FLYING TIGERS

US, 1942, 100 minutes, Black and white.
John Wayne, John Carroll, Anna Lee, Paul Kelly, Mae Clarke.
Directed by David Miller.

Flying Tigers is a routine wartime action film, a piece of propaganda for American flyers. It was one of the earliest of John Wayne's 'winning the war' movies. He is supported by Anna Lee and John Carroll as a daredevil pilot.

Direction is by David Miller (at this time Billy the Kid, later films including Sudden Fear, Back Street). The film is set in China before the declaration of war against Japan after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. It has good aerial sequences and the usual focus on leadership, clashes, action. The musical score by Victor Young was nominated for an Oscar. (Producer Edmund Grainger produced Flying Leathernecks ten years later, also with John Wayne.)

1. World War Two, Americans in China, pilots?

2. Black and white photography, China and the aerial photography? The Oscar-nominated score?

3. The plot and its familiarity, 1940 vintage, propaganda?

4. Action sequences, aerial shots, the Japanese, the crashes, missions, bombings, accidents, bailing out, the crash into the train?

5. Jim as leader, relationship with the men, on the missions, his relationship with Brook? Going to Rangoon, Blackie wanting to come back, the pleading of his wife? Woody and the downing of the plane? His second-in-charge and the trouble with his eyes, having to ground him? Blackie's death? The absence of Woody, the mission with the second-in-charge dying? Woody going onto the plane, their working together, the straight talk by Woody and Jim's accepting him? Being hit, bailing out, the crash? Reading Woody s letter? Dying with Brook?

6. Woody and his daring in bringing down the plane, his verve, unpopularity with the men, seeming to think killing the Japanese more important than helping buddies? His visit to Verna and giving the money to her, talking about Blackie? The date and his not having permission to go out? The second-in-charge's death? His going on the mission, talking straight about the war to Jim? Pushing him out, wounded, crash-landing in the train? His letter?

7. Blackie and his past, asking Jim for a job, bailing out and dying?

8. The second-in-charge, his efficiency, his eyes going, not seeing clearly and dying?

9. The sketch of the men, their work, relationships?

10. Brook, her work, attraction towards Jim, the date with Woody?

11. Verna, the military wives, pleading for their husbands, deaths?

12. An effective example of popular propaganda?