The Wings of Eagles (1957)

Wonderful character development!

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

John Ford's biopic about the life of aviator-turned-screenwriter Frank "Spig" Wead, played by John Wayne. It's an odd movie. The first half is light with slapstick comedy and one dark moment. The second half is a drama about overcoming adversity. The mix doesn't work that well. The comedy is mostly weak. The dramatic stuff is better, though a little depressing. More faithful, facts-wise, than your average biopic from back in the day. For whatever that's worth. Cast is full of Ford regulars. Maureen O'Hara is beautiful but it's not her best work. My favorite part is Ward Bond as John Dodge, an obvious parody of Ford himself.

Really quite boring story that drags on. An air force guy who ignores his family and gets to drink beer and party with his mates, while having an exciting career and being appreciated (while he treats his wife like dirt and she is not appreciated at home)is the main character. Typical of the era when men just moved on when they got tired of the "little wife" complaining at home and the kids who were ignored and mainly raised by mothers. Reflective of Mr Wayne's own home life where he left his wife for a younger version and had new younger children whom he appreciated more because he was older and realized he wasn't going to live forever. Sad for the first children, but great for him and the second family (who told reporters what a wonderfully attentive father he was). Anyway, this film blows.

This bio-pic about the naval aviation proponent and writer Frank "Spig" Wead may have one sitting on the fence for a moment or two at the beginning, not sure whether or not to stay with it, but there's a magic that slowly casts its spell, with the Metrocolor and a great opening set in Pensacola, Florida in the 20's, and John Wayne as "Spig" Wead commandeering a pontoon plane and crashing it right into a big party for southern belles and military brass. And the rest of the film does its best not to let the opening down. For a John Ford-John Wayne collaboration that maybe not that many people have ever even heard of, this film is a true surprise, not only looking fantastic with the sets and color, but featuring great acting from Wayne in a very different role for him. The chemistry between him and Maureen O'Hara had a few years to refine itself after "THE QUIET MAN", and here it seems even more interesting and mature, if a little less fiery.

The iconic director and his usual cast of players take on Naval Aviation in this look at a man who helped to advance navy aviation as John Wayne again looms on the screen bigger than life in the role of Frank "Spig" Wead, a pioneer of the navy air corps. Based on the autobiography of Wead the usual themes of adventure, patriotism and romance abound with stellar supporting roles with veteran actors like Ken Curtis, Dan Daily, and Ward Bond as a thinly veiled portrait of director Ford himself. Set against the background of World War II the film is about courage and commitment in a big way, and there really is not another actor who could have brought it to the screen with the believability that the "Duke" manages so easily. One of his finer roles.