Wings of the Navy

I am biased, as are all film reviewers. There are certain types of films we are naturally more positively predisposed to, and this is one of them for me. I love history and aviation and so it's not at all surprising that I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Heck, there were a lot of very similar movies in the 1930s and 1940s--films about young cadets trying to make it through flight school, bombardier school, etc. After a while, they tend to blend a bit together in my head and I am sure that the average viewer would get tired of the genre pretty quickly. But if you also consider that this film was made by Warner Brothers (who made a lot of similar films) and stars some wonderful actors that I truly enjoy watching (George Brent, Olivia DeHavilland, John Payne and Frank McHugh), it's natural that I should like it. But, on the other hand, will you? Well, if you love this type of film, you are sure to be impressed. If you have not, then you probably will find that the film is a tad contrived and clichéd--particularly regarding the romantic triangle in the film. But considering how marvelously done the flying sequences are (exceptional for the time), the consistency of the writing and acting and the overall fun of the film, I think the average person would still probably give this movie a score of 6. I myself give it an 8 but realize that a good compromise between non-aviation/old movie lovers/history teachers and nuts like me is a score of 7.

Covering a lot of the same ground, but a year earlier than MGM's Flight Command, Wings Of The Navy is one of those military preparedness films that Hollywood was importuned to make by the powers that be in Washington, DC. Those folks knew that we would be in a shooting war and shortly and this was their way of getting America psychologically ready.

George Brent and John Payne play a pair of brothers who are career Navy men, Annapolis graduates and sons of a late naval hero. Dad was an early Navy pilot and Brent has followed in his footsteps. Payne would like to do the same, but he's in the submarine service. Nevermind, Payne gets himself a transfer much to Brent's displeasure because Payne's a competitive sort and likely to get himself killed trying to out do big brother.

The brothers are also rivals for Olivia DeHavilland who was once again in a thankless role of the girl who was the object. For someone of her talents, DeHavilland had precious little to do except look pretty. She was desperately trying to get roles of more substance. She would shortly in Gone With The Wind that same year of 1939.

Wings Of The Navy is a real treat for aviation buffs with the various types of planes that were the latest thing in 1939 being shown. Also some even earlier types of planes were what the Navy was training with even then. We lagged far behind Germany and Japan and even Great Britain at this point.

After World War II when President Truman decided to consolidate the services into one Department of Defense, the big sticking point was Naval Aviation. The Army was willing to let their Army Air Force become a separate Air Force service, the Navy insisted on controlling its planes that were taking off and landing from carriers. The compromise was reached and both the separate Air Force and the Navy controlling its aviation service was allowed. What we see here in Wings Of The Navy is a stage in the development of Naval aviation that helped win the Pacific War.

And it is to those who were in that service in that war that this film review is respectfully dedicated.

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.

WINGS OF THE NAVY is a typical service picture of the time. It features parallel stories of a young Naval Aviator (John Payne) training and his eventual involvement with his Brothers' (George Brent) fiancé (Olivia De Havilland). It will come to nobodies surprise that this triangle will end in favor of the younger and better looking Payne with De Havilland. Brent no doubt retiring back to Bette Davis. The rest of the films cast is rounded out by standard WARNER BROTHERS contract players.

The real Stars' are the Planes and training facilities of the U.S. Navy. It is quite evident that the U.S.N. was deeply committed to the expansion of its air arm. This film focusing primarily on training, then the PBY Catalina Flying Boat, one of the most successful aircraft of its type, many still flying today. The prime striking arm of the U.S.N. the Aircraft Carriers are largely ignored.

Seeing this film a American no doubt felt that our Navy was ready for war. Others watching would not think so. Our future Allies' Great Britain and Soviet Russia were already flying the more advanced Fighters, Hawker Hurricane, Supermarine Spitfire and Polikarpov I-16 respectively. Future enemy Imperial Japan featured the likes of the Mitsubishi A6M Zero (I.J.N.) and Nakajima Ki-43 (I.J.A.), Nazi Germany their Messerschmitt BF-109 (Me-109). Even the Italians looked more impressive with their Reggiane Re.2000.

In the film our most advanced (experimental) Fighter is one of character George Brents' design. It is a Bi-Plane, looking more suitable for WWI then the coming conflict. No wonder Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany seeing films like this had such a low opinions of our war fighting capabilities. Fortunetly like a iceberg the unseen was far more impressive then what could easily be observed. They would find this out in less then a year once war commenced. Much to their chagrin.

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.