Pilot #5 (1943)

A small group of Allied soldiers and airmen on Java are being bombed by Japanese 'planes daily. With only one working fighter of their own, and five pilots anxious to fly it, the Dutch ... See full summary »

Director:

George Sidney

Writer:

David Hertz (original story and screenplay)

Stars:

Franchot Tone, Marsha Hunt, Gene Kelly

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Franchot Tone	...	George Braynor Collins
Marsha Hunt	...	Freddie Andrews
Gene Kelly	...	Vito S. Alessandro
Van Johnson	...	Everett Arnold
Alan Baxter	...	Winston Davis
Dick Simmons	...	Henry Willoughby Claven
Steven Geray	...	Major Eichel (as Steve Geray)
Howard Freeman	...	Governor Hank Durban
Frank Puglia	...	Nikola Alessandro
William Tannen	...	American Soldier

Storyline

A small group of Allied soldiers and airmen on Java are being bombed by Japanese 'planes daily. With only one working fighter of their own, and five pilots anxious to fly it, the Dutch commander chooses George Collins to fly a mission to drop a 500-lb bomb on the Japanese carrier lying offshore. As the flight progresses, the commander asks the other pilots to tell him about George. They recount his rise from brilliant law student, through the time he became involved in the corrupt machine of his state's Governor, and his attempts to redeem himself, both in his own eyes, and in Fredie, his long-time love.

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Plot Keywords:

japanese | pilot | dutch | governor | law student | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | War

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian Dutch

Release Date:

6 November 1944 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Pilot No. 5

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Loew's

Technical Specs

Runtime:

71 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Many cast members in studio records/casting call lists did not appear or were not identifiable in the movie. These were (with their character names): Landlady Sara Haden, Military Policemen Jim Davis and Cliff Danielson, Party Girls Jacqueline White, Marilyn Maxwell, Betty Jaynes and Marie Windsor, Boat Owner Hobart Cavanaugh, Carhops Helen Thurston and Frances Rafferty, Lieutenant James Millican, and Defense Instructor John Dilson. A modern source lists Ava Gardner as a cast member, but she was not seen either.

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Connections

Referenced in American Masters: Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer (2002)

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Soundtracks

"Should I (Reveal?)"
(1929)
Music by Nacio Herb Brown
Lyrics by Arthur Freed
Played as background music in the bar

User Reviews

Marsha Hunt Gave a Great Performance!

It was great seeing this picture and seeing a great beautiful Lady, and actress named Marsha Hunt. She appeared in many pictures in Hollywood and in this picture she stars with a leading man of the 30's and 40's Franchot Tone, (Lt. George Braynor Collins),"Advise and Consent",'62. Marsha Hunt,Fredie Andrew/Collins),"Blue Denium",'59, was not appreciated as she should have been in Hollywood and was not given the proper roles she deserved. In this picture she plays a woman caught between two men, Gene Kelly (Lt. Vito S. Alessandro)," Brigadoon",'54, who is madly in love with her and also lets her know how he really feels. There are flash backs in this film about all these men who are pilots and fighting against Japan in WW II. It was very interesting seeing Gene Kelly acting instead of "Dancing In The Rain", as he did in the many musicals he use to appear in for MGM. Van Johnson (Lt.Everett Arnold),"Subway in the Sky",'59, even appeared in this picture very young and just starting out in his career. A great film with many great Classic actors. It is nice to know that Marsha Hunt will have a Birthday on Oct 17th, she will be 87 years younger!