Comandos do Ar

"Strategic Air Command" is a look at the 1950's, when the needs of the Cold War caused America to begin rearming after having nearly disarmed itself following World War II.

With his trademark sincerity, James Stewart plays Lt. Col. Holland, a former Air Force officer and now ballplayer who is recalled to duty as the new Strategic Air Command expands its might. June Allyson plays Sally, his devoted wife. Together they and the other families of SAC have to cope with the strains that SAC missions put on their personal lives.

The stresses that SAC duty put on families is true enough. But as movie drama it's all written in a way that's utterly trite and predictable. You can practically guess in advance the main set-pieces: Sally is going to become pregnant and have to deal with it without her husband around, Holland is going to get into some life-threatening situations and be thinking of his wife all the while, but he'll be rescued in the end, and so on.

What nearly makes up for a trite plot, however, is the spectacular aerial photography of the two "actors" that truly steal the show: SAC's B-36 Peacemaker bomber, and its state-of-the-art (at the time!) medium jet bomber, the B-47. The B-36, a huge flying battleship with six prop engines plus four jet engines, and a crew of maybe 15, is beautifully photographed in flight, with an accompanying musical score. For today's younger generation who are used to today's ultra-modern planes, the movie is worth seeing for its loving last look at a generation of impressive aircraft that never saw combat, and hence aren't as well known as both their predecessors and successors that did serve in war.

If you like old airplanes, you'll love this movie. Seeing the B-36 and B-47 from the POV of people laying eyes on them for the first time was a trip. Despite it's slightly stilted propaganda dialouge, this is a film well worth watching.

Next year, 2005, will be the 50th anniversary of the movie, "Strategic Air Command." Nearly all reviews of this movie are quite similar...a somewhat boring movie with unsurpassed aerial photography of the magnificent B-36. (One really needs to see the in-flight sequences...they are extraordinary!)

These valid comments really ignore the "larger picture." The B-36 (Peacemaker) stopped flying before the average person living today was born...it was a long time ago. This movie captures a time in America when the military...SAC with its aircraft...ADC (Air Defense Command) with its hundreds of radar sites nationwide...civilians in The Ground Observer Corps...were all involved in "watching the sky" in order to help protect and defend from possible attack by our cold war enemies.

It is difficult, understandably, for many today to comprehend the times and attitudes depicted in "Strategic Air Command." I was there...it did happen. This movie captures some of the dedication that was required. With that in mind, perhaps we can forgive a script and story line that is weak. More importantly, let's celebrate that, a half-century ago, many served and did their duty as the times required. That is the real message of this movie.

I'll be very quick to admit that this is NOT a film that would appeal to everyone. In fact, those who love the film are probably in the minority. So why did I like the film so much and consider it among Jimmy Stewart's best films? Well, I love airplanes as well as history and this film is a great lesson about the beginnings of the Strategic Air Command that was created after WWII in response to Soviet expansion. From the historical standpoint and combined with some of the very best aviation footage ever created, it's a fantastic film. Just watching the B-36 and B-47s flying in very vivid color (VISTAVISION) on a large screen is very inspiring and breathtaking to air aficionados. About the only downside, and this is only a minor gripe, is that occasionally the story itself involving Stewart and his wife, June Allyson, seems a tiny bit hokey. However, overall, this is a wonderful film.

UPDATE--After doing this review, I later read some of the other reviews and was very surprised with one that said how unbelievable the older Jimmy Stewart was in the film! This was pretty funny, since Stewart was in the air force reserves and did fly these planes for real--even eventually retiring as a brigadier general well after this movie was made. So apparently, at least according to some, Stewart wasn't believable even though he DID fly SAC bombers in real life!

I was born a year after this movie was filmed, but I grew up during the cold war and this film is a great reminder of what so many people did on our behalf for so many years. And yes, the views of these great aircraft, now long gone, still amaze me. And whether I should or shouldn't, I like the story. I always enjoy watching Jimmy Stewart, and I remind myself that he actually did some of what he portrays here. He was, as I recall, a reserve Brigadier General in the Air Force after having served during World War II. For him this really was not play acting but reliving the real thing. A true reality show, as opposed to the nonsense on TV today calling itself that. This is the real thing!