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Flight Command, starring Robert Taylor, Ruth Hussey, Walter Pidgeon

Flight Command

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Flight Command (1940) starring Robert Taylor, Walter Pidgeon, Ruth Hussey, Red Skelton

I originally watched  Flight Command because it was one of Red Skelton‘s earliest movie roles — which is technically true; Red’s in the film as part of the Hellcats squadron, acting as the class clown, but he’s definitely a secondary character.  Flight Command is primarily about a brash young pilot, Alan Drake (played by Robert Taylor) who’s recruited straight out of college to join the premier squad of Navy Hellcats.  He has trouble fitting in at first, although the flight commander (played by a young and dashing Walter Pidgeon) tries to help — as does the commander’s wife (played by Ruth Hussey). There’s a suspected romantic triangle between Drake and the commander’s wife (which was only him trying to console her on the death of her brother) — but all turns out well in the end.

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5 Fingers (1952) starring James Mason, Danielle Darrieux, Michael Rennie

5 Fingers

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5 Fingers (1952) starring James Mason, Danielle Darrieux, Michael Rennie

Synopsis of 5 Fingers

The valet to the British ambassador in Turkey during WWII decides to improve his lot …. By selling his employer’s top-secret documents to the Nazis. This classic spy film stars James Mason. Based on the true story of Elyesa Bazna, one of the most famous spies of World War II. It was nominated for two Academy Awards®.

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Twelve O'Clock High, starring Gregory Peck, Dean Jager

Twelve O’Clock High

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Twelve O’Clock High, starring Gregory Peck, Dean Jager

Synopsis of Twelve O’Clock High

An Allied flight commander and his successor run daylight bombing raids out of England. Directed by Henry King. Best supporting Oscar for Dean Jagger.Read More »Twelve O’Clock High

The Hasty Heart (1949) starring Richard Todd, Ronald Reagan, Patricia Neal - Warner Brothers most raved-about hit since "Johnny Belinda"

The Hasty Heart

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The Hasty Heart (1949) starring Richard Todd, Ronald Reagan, Patricia Neal

Synopsis of The Hasty Heart

 In The Hasty Heart, a group of Allied soldiers are recovering in a hospital of Burma, when a dour Scot is added to their ranks. The Scot is dying, unknown to himself.  Can the soldiers and nurse reach out to him?

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Destination Tokyo (1943) starring Gary Cooper, John Garfield

Destination Tokyo

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Destination Tokyo (1943) starring Cary Grant, John Garfield

Synopsis of Destination Tokyo

 It’s a daring and dangerous underwater adventure with Oscar-winner Cary Grant (The Awful Truth, Suspicion, North by Northwest) as the captain of a U.S. submarine bound for a search and destroy mission in Tokyo harbor during WWII. Co-starring Oscar-nominee John Garfield (Gentleman’s Agreement, The Postman Always Rings Twice). Look for the screen debut of young John Forsythe (TV’s Dynasty  and the voice of Charlie on Charlie’s Angels). Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Screenplay.

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Thirty Seconds over Tokyo DVD case, starring Van Johnson, Phyllis Thaxter, Spencer Tracy

Thirty Seconds over Tokyo

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Thirty Seconds over Tokyo (1944) starring Van Johnson, Phyllis Thaxter, Spencer Tracy, Robert Walker, Robert Mitchum

Buy Thirty Seconds over Tokyo from Amazon.com Van Johnson and his flight crew in Thirty Seconds over TokyoThe old adage says that you shouldn’t judge a book by its’ cover — and that goes for DVD cases as well. Judging from the DVD case, you would think that Thirty Seconds over Tokyo is starring Spencer Tracy — and you would be wrong. Spencer Tracy does appear, and he does a fine job portraying James Doolittle, the man behind the World War II raid on Tokyo. But the central character in this movie is pilot Ted Lawson. Van Johnson portrays him excellently. The movie breaks into three parts:

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Sahara (1943) starring Humphrey Bogart, Bruce Bennett, J. Carrol Naish, Lloyd Bridges

Sahara

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Sahara (1943) starring Humphrey Bogart, Bruce Bennett,  J. Carrol Naish,  Lloyd Bridges

Sahara is, in short, an excellent movie — €” set in World War II, in the desert conflict, it involves a ragtag multi-national group of Allied soldiers (Humphrey Bogart, Bruce Bennett, Lloyd Bridges) as well as their Italian prisoner of war (played memorably by J. Carrol Naish) who come upon an oasis in the desert — €” a crumbling ruin.

The ruin has a cistern — €” not a well, but a storage place for water, that’s nearly dry. The GI’s no sooner find it than they’re surrounded by Nazi soldiers, who are dying of thirst — €” but are armed to the teeth.

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Mr. Winkle Goes to War

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Mr. Winkle Goes to War (1944) starring Edward  G. Robinson

review of an excellent patriotic war movie, Mr. Winkle Goes to War, where Edward G. Robinson gives a truly wonderful performance as the title character

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Bataan, starring Robert Taylor, Desi Arnaz

Bataan

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Bataan (1943) starring Robert Taylor, Desi Arnaz

Bataan“ is a World War II movie of a desperate delaying action. It’s remembered as Desi Arnaz’ best dramatic role

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