Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Movie review - "Eagle Squadron" (1942) ***

 Different in feel and tone to many Arthur Lubin films - this starts off with documentary footage of real life Eagle Squadron pilots, many of whom died. Even when it switches into more conventional war film mode the gloomy stylish black and white photography from Stanley Cortez gives it an almost noir feel. I suspect this was driven more by Walter Wanger than Lubin because it's so unlike other Lubin films.

The American pilots who join the RAF include Robert Stack, Leif Ericson and Edgar Barrier. British women are Diana Barrymore and Evelyn Ankers. John Loder is a British soldier.

Some progressive moments: Ankers is a pilot, Barrier is a Pole. 

The cast is strong by Universal standards: people like Jon Hall, Stanley Ridges, Edward Albert and Gladys Cooper are in it. Barrymore isn't very good - she's not good looking, doesn't have star factor, can't act. Sorry to be mean, but Hollywood really rolled out the red carpet for her on false pretences.

It is ra-ra and implies there's a lot of dating to be had if you're American and get to England but the tone is serious. Pilots die. It doesn't feel like a Lubin film at all. (The story of the film's production is quite complex and took years.)

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