War Is Hellish Films

The same night I watched "Escape In The Fog", I also watched a slightly higher profile film of the same era (which is to say the mid-40's) entitled "Wing And A Prayer". I commented that the name sounded like it belonged on some insipid inspiring sports drama. Instead it tells the tale of Navy flyers who wind up fighting at the battle of Midway. As we were on a full head of steam from watching the other film, it seemed worth knocking out this one, late as it was.

With Dana Andrews and Don Ameche (in addition to Harry Morgan of MASH and Dragnet, practically young by comparison with how he looked in his better known roles), I kind of figured the movie had some promise. The highlights seen in the channel's promos (for we were watching it on TV) helped further that impression. Regrettably, the movie did not reach the high bar set by "Escape In The Fog", but then what film could?

The film sees a new squadron of pilots joining the aircraft carrier. They and the rest of the ship are frustrated by orders to not engage the Japanese, but all is made clear when the Midway operation reaches fruition and they all get as much action as they can handle. I don't suppose I can be accused of spoiling the developments of World War 2. In any case, some men we are meant to be fond of are killed, and others are spared by the end of a successful engagement with the Japanese task force.

The movie's major fault, which I can understand but not excuse, is that it very seldom shows us the thrilling combat that we know is going on. Instead of seeing men shot down, we see a montage of their names being erased from a chalkboard. Instead of seeming long stretches of the climactic battle, we watch men back on the ship reacting to an audio recording of the pilots' radio transmissions. It's not terribly exciting to watch men in rapt attention for more than a moment or two.

I cannot recommend this film. I guess if you were desperate for a film feature any of the above-mentioned men that you hadn't seen, there aren't any better ones that are about to be made, but outside of that, "Wing And A Prayer is definitely one of the worst war films I've sat through. If there's anything remotely worthwhile, I guess it might be the introduction of a pilot who, in peacetime, is a major Hollywood actor. We first learn this when we see him in the air and he's got an Academy award statuette with him. That's got to say something about the movie.