The Wings of Eagles (1957)
The Wings of Eagles has a strange arc: the first hour is treated like a comedy, the middle half hour is a compelling drama, and the last half hour is uneven. I don’t know why the final script wasn’t given a little more work before the cast and crew went into production, but if someone asked me the genre of the film, I’d struggle to come up with a definition.
John Ford, John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, and Ward Bond are all reunited for another movie, a true story about a dedicated Navy man who suffers a terrible accident. The first hour features John and Maureen as a young couple as he places his military service above their family life. It’s incredibly corny, and it’s a perfect representative of why I’ve never liked either actor until I’d seen a wider range of movies.
Where does the drama come in? One night, after John and Maureen have made up after an argument, he lets her off the hook when one of their kids has a nightmare. Since he’s never home, he wants to be a good dad and check on his daughter – but he trips and falls down the stairs. Turns out he’s horribly injured and paralyzed from the neck down! Yes, this part of the movie is extremely good. Dan Dailey has a wonderful sequence, bringing good cheer into the hospital room and motivating John to say, sing, and shout, “I’m gonna move that toe!” But when Dan’s part of the movie is over, he takes the enthusiasm and energy with him.
If you love the trio of actors often present in John Ford movies, you might want to watch this mid-’50s flick. It was based on a true story, so that explains the randomness of the plot.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. In the beginning when John Wayne is flying, the camera swoops a little, and in the end on the ship, there’s some bobbing camerawork that will make you sick. In other words, “Don’t Look, Mom!”
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "Juhi Thaker" for posting!
More Ward Bond movies here!
More Maureen O'Hara movies here!
John Ford, John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, and Ward Bond are all reunited for another movie, a true story about a dedicated Navy man who suffers a terrible accident. The first hour features John and Maureen as a young couple as he places his military service above their family life. It’s incredibly corny, and it’s a perfect representative of why I’ve never liked either actor until I’d seen a wider range of movies.
Where does the drama come in? One night, after John and Maureen have made up after an argument, he lets her off the hook when one of their kids has a nightmare. Since he’s never home, he wants to be a good dad and check on his daughter – but he trips and falls down the stairs. Turns out he’s horribly injured and paralyzed from the neck down! Yes, this part of the movie is extremely good. Dan Dailey has a wonderful sequence, bringing good cheer into the hospital room and motivating John to say, sing, and shout, “I’m gonna move that toe!” But when Dan’s part of the movie is over, he takes the enthusiasm and energy with him.
If you love the trio of actors often present in John Ford movies, you might want to watch this mid-’50s flick. It was based on a true story, so that explains the randomness of the plot.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. In the beginning when John Wayne is flying, the camera swoops a little, and in the end on the ship, there’s some bobbing camerawork that will make you sick. In other words, “Don’t Look, Mom!”
Want to watch it? Click here to watch it on ok.ru. And thanks "Juhi Thaker" for posting!
More Ward Bond movies here!
More Maureen O'Hara movies here!