Air Force

Air Force is Howard Hawks's ensemble salute to the Army Air Corps. Though John Garfield is in it and he was a major star at Warner Brothers, he really is part of an ensemble cast. Hawks meant this as an ensemble piece and you know that by the billing where the crew of the B-17 nicknamed by the crew the Mary Ann is in rank order. Tail gunner Garfield is down the list.

The plane leaves 12/6/41 for Hickam Field in Hawaii and we know what happened the next day. The Mary Ann lands and takes off and makes a bunch of stops where the Japanese are attacking. In the end they are part of a nasty battle.

Warner Brothers special effects was at the top of its game. The cast is perfectly suited for their roles right down to a dog that gets hostile at the name Moto. Captain John Ridgely's death scene is the dramatic highlight of the film.

Air Force got an Oscar for film editing. It's a wartime flag waver to be sure but it still holds up well today.