A Yank in the R.A.F.

while admittedly far from the best Hollywood effort of the period, it is interesting to note that "A Yank in the RAF" was produced and released well before the U.S. entered World War II. Although legally neutral, there was little doubt in which direction Hollywood's sympathy lay at that time, as well as that of the majority of the American people. President Franklin Roosevelt was doing all he legally could to enable supplies to reach Britain and France. Nevertheless, there did exist a highly vocal and politically influential movement to keep the nation out of the war, for whom the famous aviator Charles Lindbergh served conspicuously as spokesman. Those "Isolationists" were impelled not so much by a desire to preserve peace as they were by a desire to prevent the U.S. from aiding the European democracies against Nazi aggression, and they denounced films such as "A Yank in the RAF" as provocative propaganda.

While most of the film is Hollywood fiction there are a few things in it that actually did occur. An example is the episode at the beginning of the movie about landing American-built planes on the US side of the Canadian border and then towing them across the border on their wheels. Absurd as that may seem it actually did happen, the screen writers did not make that up! In addition, while most of the movie was produced on the Hollywood sound stages it does include some footage filmed early in 1941 on RAF air bases in Britain, using real RAF aircraft and personnel.

A typical Hollywood touch of the period is the depiction of RAF Lockheed Hudson bombers. In fact large numbers of Hudsons really were exported to Britain at that time, although the RAF actually employed them as maritime reconnaissance aircraft, not for bombing missions. However, since the planes were manufactured at the Lockheed plant located near Hollywood, Hudsons were readily available for use as movie props, so they frequently appeared in Hollywood movies to depict RAF bombers.

On the one hand we have Tyrone Power and Betty Grable, and they make a great couple.

On the other hand we have the typical 1940s disregard for anything remotely resembling accuracy about airplanes and the military. As an example, an early scene involves a leaflet drop over Berlin from Lockheed Hudson coastal patrol bombers, which sported four (or five) .30 cal machine guns - two fixed firing forward, two in a dorsal turret, and (MK II on) one firing down and aft.

The Luftwaffe would have had the airliner-derived patrol bombers for lunch, as they were pretty much defenseless from below except from behind.

Tyrone Power is so charismatic in this film that the rest of it hardly matters. His astonishing good looks and easy charm really make this film. But there is also good direction, a witty script, great Oscar-winning special effects and fine cinematography.

Betty Grable has never done much for me, but she's pleasant enough in this. But the aerial work, done mostly with models, is exceptionally strong particularly in a spectacular and believable recreation of the evacuation at Dunkirk. This is a war propaganda film, designed to encourage the USA to join the war in Europe - but it is not cloyingly over patriotic. And there are some very original moments - look at the scene where Power wakes up and doesn't know where he is. The camera stays in extreme close-up on his face for a long time, so we don't know where he is either. We see him go through fear and bewilderment as we hear strange sounds. Finally his face relaxes and the camera pulls back to reveal...well I don't want to spoil it for you, but this is a very strong directorial decision. Henry King is to be praised.

You'll enjoy this film.

In the only time that Darryl F. Zanuck teamed his two leading adult stars in the forties, Tyrone Power and Betty Grable co-star in A Yank in the RAF. I think the title explains all in terms of the location.

Power plays one of his patented hero/heel types, a lot like Dion O'Leary in In Old Chicago. If you'll remember Alice Faye was being courted by the two O'Leary brothers, sober and industrious Don Ameche and devil may care Tyrone Power.

Now it's Betty as an entertainer over in the United Kingdom to entertain and otherwise help out in the war effort. She meets Ty who is also over there as an American volunteer in the RAF. Ty's someone who really isn't that crazy about military and other kinds of discipline, but he's one charming rogue and Betty can't get her fill of him.

Taking the Ameche part is very British and very stiff upper lip John Sutton. He's totally flipping out over Grable and who could blame him. Still it's Tyrone who powers the Grable engine.

John Sutton would co-star again with Ty Power after World War II in a vastly different part in Captain from Castile. He plays the cowardly and malevolent Diego DeSylva and that particular part from him might have been his career role. In my book it's one of the most evil villains the screen has ever had.

Reginald Gardiner and a whole flock of other British actors from Hollywood's British colony lend support. The RAF flying sequences were shot over in the war theater and were nominated for Best Special Effects.

Betty sings some forgettable tunes as an entertainer by Leo Robin and Ralph Rainger. But heard throughout the film is the standard These Foolish Things. That song, as popular in Great Britain where it originated as in the United States, is one of the best ballads ever written. Why Zanuck didn't have Betty sing it is a mystery.

It's by no means clear who Betty winds up with in the end. I could make a case for either Power or Sutton. You'll have to see the film and make your own mind up. One thing for sure is that Ty is far from reforming. You'll have to see the film to see what I'm talking about there.

This entertaining propaganda piece made before the US entered the war,was designed to rally support for the British war effort. Tyrone Power and Betty Grable,the biggest stars of 20th Century Fox,are teamed here for the only time in their career.Tyrone Power plays the typical daredevil pilot who is as egotistical as they come.But he also has devilish charm over women which I must say escapes me in this movie because he's so unlikeable.Betty Grable gives by far the best performance. I found her acting very natural,except for the script calling for her to love the slime ball character of Power.John Sutton as Power's rival is quite boring,so maybe Betty's choice of man wasn't too bad.