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The Wings of Eagles

Play trailer Poster for The Wings of Eagles 1957 1h 50m Biography Play Trailer Watchlist
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33% Tomatometer 6 Reviews 56% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Frank Spig Wead (John Wayne) is a pilot trying to improve the Navy's aviation program. His military posts often require him to move his wife (Maureen O'Hara) and children. On the night he decides to spend more time with his family, Spig falls down the stairs and breaks his back. During his recovery, buddy Jughead Carson (Dan Dailey) convinces Spig to start writing pro-military films. Although he is successful, the Pearl Harbor bombing moves Spig to rejoin the Navy despite his paralysis.
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The Wings of Eagles

Critics Reviews

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Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Oct 15
2/4
Perhaps the weakest of all John Ford-John Wayne collaborations. Go to Full Review
Clyde Gilmour Maclean's Magazine 10/11/2019
Coming from a director as esteemed as John Ford, this is a disappointing entry-a loud, long and shamelessly corny biography of a naval airman... Go to Full Review
Jeffrey M. Anderson Combustible Celluloid 01/16/2015
A bizarre, but touching, comical biopic. Go to Full Review
Christopher Lloyd Sarasota Herald-Tribune 04/25/2011
2.5/5
Wants to be epic in scope but ends up feeling like ham-fisted CliffsNotes version of a man's life. The film loiters way, way too long on Frank Wead's early days as a hell-raising test pilot, then skips ahead through long sections of his life. Go to Full Review
Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 07/15/2008
B
Though sentimental as a biopic of Navy hero Frank (Sig) Wead, John Ford's film has old-fashioned charm, a result of John Wayne's lead performance and his chemistry with Maureen O'Hara. Go to Full Review
Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 02/08/2005
C
This routine sentimental biopic is directed with much feeling by John Ford. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Blu B 04/25/2024 There isn't really anything broken about this but there isn't much particulary good either as it's very mediocre all around. The first 45 minutes feel like they could have been cut down to 10-15 minutes as it feels very dragged out. Second, this has a tone problem where it is way too light hearted and almost a comedy feel throughout the entire runtime. The slapstick fights in the first half with the Army Navy guys is so out of place. So it makes it very hard to take anything serious whenever you break it up with a joke or smile it off like it was nothing. Also, it's just not that interesting visually to look at especially when he's paralyzed. We don't even see his face or really see much of a struggle. It also just doesn't do a good job tying the family drama with the war contributions he makes. This needed to take itself more seriously, have a better lead man who could evoke more emotion maybe like Brando, and do a better job weaving the family drama into this while also cutting afew scenes. There are some cool shots here and there, the stock WWII footage is cool, and it is interesting seeing Wayne recover in the few moments it takes itself serious. O'Hara is wasted in this also and really disappears in the second half. It's laughable how they gave her a sliver of silver hair to make her old. Besides that, unless your a big die hard John Wayne fan I can't recommend this to most people. He's just not the best in this role and has trouble conveying more emotional and dramatic moments. Now whether that's the problems with the script/tone not allowing it or him I can't tell. But regardless most should skip this. See more 03/19/2018 Fairly average approach to an unusual studio movie. This one is a biopic about a successful Hollywood screenwriter, known for his post WWII war films which often starred John Wayne. In this film the Duke portrays the man who helped him break out of the Western genre - this time as a hotshot pilot who finds new ways to remain useful even after being paralyzed/crippled. That's right... the Duke plays a man who's both physically & emotionally crippled! A great supporting cast as well, so watch for familiar faces. See more 06/05/2017 Wayne's over-the-top acting fits this film, about a true character See more 01/19/2016 thought this a very well done movie, inspirational and moving! Love the actors as well!! See more 12/25/2014 Historically inaccurate, cliched, and quite silly at times. The movie starts in an almost farcical way, showing the hero as a loveable larrikin and defier of authority. It gets worse from there (and I didn't think that was possible at the time), as the next few scenes mainly involve silly punch-ups. At this point the movie looked like it was meant to be a slapstick comedy, and a very bad one at that. From a point, however, it loses the silliness and becomes a drama. Some scenes are quite emotional and engaging but many feel trite and cliched. The WW2 stuff contains a host of historical inaccuracies. Things occur in the wrong chronological order and this part just seems very sloppily done. This is all despite the producers having some great WW2 footage at their disposal, and the help of the US Navy. I mainly watched this because it starred John Wayne. He does fine in the lead role, but is miscast. He is far too old for the character he is playing. Considering this movie was made long after WW2 had ended, so isn't a propaganda movie, and considering how little known Commander Wead is in terms of military history, I'm not really sure why this movie was made. See more 11/10/2014 For those critics who say John Wayne is not a good actor, that John Wayne always plays John Wayne, I challenge you to watch The Wings of Eagles. John Wayne gives a power house performance in a film that is unlike any other he made. See more Read all reviews
The Wings of Eagles

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Movie Info

Synopsis Frank Spig Wead (John Wayne) is a pilot trying to improve the Navy's aviation program. His military posts often require him to move his wife (Maureen O'Hara) and children. On the night he decides to spend more time with his family, Spig falls down the stairs and breaks his back. During his recovery, buddy Jughead Carson (Dan Dailey) convinces Spig to start writing pro-military films. Although he is successful, the Pearl Harbor bombing moves Spig to rejoin the Navy despite his paralysis.
Director
John Ford
Producer
Charles Schnee
Screenwriter
Frank Fenton, William Wister Haines
Production Co
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Genre
Biography
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 31, 1957, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 1, 2012
Runtime
1h 50m
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