Island in the Sky (1953)

Director:

William A. Wellman

Writers:

Ernest K. Gann (novel)
Ernest K. Gann (screenplay)

Release Date:

5 September 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama

Plot:

A transport plane crash-lands in the frozen wastes of Labrador, and the plane's pilot, Dooley, must...

Plot Keywords:

Lord's Prayer | Search And Rescue | Irish American | Airplane | Based On Novel

Cast

John Wayne	...	Capt. Dooley
Lloyd Nolan	...	Captain Stutz
Walter Abel	...	Col. Fuller
James Arness	...	Mac McMullen, pilot
Andy Devine	...	Willie Moon, pilot
Allyn Joslyn	...	J.H. Handy, pilot
Jimmy Lydon	...	Murray, Dooley's navigator (as James Lydon)
Harry Carey Jr.	...	Ralph Hunt, Moon's co-pilot
Hal Baylor	...	Stankowski, Dooley's engineer
Sean McClory	...	Frank Lovatt, Dooley's co-pilot
Wally Cassell	...	D'Annunzia, Dooley's radioman
Gordon Jones	...	Walrus
Frank Fenton	...	Capt. Turner
Robert Keys	...	Maj. Ditson
Sumner Getchell	...	Lt. Cord

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (WarnerPhonic/RCA)

Certification:

Australia:PG | West Germany:12 (f) | Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #16547) | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Donner Lake, Truckee, California, USA

Company:

Wayne-Fellows Productions

Trivia:

The general plot is based on a true story that the author, Ernest Gann related in his 1961 autobiographical book about his flying career, "Fate is the Hunter". He and other pilots searched successfully for a lost fellow pilot in the wilds of northern Canada during World War II.

Goofs:

Continuity: The stranded crew had arranged branches in the snow into the shape of a cross so the planes could spot it. Then they rearrange the branches to spell out a message when they fly over. The planes fly over one more time, and the branches are back in the shape of a cross.

Quotes:

Capt. Dooley: [to navigator Murray] You're a lousy guy to sleep with.

Movie Connections:

Version of Fate Is the Hunter (1964)

It Was Like seeing A new John Wayne movie!

It has been years since I saw the Shootist in a Theater and often wish I could see a John Wayne movie I have never seen, I just did, Island in the Sky was a movie I have never seen... ever. and on DVD on my Big screen it was like seeing the Duke in a new movie... And the best part it was probably one of his best. The bad part...where the heck has this been? Stunning photography mostly on location, great airborne shots. Good tense drama. The only thing is I wish they would have picked another actor to portray the sobbing you married man, he was just too over the top, the rest of the cast was fun. The DVD had some fun extras on the writer and director as well as making of... I just showed it to some friends and they agree this was a real lost gem of a movie!