Flying Tigers (1942)
Directed by David Miller
Plot Summary: The Flying Tigers are a band of American Mercenaries called upon by China to help.
This is a black and white film in more ways than one. The Japanese
("Japs") are portrayed as ruthless, remorseless killers who wouldn't
hesitate to shoot a man in his parachute. The Americans ("Joes")
are a bunch of loveable lugs fighting on the side of right, helping pre-Communist
China fight Imperial Japan's war machine. The corny dialog is as high as the
P-40's cockpit, but there are several bits of sophisticated dialog, usually
with a black-humour tinge. Flying Tigers was not a big-budget film, with what
appears to be Northridge, California subbing for China, but there's enough
action and explosions to make any male viewer happy (and some sappy love interest,
too). The effects range from the sophomoric to the spectacular (including
some dizzying dogfights) and the fighter planes on both sides have an oil-sprayed,
bullet-pocked look which is quite authentic. Other attention to detail: the
Americans were basically paid mercenaries and one of them makes no bones that
he is killing for cash; the flying tactics are mostly accurate as the actual
P-40s in China were, on their own, no match for Japanese Zeros. You might
think this is just a John Wayne movie, circa 1942, so how violent could it
be? Well, it's not for the small fry. Blood spurts and spews from wounds,
especially eyes and throats and there's one scene where Wayne surveys the
instrument panel of a dead flyer and it's dripping with oil and blood. It's
not gory by todays standards, but for the time more gory than usual. By the
way, Victor Young's pretty love theme was deftly parodied by Elmer Bernstein
in the comedy classic Airplane.
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