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The Wings of Eagles (1957)

Approved | | Biography, Drama, War | 22 February 1957 (USA)
The Wings of Eagles Poster
A biography of Navy flier-turned-screenwriter Frank W. "Spig" Read.

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(screenplay), (screenplay) | 1 more credit »

Stars:

, , | See full cast & crew »
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Cast

Complete credited cast:
... Frank W. 'Spig' Wead
... 'Jughead' Carson
... Min Wead
... John Dodge
... John Dale Price
... Adm. Moffett
... Capt. Herbert Allen Hazard
James Todd ... Jack Travis
... Capt. Jock Clark
... Manager
... Capt. Spear
... Barton
... Rose Brentmann
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Storyline

U.S. Navy pilot Frank 'Spig' Wead is a fun-loving and rowdy adventurer, but also a fierce proponent of Naval aviation. His dedication to the promotion of the Navy's flying program is so intense that his marriage and family life suffer. When an accident paralyzes him, Spig finds a new means of expressing his love of flying: screenwriting. Successful and acclaimed, he finds the U.S. entry into World War II to be an irresistible call. Pleading that he be reinstated in the Navy despite his paralysis, Spig finds he has an enormous contribution yet to make. Written by Jim Beaver <jumblejim@prodigy.net>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

flying | u.s. navy | world war two | jet fighter | based on true story | See All (30) »

Taglines:

What A Guy Wayne ! See more »

Genres:

Biography | Drama | War

Certificate:

Approved | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

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Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

22 February 1957 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Dem Adler gleich  »

Filming Locations:

 »
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Box Office

Budget:

$2,644,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$2,300,000, 31 December 1957

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,650,000, 31 December 1957
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Production Co:

 »
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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

(Westrex Recording System)|

Color:

(Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Frank and Min's infant son is buried at St. Michaels Cemetery in Pensacola, Florida. According to the state's death records, he died on Feb. 28, 1920, just a little over two weeks after his first birthday. See more »

Goofs

When Spig and Dodge are screening the dailies of "Hell Divers", the smoke they exhale goes behind the movie screen on the wall. During the take they were sitting in front of a blank wall and the dailies they were "watching" were added later causing them to obliterate the exhaled cigarette smoke. See more »

Quotes

Min Wead: I'm not going
Frank W. 'Spig' Wead: Stay broke and keep moving that the story of our lives.
Min Wead: Spig you got two daughters and they lived in seven different houses and seven seven states and seven different years back and forth across the country and out of it too. Well, I'm just not going to move them anymore.
Frank W. 'Spig' Wead: Well, Have a Drink
See more »

Connections

Featured in AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to John Ford (1973) See more »

Soundtracks

You're In The Army Now
(uncredited)
Music by Isham Jones
Lyrics by Tell Taylor and Ole Olsen
Heard as a theme
See more »

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User Reviews

 
Hollywood biography based on a Air hero named Frank Wead with sterling performance by John Wayne
5 July 2011 | by – See all my reviews

Wonderfully shot Ford film with a lively look at the spirit of Navy , including glorification of military life , familiar drama , love and sentimental nostalgia with interesting character studio of a varied assortment of individuals . It's a first-rate war melodrama , including comedy , and masterfully directed by the great John Ford . It's based on the life of one of America's greatest air heroes , Frank ¨Spig¨Wead , an Air hero who wrote plays about the war . He starred some rousing exploits in the ¨Schneider Cup Air Races¨. But he suffers a home accident and is interned in ¨San Diego National Hospital¨, and despite being crippled and wheel-bound he subsequently made a substantial contribution to America's war effort in the Pacific during WWII. He was a famous aviation pioneer become Hollywood screenwriter and one of them was ¨They were expendable (1945) ¨ directed by the same Ford and also with Wayne in the main role . This is a great and stolid drama, a John Ford's lusty realization and marvelously constructed.

This classic picture ranks as one of the best of John Ford's work. It contains Ford's usual themes as familiar feeling , a little bit enjoyable humor, friendship and and sense of comradeship among people . Multiple highlights as the fights between Air and Army soldiers and of course the sensible final farewell on the carrier . Interesting screenplay portraying in depth characters and brooding events with interesting issues running beneath script surface is written by Frank Fenton, John Ford's habitual, and based on the life and writings of Commander Frank W. 'Spig' Wead .

This excellent film featuring a magnificent performance by whole casting . Awesome John Wayne in a larger-than-life character . Enticing and intimate Maureen O'Hara in a sensible role with sensational acting . Excellent co-starring cast as War Bond as John Ford-alter ego, including pipe-smoking and hat . In the film appears , as usual , Ford's favourite actors as Ken Curtis , Mae Marsh , Kenneth Tobey, Willis Bouchey, Jack Pennick , some of them are uncredited . Good cinematography by Paul Voguel and jingoist musical score by Jeff Alexander. Rating : Better than average . Worthwhile watching .
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