Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: VHS Tape
EAN: 9786301325547
Format: NTSC
ISBN: 6301325540
Label: Turner Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: Turner Home Entertainment
Number Of Items: 1
Publication Date: 1992-05
Publisher: Turner Home Entertainment
Release Date: 1992-05-13
Running Time: 102
Studio: Turner Home Entertainment
Theatrical Release Date: 1951-08-28

John Wayne and Robert Ryan co-star in Flying Leathernecks, Nicholas Ray's intense 1951 war movie that managed to appeal to RKO studio chief Howard Hughes's passion for thrilling aerial footage while supplying Ray's own fascination with the human psyche under near-inhuman duress. Wayne plays Major Dan Kirby, commander of a Marine Flying Corps squadron in the South Pacific of World War II. After witnessing the slaughter of men under his command at Midway, Kirby is battle-hardened and in no mood for the familiar style of his executive officer (Ryan). Emotions are further strained as Kirby's pilots are picked off one by one in grueling missions, leading to a crisis that ultimately forces each man to reevaluate his attitude toward sending men to their likely doom. The drama is built around extensive, startling documentary footage of battle action in the sky, but what makes Flying Leathernecks unique is its literate, psychologically probing script. --Tom Keogh

Customer Rating:
Summary: NICHOLAS RAY, OPUS 6
Comment: *** 1951. Directed by Nicholas Ray and produced by Howard Hughes, RKO's owner at that time. John Wayne and Robert Ryan don't agree with the way to handle the young pilots of the Wildcats squadron during the battle of Guadalcanal. A lot of actual World War II footage, a few air battles but no Nicholas Ray in the picture here except maybe in the scenes between Wayne and Ryan. Average.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Turning the Tide against the Japanese
Comment: This movie depicts a time when Pearl Harbor had just been several months ago and Japanese aggression was still on the ascendancy. Major Kirby (John Wayne) is in command of a group of Marine pilots on Guadalcanal. The men are stuck in a miserable jungle, beset by frequent rains. Japanese air raids destroy some of their airplanes on the ground, and too many others are lost in aerial combat. The men are overworked to the breaking point. Besides, their precarious position may be overrun by the Japanese at any time.

While dealing with a rival commander, Major Kirby turns things around. In time, he leads an attack which cripples the Japanese naval forces in the area. He and his fellow pilots also have to fend off Japanese kamikaze attacks.

Kirby's excellent performance results in his elevation in rank to Lieutenant Colonel. He returns to the US, where he gets to see his wife and son. The American High Command has new plans for him...

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Flying Leathernecks
Comment: I love all of the Dukes movies. This is in my collection but it is not one of his best. If you are a John Wayne fan, buy it anyway.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: One of his better war films
Comment: John plays a hard-nosed squadron commander in this war film who isn't well received or looked upon by the members of the squadron. But, over time the reasons for his treatment of the fliers as well as why he tackles the problems and situations at hand come to be respected and understood by all. In the end, he becomes the hero and and the tactics and stratagies of the squadron are successful and become the standard for all flying squadrons. A must see for John Wayne fans!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Another John Wayne Classic
Comment: Flying Leathernecks is another action movie loosly based on the battle of Guadalcanal. This title is a good addition to my library!

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