Paint-by-numbers Air Force recruiting film piloted by paint-by-numbers hack Mervin LeRoy.
There's something about agnoidal Lloyd Nolan delivering cliched lines that just adds up to docu-snooze. The visit by the Senator so the base chief can over-explain what goes on at Edwards Air Force Base is particularly galling. And having an affair with the dish behind the desk? He's old enough to be her grandfather.
I can see why flying geeks like this movie, though. It's cool to see all the old planes America put to use pointlessly dropping bombs in various world sh**h*les.
Bill Holden is believable as the tortured former Korean POW. Is there anything that man couldn't make you believe? No wonder he absolutely owned the 50s.
One other note - the musical cues are as obvious as the plotting and dialogue. Maybe it was subbed out to an intern.
If you have a b*ner for vintage fighter planes or peak Holden, this movie is worth watching once.
