Good production for being one of the early films about the exploits of American aviation during World War II in Technicolor. It could have been a better movie if it weren't riddled with unforgivable prop errors. In 1948, just after the conflict ended, there was still a lot of availability of original vehicles and planes, so it's a shame they weren't used in the film. It's clear that this is a film for the general public, who are unaware of the details of the actual means and techniques used in aviation during WW2, but this isn't a sufficient reason to completely neglect this aspect. It becomes difficult for a slightly trained eye to see P-47s on missions against Berlin, a city that wasn't within their range even with supplementary fuel tanks. And what can be said about the completely concrete runways that weren't actually present in the makeshift English airfields, which were made with the famous metal mesh...
The idea of including a former member of the famous Flying Tigers squadrons that operated in China, with their unique large flag adorned with Chinese ideograms sewn onto the back of the leather jacket, is charming. However, there is no record to confirm that this event actually took place.
Furthermore, seeing the planes parked on the ground without being camouflaged in the woods or scattered around the airfield is rather painful. If one abstracts from all the countless errors and focuses on the narrative that the film intends to present, it can be said that it's a movie that reaches a comfortable passing grade, with actors who are believable in their roles but not outstanding. The music, often overly triumphant, gives the film a propagandistic tone, which, despite being one of the purposes of this kind of production, in this case becomes overly evident.
The most interesting part of the film is the innovative use of cats in the narration, a resource that nowadays, with cats being such protagonists in social media videos, makes the movie seem to have a nod to current times and therefore ages well. Another noteworthy aspect is the numerous and very suggestive color shots of flight and aerial combat, which were all novelties for those times...
Furthermore, seeing the planes parked on the ground without being camouflaged in the woods or scattered around the airfield is rather painful. If one abstracts from all the countless errors and focuses on the narrative that the film intends to present, it can be said that it's a movie that reaches a comfortable passing grade, with actors who are believable in their roles but not outstanding. The music, often overly triumphant, gives the film a propagandistic tone, which, despite being one of the purposes of this kind of production, in this case becomes overly evident.
The most interesting part of the film is the innovative use of cats in the narration, a resource that nowadays, with cats being such protagonists in social media videos, makes the movie seem to have a nod to current times and therefore ages well. Another noteworthy aspect is the numerous and very suggestive color shots of flight and aerial combat, which were all novelties for those times...