John Wayne's first war movie is a cheery knock off of The Dawn Patrol and Only Angels Have Wings with two novelties - one, it's about the flying tigers squadron fighting the Japanese in China during World War Two, which has novelty (although the bulk of the movie is set before Pearl Harbour, when as I understand it the Flying Tigers didn't get going until after that event); two, Wayne acts in a style different to what we'd become used to - he talks in a fast-paced, clipped way, almost as if he was imitating James Cagney.
The basic plot is about pilot who is cocky, selfish but a great flyer who learns the value of teamwork. That's the best part - it has the strongest arc - and it goes to John Carroll, an actor about whom I know little (he had a brief vogue as a leading man in the early 1940s), but who isn't bad. I guess they didn't want Wayne to pay someone too flawed, i.e. he's partly responsible for a co pilot's death and tries to pinch Wayne's girl.
The support cast offers some interest: Anna Lee is the main girl; former Frankenstein bride Mae Clarke is in there, as is Tom Neal. It's always interesting to see an American film which ends with basically a suicide bombing attack (from Carroll).
The movie is made with a lot of energy and lack of scruple.
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