Screaming Eagles (1956)

So much average

Load of rubbish!!

A Masterpiece!

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

Producers: Samuel Bischoff, David Diamond. Copyright 1956 by Allied Artists. No New York opening. U.S. release: 27 May 1956. U.K. release through Associated British-Pathé: September 1957 (sic). Australian release through Paramount: 4 December 1959 (sic). 7,310 feet. 82 minutes. Cut to 68 minutes in Australia in order to attract bookings as a supporting feature in suburban and rural cinemas.SYNOPSIS: "The Screaming Eagles", a platoon of battle-scarred soldiers, acquires a surly new recruit who saves the life of the lieutenant, who has been blinded in action. The two make their way to a German-held farmhouse, where...COMMENT: Despite the promising lure of its title, this turns out as a distinctly mediocre war picture, — thanks to little action, a bit of stock footage, and a whole bash of dreadfully routine dialogue. The script's characters are a tepid lot and no attempt is made to flesh them out. In fact, there are only two worthwhile performances: Jan Merlin as the boyish, personable lieutenant, and newcomer Jacqueline Beer. The direction is reasonably smooth, but dull and uninteresting.OTHER VIEWS: The familiar situation of the mixed-up outsider regenerated by the comradeship of battle, is here given a second- rate adventure story treatment. With ham-heroic acting and indifferent technique, it presents but a slight tribute to the 101st Airborne Infantry Division. — Monthly Film Bulletin.

"Star in the Dust" director Charles F. Haas' routine, black & white, World War II mission-oriented actioneer is based ostensibly on the real-life exploits of the 101st Airborne Division nicknamed 'the Screaming Eagles.' The action takes place before the Allies launched their historic, cross-channel invasion of France at Normandy during on June, 1944, when paratroopers were dropped behind enemy lines to capture bridges intact from the occupying Germans. A couple of new soldiers, Private Mason (Thomas Tryon of "The Glory Guys") and Private Corliss (Martin Milner of "Route 66"), join the 101st before the unit goes into action. Unfortunately, Mason alienates himself from the rest of the company when he embarks on a drunken spree as a result of a Dear John letter from his sweetheart. Naturally, everybody is upset with Mason's disruptive behavior. He turns over the furniture in the barracks and aggravates his commanding officer, Lieutenant Pauling (Jan Merlin of "Illegal"), who threatens to leave him behind. After Mason sobers up, Pauling decides to let him join them as they set off on their mission. The Screaming Eagles bail out over enemy country, but they miss their landing zone and wind up lost in the countryside. Indeed, this happened in real life. Once they've landed, Pauling warns his men not to exchange shots with the Germans. Naturally, Mason screws up when he kills a German soldier with his bayonet. The dying German loosens off a rifle shot and chaos ensues. Mason is reprimanded for his actions. Moments later, during a shooting incident involving a German soldier, Pauling is blinded by power burns from gunshots. He spends the remainder of "Screaming Eagles" wearing a bandage over his eyes. Mason is ordered to take care of Pauling, and he leads the wounded officer around like a tour guide. During a firefight, Mason captures a German soldier and a French woman. They use the French girl to communicate with the German. Most of the action in "Screaming Eagles" is enough to make an eagle scream at the absurdity of it all. Haas stages several combat scenes without a shred of believability. For example, two G.I.s approach a house in plain view of its windows and are surprised when Germans with a machine gun open fire on them. During a body search of the French woman, the G.I.s turn their backs on their German prisoner. Mind you, the German doesn't do anything, but it would have been a prime opportunity for him to engage in some desperate behavior. Later, when they exploit the German prisoner to check on his army with a radio, the Americans neglect to supervise him, and he notifies his own forces by leaving the circuit open so his commanding officer will be aware of the presence of the Americans. Interestingly enough, the G.I.s don't carry out their mission. During the mission, the Americans lose nine men. "Screaming Eagles" has an interesting cast. For a change, veteran villain Jan Merlin actually plays a sympathetic, good guy. Robert Blake has a small role as the token Hispanic in the outfit, and Alvy Moore of "Green Acres" plays it straight as a machine gun toting serviceman. Paul Burke, Mark Damon, and Martin Milner also flesh out a good cast. Altogether, "Screaming Eagles" amounts to very little to scream about because of its unrealistic combat sequences.

***SPOILERS*** True story about the US 101st Airborne divisions drop behind enemy lines in order to secure a number of bridges before the Germans could blow them up as the allies were about to launch the D-Day invasion of Normandy. It took a lot of explaining to his men for Lt.Pauling, Jan Marlin, to convince them to have drunk disorderly and a bit psychotic, that's after he got a Dear John letter from his girl back home, Pvt. Mason, Tom Tryon, to go along with them on their pre-invasion jump that could well have cost them all their lives by him screwing things up.Sobering up after a night of heavy drinking Pvt. Mason got his act together and in the end was responsible for getting his unit the 502th out of the mess that they, by over shooting their landing zone, got themselves into. From that point on it was a fight for survival for the paratroopers who were desperately trying to link up with their main force some 20 miles away. It was local French farm girl Marianne, Jackie Beer, who helped the paratroopers in her being able to speak and understand German that kept German POW Hans, Robert Boon, from alerting his fellow Nazis on the radio that there was something up, the 101st, behind their lines.Pvt. Mason who was at first accused of alerting the Germans by killing one, with his bayonet, just as he was about to open fire on him later proved his worth to the airborne unit by saving his commanding officer Lt. Pauling's life by taking his hand and guiding him back to the advancing allied troops after he was blinded by a flash from a Nazi's gun muzzle.Realistc film about the D-Day or pre-D-Day invasion with the American & allied troops suffering almost as many losses as the Germens did. We get to see just how hard it was to make the invasion a success with the mostly green US troops, many in combat for the first time, up against the best that the German Army had to offer. As for French girl Marianne she in the end became an honorary 101st Screaming Eagle for the help she provided in keeping the lost in the woods US paratroopers from all getting killed and captured by the German troops. As for Pvt. Mason he soon forget about his Dear John letter from the states and finally got down to business in fighting the war that he ignored, by drinking himself drunk, for so long.

One interesting thing about watching multi-character movies is the increased chance of spotting future stars. War movies are good for doing that especially. In this movie, several minor actors became bigger stars. Another highlight of this movie are the use of script devices that add energy to the plot. Imagine being blind behind enemy lines. Or become frustrated with language barriers to the point of using creativity to overcome that hindrance. It is worth a look.