Wing and a Prayer (1944)
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44% of users liked it
(1,218 ratings)
Former president Ronald Reagan may have genuinely believed that he was referring to a real-life act of selfless wartime bravery whenever repeating his "We'll bring this one down together" anecdote. In fact, he was merely quoting a scene from the above-average World War 2 drama A Wing… More Former president Ronald Reagan may have genuinely believed that he was referring to a real-life act of selfless wartime bravery whenever repeating his "We'll bring this one down together" anecdote. In fact, he was merely quoting a scene from the above-average World War 2 drama A Wing and a Prayer. The setting is an American aircraft carrier, overseen by tough, unserving flight officer Don Ameche. When casualties begin piling up, the pilots blame Ameche, accusing him of being an indiscriminate butcher. Only when the tide of battle turns in favor of the Allies do the pilots realize that Ameche has been right all along. Director Henry Hathaway spent several weeks aboard an actual aircraft carrier, filming genuine combat scenes. Many of these authentic sequences appear as background footage in A Wing and a Prayer; sometimes the process work is convincing, sometimes it isn't, but please remember that this film was made long, long before the advent of computer technology. Dana Andrews, William Eythe, Richard Jaeckel, Harry Morgan (billed as 'Henry Morgan' here), Richard Crane, Glenn Langan, Reed Hadley and Bob Bailey are among the ready, willing and able Fox contractees appearing in A Wing and a Prayer. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Henry Hathaway
- Genres
- Drama, Action & Adventure, Classics
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Jul 24, 1944 Wide
- Studio
- Twentieth Century Fox
Critic Reviews
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Nick Davis, Nick's Flick Picks
Feels tougher and more focused as it continues, and it editorializes much less obviously than most movies of its genre and period do about who on screen is to be admired and who is to be regarded with unresolved ambivalence.
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Widgett Walls, Needcoffee.com
An anthropological record of the features Hollywood produces when it's at war, yes, but a good flick--no.
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Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central
A manifest-protected foolhardy was more important to champion than cool consideration and calculated risk.
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Cast
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Don Ameche
as Flight Cmdr. Bingo Harper
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Dana Andrews
as Sqdn. Cmdr. Edward Moulton
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William Eythe
as Hallam 'Oscar' Scott
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Charles Bickford
as Capt. Waddell
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Cedric Hardwicke
as Admiral
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Kevin O'Shea
as Cookie Cunningham
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Richard Jaeckel
as Beezy Bessemer
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Henry Morgan
as Malcolm Brainard
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Richard Crane
as Ensign Gus Chisholm
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Glenn Langan
as Executive Officer
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Reed Hadley
as Cmdr. O'Donnell
- Eddie Acuff
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Murray Alper
as Benny O'Neill
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Stanley Andrews
as Marine General
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Irving Bacon
as Sailor
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Robert Bailey
as Ens. Paducah Holloway
- George Chandler
- Jimmie Dodd
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Joe Haworth
as Murphy
- Selmar Jackson
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John Kellogg
as Assistant Air Officer
- Frank Marlowe
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George Mathews
as Dooley
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Renny McEvoy
as Ensign Cliff Hale
- Matt McHugh
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Frank McLure
as Admiral
- Jack Mower
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B.S. Pully
as Flat Top
- Terrance Ray
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Raymond Roe
as Gunner
- Robin Short
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Charles Smith
as Alfalfa
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Ray Teal
as Exec. Officer
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Charles Trowbridge
as Medical Officer
- Edward Van Sloan
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Jay Ward
as Orderly
- Pierre Watkin
- Crane Whitley
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Dave Willock
as Ens. Hans Jacobson
- Frederic Worlock
- Blake Edwards
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John Kelly
as Lew
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John Miles
as Ens. "Lovebug" Markham
- William Manning
- Chet Brandenburg
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Mike Kilian
as Pilot
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Billy Lechner
as Anti-Aircraft Gunner
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Carl Knowles
as Marine Orderly
- Mel Schubert
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Jerry Shane
as Foley
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Charles Lang
as Ens. Chuck White
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Larry Thompson
as Sam Cooper
- Harry Morgan
