Men of the Fighting Lady (Panther Squadron) (1954)
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100% of users liked it
(58 ratings)
Leave it to MGM to turn the Korean War into a splashy, big-budget, all-star extravaganza. Men of the Fighting Lady is set on the US aircraft career of the same name. Van Johnson stars as Lt. Howard Thayer, while other MGM stalwarts in the cast include Walter Pidgeon, Kennan Wynn and Louis Calhern.… More Leave it to MGM to turn the Korean War into a splashy, big-budget, all-star extravaganza. Men of the Fighting Lady is set on the US aircraft career of the same name. Van Johnson stars as Lt. Howard Thayer, while other MGM stalwarts in the cast include Walter Pidgeon, Kennan Wynn and Louis Calhern. The film's highlight is the famous fact-based scene wherein Lt. Thayer "talks in" blinded pilot Kenneth Schechter (Dewey Martin), assuring a safe landing for the incapacitated flyer. As a novelty, no concessions are made to the "love stuff" addicts in the audience: there is no contrived romantic subplot in the film, nor are there any women in the cast. Men of the Fighting Lady was based on two literary works: "The Case of the Blinded Pilot" by Cmdr. Harry A. Burns, and "The Forgotten Heroes of Korea" by James A. Michener (who is impersonated in the film by Louis Calhern). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Andrew Marton
- Genres
- Drama, Classics
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- May 7, 1954 Wide
- On DVD
- Oct 23, 1991
Critic Reviews
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Christopher Lloyd, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
The tone in many ways reminded me of Top Gun, which would come out three decades later: Callow young pilots learn to rely on their fellow fighter jocks and act as a team.
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Tepid factual Korean War drama about life aboard an American naval aircraft carrier stationed off Korea in the Sea of Japan.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
No Featured Audience Ratings Found…
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Cast
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Van Johnson
as Lt. Howard Thayer
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Walter Pidgeon
as Cmdr. Kent Dowling
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Louis Calhern
as James A. Michener
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Dewey Martin
as Ensign Kenneth Schechter
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Keenan Wynn
as Lt. Cmdr. Ted Dodson
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Frank Lovejoy
as Lieutenant Commander Paul Grayson
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Robert Horton
as Ensign Neil Conovan
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Bert Freed
as Lt. Andrew Szymanski
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Lewis Martin
as Cmdr. Michael Coughlin
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Dick Simmons
as Lt. Wayne Kimbrell
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Ann Baker
as Mary Reynolds
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Jonathan Hale
as Announcer
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Teddy Infur
as Szymanski's Son
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Jerry Mathers
as Dodson's Son
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Dorothy Patrick
as Mrs. Dodson
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Steve Rowland
as Pilot Johnson
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Sarah Selby
as Mrs. Szymanski
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George A. Cooper
as Cyril Roberts
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Paul L. Smith
as Ensign Dispatcher
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Chris Warfield
as Pilot White
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John Rosser
as Officer
