The Flying Missile

Despite the presence of Glenn Ford, "The Flying Missile" is an awfully dull film. And, although the title makes it sound as if it's a sci- fi movie, it isn't.

The film is a boring story about some folks on a sub who insist that they learn to incorporate missiles onto their ship. But, this isn't done so they all go to missile training school. Along the way, their commander (Ford) strikes up a relationship with a not particularly interesting lady.

During the course of this film, you'll see a lot of stock footage that is often crappily assembled. For example, you'll see a Bearcat airplane without a large droptank (for fuel)--yet when it's in mid- air, it has one. And, when it lands, it's missing. Also, you'll see a V-2 style missile become some other sort of missile after it's launched! And, a jet chase plane, in some shots, sports propellers!! Talk about sloppy and indifferent to continuity.

So, what you have is a dull film with worthless footage. Need I say more?

I don't know about you, but I always found Glenn Ford a rather dull actor to watch. He wasn't bad, just unremarkable - and this maritime adventure sort of confirms that. He is a determined (bolshy) US Naval Commander who is convinced of the merits of launching missiles from submarines - despite scepticism from the upper echelons - and so sets out to coax, cajole and bulldoze his theories through. Viveca Lindfors "Karin" provides the love interest, and indirectly some of the conflict as her father is a devout pacifist. The end result is never in jeopardy and to a certain extent the film smacks of willy-waving at the Soviets in the immediate (1950) aftermath of WWII - with scant regard to fact. I tend to like submarine adventure films (usually because they are exciting and there is normally an absence of slushy love scenes) but this doesn't really satisfy either of my criteria and so whilst it's not rotten, it's almost as bad - it's bland.

This movie like so many old movies shows the relationship between officers and enlisted men as a bunch of friendly guys working together. This is not factual. Even on these tiny WWII subs, the enlisted men and officers were kept apart. The officers had their own separate mess and cook. Officers never fraternized with enlisted men. If you have never been in a WWII sub, it is informative. Even in these incredibly close quarters Naval discipline was enforced. In several scenes in this movie the sub Commander greets enlisted men as if they were high school pals. The real Navy was not at all like McHale's Navy.

Paradoxically this early Cold War public information film masquerading as a feature would probably have worked better had less money been spent on it.

The basic storyline about launching missiles from cruisers is absorbing enough without the lengthy romantic and melodramatic digressions inserted into it without adding much to the film other than it's running time; while the casting of veteran character actors like John Qualen as Viveca Lindfors' 'comical' uncle and Henry O'Neill as her warm-hearted boss further heighten the old-fashioned feel of the piece.

Submarine commander Glen Ford wants in on the new guided missile program that Admiral Henry O'Neill is trying to get funding for. Ford also wants O'Neill's secretary, Viveca Lindfors. Neither goal is as easy to attain as he imagines, despite the conniving of his quartermaster, Joe Sawyer.

Glen Ford always looks realistic in a Naval uniform, even though he was a Marine during the Second World War. As for the impulse behind this movie, I suspect that the cooperation of the Navy was motivated in part to get Congressional funding for their guided missile program. Although the script goes pretty gar into the sacrifices-our-boys-make-for-this-country territory, it's mostly standard fare with some good shots of missiles taking off and passing over a flotilla. Director Henry gets good performances out of a cast that includes John Qualen, Jerry Paris, and Paul Harvey.