreutzman and San Jose), February 25, 2001
I have been looking for this video for 46 years. When I was 6, I read about this movie that was shot using my dad's action film from landing his hellcat(not during the battle at midway) all shot to s--t from a strafing run on a train and an arial battle on the way home that took out his instruments including compass and radio. His fuselage was virtually cut in half and one wing was hanging and he ran out of fuel as he finally sighted the carrier. He clipped the tower (made the XO jump to the water)losing the back half of the fuselage and the wing and landed with only a few bruises. (During the movie,Midway, they used my dad's landing again and as he climbed out they cut and inserted the pilot being dragged out.) The reporters that photographed and filmed this for Life and Natonal geographic and other interests entitled the articles " ON A WING AND A PRAYER" and this was where the title originated.(years before the song and the B-52 bunch Mr. Kreutzman) The other pilots came up with this name because my dad was a very devout mormon and was often working or praying while the others were partying. His name was Lt. Robert Maxwell Black, thus his nicknames Moldy Maxwell or Black Angel. His praying and one winged landing equals the "wing and a prayer". I talke to a Utah man that was on that bomber crew and he said because bob black was a utah hero, all the papers carried the wing and a prayer story. It just seemed appropriate for his story too, so they used it. (for that reason, not the song)
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