Fresh
Marquee pull of John Wayne and Robert Ryan in the action market has been teamed with a story of Marine fighter pilots.
Variety Staff, Variety
Flying Leathernecks
From Guadalcanal to Okinawa...the Marine air-devils blazed a trail of glory...while the women they left behind fought battles of their own!
1951 · 1h 42m · APPROVED
Action, Drama, War
Directed by
Nicholas Ray
Overview
Major Daniel Kirby 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. Griff is the best flier in the group but Kirby finds him a poor commander who is not prepared to make the difficult decision that all commanders have to make - to put men in harm's way knowing that they may be killed.
Director and cast
- Nicholas Ray Director
- John Wayne as Maj. Daniel Xavier Kirby
- Robert Ryan as Capt. Carl 'Griff' Griffin
- Don Taylor as Lt. Vern 'Cowboy' Blithe
- Janis Carter as Joan Kirby
- Jay C. Flippen as MSgt. Clancy, Line Chief
- William Harrigan as Dr. Lt.Cdr. Joe Curran
- James Bell as Colonel
- Barry Kelley as Brigadier General
- Maurice Jara as Shorty Vegay
- Adam Williams as Lt. Bert Malotke
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
86%
Tomatometer
Rotten
This is arguably Ray's least distinguished film, a relatively conventional, anonymous WWII drama made for RKO mogul Howard Hughes.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
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