This is an oddity when it comes to war movies for a lot of reasons. For one, it is based during the Korean War, but other than a few shots taken at the Commies, this movie could as easily have been based in WWII. Second, there's something missing, or maybe there's too much? At just 79 minutes, this is one of the shortest war movies I can think of, right up there with the heavily hacked and edited Red Badge of Courage. Reading about a true incident a key scene is based on, did director Andrew Marton fill out a story around that single incident? Or to the opposite, did he have a longer movie that was cut down to this running time? I'm looking for some sort of answer and can't find a thing. Maybe it's just an oddity among war flicks?
On board the U.S.S. Oriskany, author James Michener (Louis Calhern) comes to visit his old friend, Commander Dowling (Walter Pigeon), the medical officer on board, in hopes of landing a story. Dowling has one for him, a story concerning the fighter pilots in the still-new jets on board being used against the North Koreans and Chinese in the fighting on land. Michener sits back and listens to the story of the fighter squadron and its pilots, what drives them to do what they do, constantly putting themselves in needlessly dangerous situations when the job doesn't always call for it. Why do they do it? Do they get some sick, perverse enjoyment out of it? Or are they just doing their duty as expected? Looking for answers from his old friend, Michener is surprised by what he finds.
Now in 2011, a movie about fighter pilots and their newly developed jet planes seems old hat. Who hasn't seen Top Gun? And in a lot of cases, who hasn't seen Top Gun 20 or 30 times? Guilty. But in 1954, this newly developed plane had to be impressive to audiences. Even compared to the fighter planes from WWII, these new designs were remarkable. Much of the story focuses on these pilots and their life aboard ship waiting for their missions. Marton uses a ton of stock footage (bordering on too much) of these planes on those missions. At first, it's cool. It's different, original, and the footage is impressive. You can always have too much of a good thing though because soon enough, the footage of raids and air strikes gets tedious.
Clocking in at well under 90 minutes, the ensemble cast here in 'Fighting Lady' features some solid names, but unfortunately their efforts aren't always as developed as I'd like. There are a handful of really interesting characters but thanks to the limitations on time, some get the short end of the stick. The squadron includes Frank Lovejoy as Lt. Commander Paul Grayson, the squadron leader who pushes his men to the limit, but he's always at the forefront of the charge, Keenan Wynn as Lt. Commander Ted Dodson, a veteran flier who begins to question Grayson's tactics, Van Johnson as Lt. Howie Thayer, the amiable pilot trapped in the middle of two warring factions in the squadron, and Dewey Martin as Ensign Schechter, the young pilot who begins to side with Dodson. Lovejoy's commander is especially pushed to the background in the last 45 minutes, odd considering how key his character was to the first half of the movie.
Two extended sequences bring this movie up from same old same old to a near-classic. The first is based on a real-life incident that Michener wrote about. Returning from a patrol, Martin's Schechter and his plane are struck, the shrapnel blinding the pilot in the process. Trying to guide the wounded pilot back to the carrier hundreds of miles out, Johnson's Thayer leaves formation and flies with Schechter, giving him step-by-step commands so that he can make it back. Van Johnson is one of my favorite actors, but this may be his most impressive part, and Martin is no slouch either. Johnson's dialogue is natural and nervous, pulling anything from his sleeve that may help. The tension builds and builds until its almost unbearable. By the time they reach the carrier, I was willing Martin and his crippled plane to land safely. This extended sequence goes on for most of a half hour, but it never lacks for energy, tension or entertainment. You can watch the whole thing HERE and continue into Parts 7 and 8.
The second sequence isn't based as much on playing to that weird adrenaline rush you get from terrifying situations. It's based in that most basic idea of being separated from your loved ones during holidays. Soldiers, sailors, Marines, pilots, they all experience it. It's Christmas in this story, and the Navy has arranged for many of the families of the crew to tape quick messages to their husbands, brothers, sons and boyfriends. The timing of course couldn't be worse. A pilot was killed in action just a day before so when his family's message is played for the crew, a silence hangs over the crowd. There's a moment where you realize what you're watching where it all hits home. This family has no idea their Dad and husband is dead. In terms of pure emotion, this scene hit me like a bag of rocks.
There's two ways to fix this movie (in my weird head anyways). I say this having liked it and planning to give it a positive review. It plays in two ways, an extended TV episode or a badly shortened feature length. In a shorter version, I think it could work nicely the same way a longer, more developed movie would. More character development would be at the top of the list of possible improvements. But as is, I really liked the movie, as much for the drama as the cast. Flawed but above average.
Men of the Fighting Lady <---trailer (1954): ***/****
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