In the last 60+ years I've watched Dive Bomber three times from beginning to end. The first time I was about 12 years old. The second time was about 10 years ago. The third time was yesterday. At age 12, I would have rated it about 8 out of 10 stars. It's 6 these days. The film is about the research of "aviation doctors" in the early 1940s. I'm not sure if such professionals actually existed, but maybe they did. In those bygone days, aviation was just starting to become high-tech what with new speed and altitude records constantly being set. So, about 60% of Dive Bomber consists of is two doctors researching high altitude pressurized suits and anti-G-force blackout belts. The doctors are Ralph Bellamy and of all people, Errol Flynn.
None of the three central pilots in the movie listen to reason or are in any way cautious. So, I'm going to be a spoiler and state that none of them, including Fred MacMurray, survive the movie. Two of them, one being Fred MacMurray, are told that they are grounded for medical reasons, whereupon they go right out the door, climb into an airplane, and die in a crash. It's a 1941 movie, after all.
For the record, a then 20-year-old Alexis Smith shows up in pursuit of Dr. Errol Flynn. Amazingly, he has more important matters on his mind, i.e. Aviation research, and she disappears in frustration. She is on screen for about 10 or 12 minutes.
Anyway, Dive Bomber comes off as kind of dumb and more than a little hokey. It's not an awful movie, it's just not particularly good, either.
None of the three central pilots in the movie listen to reason or are in any way cautious. So, I'm going to be a spoiler and state that none of them, including Fred MacMurray, survive the movie. Two of them, one being Fred MacMurray, are told that they are grounded for medical reasons, whereupon they go right out the door, climb into an airplane, and die in a crash. It's a 1941 movie, after all.
For the record, a then 20-year-old Alexis Smith shows up in pursuit of Dr. Errol Flynn. Amazingly, he has more important matters on his mind, i.e. Aviation research, and she disappears in frustration. She is on screen for about 10 or 12 minutes.
Anyway, Dive Bomber comes off as kind of dumb and more than a little hokey. It's not an awful movie, it's just not particularly good, either.