Flying Leathernecks

In a World War II fighter squadron, a well-liked Captain (Robert Ryan) clashes with a hard-nosed Major (John Wayne).

Flying Leathernecks is a quasi-remake of Sands of Iwo Jima that should have been much better.

For director Nicholas Ray this was likely just a work for hire piece, as he exhibits none of the potential he showed earlier in In a Lonely Place. Made during the McCarthy era, Ray’s liberal views placed him in square opposition to the conservative John Wayne and producer Howard Hughes. This, combined with a script by frequent Wayne collaborator James Edward Grant, gave Ray little to do but turn in an average picture.

For their part, Wayne and Ryan play well opposite one another, despite rumored tensions, and Jay C. Flippen is great in a fun supporting role. Unfortunately, the rest of the cast is forgettable, particularly the young pilots, who seem practically interchangeable. This is where Ray’s talent for working with young actors should have really shone through, but, much like in Sands of Iwo Jima, Grant’s script doesn’t flesh out any of the squadron save Wayne.

Still, being a Hughes production, there’s lots of good aerial photography, and as a John Wayne vehicle, Flying Leathernecks is fairly solid, but fans of Nicholas Ray will likely be disappointed.