Thundering and patriotic drama about aviators set in Canada and subsequently in England . As the brave team of flyers have to fly over perilous obstacles , hemmed in by impassable Canadian mountains , and blizzards , and after that , on the British/German front dogfighting the feared Nazi planes , as the personal and work ethics of this little crew become magnified to epic proportions . Being inspired by Churchill's Dunkirk speech, famous "Blood, Sweat and tears" radio address . It stars a brash, irresponsable , daredevil bush pilot named Brian MacLean : James Cagney. He offers some other pilots an opportunity of earning a lot of money by making his own flying rules , but he then marries the fianceé : Brenda Marshall of one of them : Dennis Morgan . Later on, the good friends , James Cagney , Alan Hale , George Tobias, Reginald Gardiner after listening Churchill's speech decide to enlist in the RCAF but they are deemed too old to be fliers . At last ! The screen tells the story of Canada's Heroic Birdmen...The Pilots of the RCAF. Packed with power...loaded with thrills...the story of the men who fly against the Luftwaffe...for Canada.
An at times inspiring story of the Royal Canadian Air Force , in which some friends decide to join the RCAF , it is plenty of riveting technical detail and with James Cagney , in his first Technicolor movie , fresh from his Academy Award for Yankee Doodle Dandy , and there's richly rounded support cast . An adventure and unbashedly patriotic drama movie with noisy action , thrills , dangerous aerial scenes and love stories . Here James Cagney is very good , as always , playing in his usual style as the undisciplined bush pilot who doesn't like to obey , as he gets troubles , while steals his best friend's girl , but in true Hollywood fashion , as he shows his true worth when lives in danger , as he finds a way to prove himself a hero as a civilian pilot ferrying a bomber to England . And Brendan Marshall is fine as the attractive adventurer who falls for him , being accompanied by a fabulous support cast , such as : Dennis Morgan , Alan Hale , George Tobias , Reginald Gardiner , Paul Cavanagh , Bishop , Kerrigan and Clem Bevans .
It displays a moving and exciting musical score by MGM classic composer Max Steiner , Michael Curtiz's regular . It's all topped off with the vividly charming Technicolor which typified the period from directors of photography as Wilfrid M. Cline and Sol Polito . This propaganda picture was professionally directed by Michael Curtiz , and there this great filmmaker creates some nice action scenes . Formidable director Curtiz made a lot of films in all kind of genres and creating some masterpieces. He was one of the best Golden Hollywood directors and creator of Casablanca . Curtiz was a prolific and expert filmmaker , making adventures : Captain Blood , Adventures of Robin Hood, Charge of the light Brigade ; Western : Santa Fe Trail , Comancheros , Dodge City ; Drama : Mildred Pierce , Black Fury , Elizabeth and Essex , Jim Thorpe , Passage to Marseilles , Casablanca and Musical : Yankee Doodle , King Creole and Young man with a horn . Rating : 6.5/10. Better than average , well worth seeing . The motion picture will appeal to James Cagney fans.
An at times inspiring story of the Royal Canadian Air Force , in which some friends decide to join the RCAF , it is plenty of riveting technical detail and with James Cagney , in his first Technicolor movie , fresh from his Academy Award for Yankee Doodle Dandy , and there's richly rounded support cast . An adventure and unbashedly patriotic drama movie with noisy action , thrills , dangerous aerial scenes and love stories . Here James Cagney is very good , as always , playing in his usual style as the undisciplined bush pilot who doesn't like to obey , as he gets troubles , while steals his best friend's girl , but in true Hollywood fashion , as he shows his true worth when lives in danger , as he finds a way to prove himself a hero as a civilian pilot ferrying a bomber to England . And Brendan Marshall is fine as the attractive adventurer who falls for him , being accompanied by a fabulous support cast , such as : Dennis Morgan , Alan Hale , George Tobias , Reginald Gardiner , Paul Cavanagh , Bishop , Kerrigan and Clem Bevans .
It displays a moving and exciting musical score by MGM classic composer Max Steiner , Michael Curtiz's regular . It's all topped off with the vividly charming Technicolor which typified the period from directors of photography as Wilfrid M. Cline and Sol Polito . This propaganda picture was professionally directed by Michael Curtiz , and there this great filmmaker creates some nice action scenes . Formidable director Curtiz made a lot of films in all kind of genres and creating some masterpieces. He was one of the best Golden Hollywood directors and creator of Casablanca . Curtiz was a prolific and expert filmmaker , making adventures : Captain Blood , Adventures of Robin Hood, Charge of the light Brigade ; Western : Santa Fe Trail , Comancheros , Dodge City ; Drama : Mildred Pierce , Black Fury , Elizabeth and Essex , Jim Thorpe , Passage to Marseilles , Casablanca and Musical : Yankee Doodle , King Creole and Young man with a horn . Rating : 6.5/10. Better than average , well worth seeing . The motion picture will appeal to James Cagney fans.