The versatile Howard Hawks combines personal experience and knowing skills in directing this enjoyable WWII propaganda movie, which was nominated for four Oscars, winning one for editing.
Air Force (1943)
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Reviews Counted:7
Fresh:7
Rotten:0
Average Rating:7.8/10
Runtime: 2 hrs 4 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Synopsis: The crew of a B-17 Flying Fortress, the Pearl Harbor-bound Mary Ann, takes off from San Francisco on December 6, 1941, with a collection of men ranging from grizzled veteran White (Harry Carey) to... The crew of a B-17 Flying Fortress, the Pearl Harbor-bound Mary Ann, takes off from San Francisco on December 6, 1941, with a collection of men ranging from grizzled veteran White (Harry Carey) to rookie radio operator Chester (Ray Montgomery) to disgruntled tail gunner Winocki (John Garfield). Along the way, they learn of the surpise attack by the Japanese, and their plane, sent to Wake Island and the Philippines, encounters a furious fight with the enemy that is depicted in stirring aerial battle sequences. As the story unfolds, the men struggle with various personal issues, including one man's frustrated desire to be a pilot, another's hope to live up to his war-hero father's reputation, and a romantic rivalry. A quintessential war film from director Howard Hawks featuring his trademark theme of a group of professionals working together against a common enemy, the picture includes both authentic and re-created war footage; the story culminates in a massive attack on a Japanese fleet. The film garnered four Oscar nominations, including Best Original Screenplay; William Faulkner was an uncredited collaborator on the script. [More]
Starring: John Garfield, John Ridgely, Gig Young, Arthur Kennedy
Starring: John Garfield, John Ridgely, Gig Young, Arthur Kennedy, Charles Drake, Harry Carey, George Tobias, Stanley Ridges, Moroni Olsen, Edward Brophy
Director: Howard Hawks
Director: Howard Hawks
Composer: Franz Waxman
Screenwriter: Dudley Nichols
Producer: Hal B. Wallis
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Reviews for Air Force
All of director Howard Hawks' skills are on display in this exciting, crackerjack WWII film.
Although it draws about the longest and most pliant bow that has ever been drawn in the line of fanciful war films and goes completely overboard in the last reel, it is still a continuously fascinating, frequently thrilling and occasionally exalting show.
It isn't one of the director's most impressive outputs, but when a solid genre entry such as this is one of your "lesser" films, it says a lot about the quality of your work.
Howard Hawks finds a perfect vehicle for his study of the male group. William Faulkner polished the dialogue, but as a silent it would still be tremendously exciting and evocative.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 15% 15% | The Ugly Truth |
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
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| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
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