Iron Eagle (1986)

A young pilot plans a rescue mission when his father, an Air Force Colonel, is shot down over enemy territory and captured.

Director:

Sidney J. Furie

Writers:

Kevin Alyn Elders (as Kevin Elders), Sidney J. Furie

Stars:

Louis Gossett Jr., Jason Gedrick, David Suchet

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Louis Gossett Jr.	...	Col. Charles 'Chappy' Sinclair
Jason Gedrick	...	Doug Masters
David Suchet	...	Minister of Defense Col. Akir Nakesh
Larry B. Scott	...	Reggie
Caroline Lagerfelt	...	Elizabeth Masters
Jerry Levine	...	Tony
Robbie Rist	...	Milo Bazen
Michael Bowen	...	Knotcher
Robert Jayne	...	Matthew 'Matt' Masters (as Bobby Jacoby)
Melora Hardin	...	Katie
David Greenlee	...	Kingsley
Michael Alldredge	...	Col. Blackburn
Lance LeGault	...	General Edwards (as Lance Le Gault)
Tim Thomerson	...	Col. Ted Masters
Tom Fridley	...	Brillo

Storyline

When Doug's father, an Air Force Pilot, is shot down by MiGs belonging to a radical Middle Eastern state, no one seems able to get him out. Doug finds Chappy, an Air Force Colonel who is intrigued by the idea of sending in two fighters piloted by himself and Doug to rescue Doug's father after bombing the MiG base. Their only problems: Borrowing two fighters, getting them from California to the Mediteranean without anyone noticing, and Doug's inability to hit anything unless he has music playing. Then come the minor problems of the state's air defenses.

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Plot Keywords:

two seater aircraft | aircraft cockpit | jet aircraft | warplane | aircraft | 

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Taglines:

Doug is 18. Raised on an air base and born to fly. His father has been shot down 6000 miles away, and has been sentenced to death... for the crime of being an American. Everyone's telling Doug to sit tight and wait. Everyone but Retired Air Force Colonel Chappy Sinclair. They know what they have to do. And they've "borrowed" a pair of F-16s to do it. For them, waiting time is over.

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Genres:

Action | Thriller | War

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Country:

USA Israel Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 January 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der stählerne Adler

Filming Locations:

Ramat David Air Base, Israel

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,104,754, 19 January 1986

Gross USA:

$24,159,872

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$24,159,872

Company Credits

Production Co:

TriStar Pictures, Delphi Films, Falcon's Flight

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Some of the "Libyan" soldiers at the airbase, from where Doug's dad was rescued, were using the Swedish 9mm SMG m/45. Originally developed during World War II. Still in use, but in very small numbers nowadays, within the Swedish Armed Forces. It has also served in U.S. Special Forces as a very simple, easy handled and very reliable SMG. Some period also manufactured on license in Egypt. That's why the "Libyan" soldiers were using it.

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Goofs

While Reggie and Tony are blowing up firecrackers in the hanger, the mechanics are running around A-4 Skyhawks. The Air Force never used the Skyhawk, only the Navy and Marines flew it.

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Quotes

[Doug is showing off his piloting skills to Chappy]
Doug Masters: How was that?
Chappy Sinclair: I thought you was a pilot, not an astronaut!

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Crazy Credits

The credits are yellow over a blue background, as opposed to the normal white over a black background.

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Connections

Featured in Flight of Black Angel (1991)

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Soundtracks

These are the Good Times
By Eric Martin
Courtesy of Capitol Records, Inc.

User Reviews

Don't watch it again if you have loved it as a child ;)

I loved this movie 10 years ago when I was about 16 years old. My biggest mistake was to watch it again, 10 years later. It's not the worst "I-wanna-be-a-pilot" movies ever, but it has so many flaws in it that you can hardly overlook them.

Queen's "One Vision" (along with the rest of the soundtrack) makes this film better than the average patriotic nonsense you usually get to see ;)

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