Wings of the Navy

I was seven years old when my parents took me to see "Wings of the Navy" in 1939 at the Vogue Theater in Montebello, CA. I believe this was the first movie I had seen. At least I don't recall any movie before this one. I remember sitting near the back of the theater with my parents. I really like the flying scenes and I remember the sounds of the airplane engines. The love scenes did not do anything for me of course. Boy that is amazing I can remember those details. I remember calling the movie Wings of the Avery. Does anyone know if there was ever a DVD or Video made of the movie? I have looked everywhere I can think of with no luck. If someone knows where I can get a copy of it I would be one happy guy.

Sincerely,

Charles Field

While the training exercises are realistic enough in WINGS OF THE NAVY, filmed on location at actual training grounds in Pensacola and San Diego, its story is strictly formula stuff with a love triangle between two brothers (George Brent, John Payne) in love with the same girl (Olivia de Havilland) holding the action sequences together.

This is almost like a B&W version of PEARL HARBOR--but lacking the punch of the PEARL HARBOR war scenes. It's a dated aviation drama, with a love story against the background of preparations for war. However, none of the characters have any real depth and there's the usual clumsy comedy attempts of Frank McHugh which become irritating after awhile.

The chief players are pleasant enough and it's interesting to see how the sea planes operated in San Diego--but the script is strictly off the Warner assembly line. Olivia de Havilland is pretty as a picture as the heroine but given little to do while Brent and Payne share most of the spotlight. The training scenes give us an interesting look at the air force equipment of 1939--and I'm sure it encouraged many young men to enlist two years before World War II broke out.

If you are interested in the aviation history (in general) or naval aviation (in particular), you might find this movie interesting. Otherwise, as a movie plot, the story is very thin indeed.

George Brent and John Payne play two naval brothers. Their father was a naval aviation hero, and Brent has followed in his footsteps as an aviator and instructor at the training station in Pensacola Florida. His younger brother, who has always looked up to him, wants to transfer from submarines to aviation after seeing his brother.

Filmed at the naval aviation bases in Pensacola and San Diego, there are some interesting shots of training sessions in the film. De Havilland plays Brent's fiancée who falls in love with Payne. Frank McHugh adds some humur, with that characteristic laugh of his, as one of Payne's fellow trainees.

Again, any plot here is overshadowed, for better or worse, by the aviation shots, thus making this more of a recruiting film than a movie with an interesting plot.

I watched 'Wings of the Navy' (1939) on TCM Today. I wouldn't say it was a great film, it was entertaining and fun to see a VERY young John Payne and Olivia de Havilland in action. Olivia de Havilland was quite a talented beauty. She was at her peak in those years (1930s through the 40s) IMO. John Payne looked even younger than his 27 years at the time. I notice a marked improvement in his performance 8 years later in 'Miracle on 34th Street' (1947). In this movie he did little more than wear a uniform well and deliver his lines appropriately. George Brent was good in it as John Payne's older brother. He always could do the dignified characters well. I'd rate this a 4 out of 10 stars. I was just reading this about the movie at the IMDb: " 'Lux Radio Theater' broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on October 7, 1940 with George Brent, John Payne and Olivia de Havilland reprising their film roles." I find it interesting how many old films had the original cast do radio versions too. BTW - I enjoyed the footage of the early flying boat aircraft...especially the larger two engine models.

Having read all previous reviews, and having just watched this Movie again on TCM, it seems Warner Bros have tried very hard to make a stirring story at the same time as glorifying the US armed forces (as they were at that time). Sadly, they have failed to give any real life to what should have been more than just a run of the mill programmer. Cast-wise, George Brent is far too stodgy in a role made for a Flynn or Cagney, John Payne was fine (very early in his career), Olivia de Havilland was gorgeous but really had nothing to do and was wasted, while the usual Warner stalwarts (like McHugh and Toomey) played the same old characters they have portrayed in countless films. Photography was not bad at all, and the sound track was very good.