''Eagle Squadron'' is a 1942 American

war film War film is a film genre concerned with warfare, typically about navy, naval, air force, air, or army, land battles, with combat scenes central to the drama. It has been strongly associated with the 20th century. The fateful nature of battle s ...

directed by

Arthur Lubin Arthur Lubin (July 25, 1898 – May 11, 1995) was an American film director and producer who directed several ''Abbott & Costello'' films, '' Phantom of the Opera'' (1943), the '' Francis the Talking Mule'' series and created the talking-horse TV ...

and starring

Robert Stack Robert Stack (born Charles Langford Modini Stack; January 13, 1919 – May 14, 2003) was an American actor. Known for his deep voice and commanding presence, he appeared in over forty feature films. He starred in the highly successful ABC tele ...

Diana Barrymore Diana Blanche Barrymore Blythe (March 3, 1921 – January 25, 1960), known professionally as Diana Barrymore, was an American film and stage actress. Early life Born Diana Blanche Barrymore Blythe in New York, New York, Diana Barrymore was t ...

, John Loder and

Nigel Bruce William Nigel Ernle Bruce (4 February 1895 – 8 October 1953) was a British character actor on stage and screen. He was best known for his portrayal of Dr. Watson in a series of films and in the radio series ''The New Adventures of Sherlock ...

. It was based on a story by C.S. Forester that appeared in ''

Cosmopolitan Cosmopolitan may refer to: Food and drink * Cosmopolitan (cocktail), also known as a "Cosmo" History * Rootless cosmopolitan, a Soviet derogatory epithet during Joseph Stalin's anti-Semitic campaign of 1949–1953 Hotels and resorts * Cosmopoli ...

'' magazine, and inspired by media reports of the fighting in the

Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...

, in particular, the American pilots who volunteered before the United States entered

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, to fly for the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

in the actual

Eagle Squadrons The Eagle Squadrons were three fighter squadrons of the Royal Air Force (RAF) formed with volunteer pilots from the United States during the early days of World War II (circa 1940), prior to America's entry into the war in December 1941. Wit ...

Plot

As war breaks out in Europe, young Americans Chuck S. Brewer (

), Johnny M. Coe ( Leif Erickson) and Wadislaw Borowsky (

Edgar Barrier Edgar Barrier (March 4, 1907 – June 20, 1964) was an American actor who appeared on radio, stage, and screen. In the 1930s he was a member of Orson Welles' Mercury Theatre and was one of several actors who played Simon Templar on '' The Saint'' ...

) cross the Atlantic to join the Royal Air Force. Assigned to the Eagle Squadron, made up of other American pilots, they make friends with Squadron Leader Paddy Carson (John Loder), and women flyers Anne Partridge (Diana Barrymore) and Nancy Mitchell (

Evelyn Ankers Evelyn Felisa Ankers (August 17, 1918 – August 29, 1985) was a British-American actress who often played variations on the role of the cultured young leading lady in many American horror films during the 1940s, most notably '' The Wolf Man'' (1 ...

). Chuck is immediately attracted to Nancy, but she already has a boyfriend, Hank Starr ( Jon Hall), another pilot in the squadron. Once they are trained as fighter pilots, on their first mission against a German air force base, Johnny and Chuck are shot down, and Johnny is killed. Chuck parachutes into the sea and is rescued, but back at the base, he learns that two other pilots trying to protect them when both Americans broke formation, were also killed. At a military dance, Chuck and Anne arrange for a date that turns out to be a picnic with a group of evacuated children, interrupted by a German air raid. Later, Squadron Leader Carson, who also likes Anne, takes her to London, with Chuck following the pair. During the bombing of a hospital, Anne is wounded leading others out of the burning building, but finds her father, Sir James Partridge (

Paul Cavanagh William Grigs Atkinson (8 December 1888 – 15 March 1964), known professionally as Paul Cavanagh, was an English film and stage actor. He appeared in more than 100 films between 1928 and 1959. Life and career Cavanagh was born in Felling, ...

), a noted pacifist, who dies in her arms. Chuck and Wadislaw, along with Carson, take part in a commando raid in France to capture a top-secret new "Leopard" German fighter. The mission ends with Carson and Wadislaw dead, but Chuck takes off and shoots his way out of enemy territory, bringing the stolen fighter aircraft back to England. At an award ceremony, both Chuck and Anne are decorated for their bravery, but the ceremony is cut short by another German air raid. Chuck, who has proposed to Anne, kisses her on the cheek before taking to the air.

Cast

as Chuck S. Brewer *

as Anne Partridge * John Loder as Paddy Carson *

as McKinnon * Jon Hall as Hank Starr *

Eddie Albert Edward Albert Heimberger (April 22, 1906 – May 26, 2005) was an American actor and activist. He was twice nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor; the first nomination came in 1954 for his performance in ''Roman Holiday'', ...

as Leckie *

as Nancy Mitchell * Leif Erickson as Johnny M. Coe *

as Wadislaw Borowsky *

Isobel Elsom Isobel Elsom (born Isabelle Reed; 16 March 1893 – 12 January 1981) was an English film, theatre, and television actress. She was often cast as aristocrats or upper-class women. Early years Born in Chesterton, Cambridge, Elsom attend ...

as Dame Elizabeth Whitby *

Alan Hale Jr. Alan Hale Jr. (born Alan Hale MacKahan; (March 8, 1921 - January 2, 1990) was an American actor and restaurateur. He was the son of actor Alan Hale Sr. His television career spanned four decades, but he was best known for his secondary lead role ...

as Olsen *

Don Porter Donald Cecil Porter (September 24, 1912 – February 11, 1997) was an American stage, film and television actor. On television, he played Peter Sands, the boss of Ann Sothern's character on ''Private Secretary'', and Russell Lawrence, the wi ...

as Ramsey *

Frederick Worlock Frederick Worlock (December 14, 1886 – August 1, 1973) was a British-American actor. He is known for his work in various films during the 1940s and 1950s, and as the voice of Horace in '' One Hundred and One Dalmatians'' (1961). Career On st ...

as Grenfall *

Stanley Ridges Stanley Charles Ridges (17 July 1890 – 22 April 1951) was an English-born, American actor who made more than 100 appearances in theatre and movies from 1917 to 1951. After his American film debut in ''Success'' (1923), he appeared in films s ...

as Air Minister *

Gene Reynolds Eugene Reynolds Blumenthal (April 4, 1923 – February 3, 2020) was an American screenwriter, director, producer, and actor. He was one of the developers and producers of the TV series ''M*A*S*H''. Early life Reynolds was born on April 4, 1923, ...

as The kid * Robert Warwick as Bullock * Clarence Straight as Chandler * Edmund Glover as Meeker * Gladys Cooper as Aunt Emmeline * Rhys Williams as Sgt. Johns *

as Sir James Patridge * Gavin Muir as Major Severn * Richard Fraser as Lt. Jefferys * Richard Crane as Griffith * Howard Banks as Barker * Harold Landon as Welch *

Todd Karns Roscoe Todd Karns (January 15, 1921 – February 5, 2000) was an American actor. He is perhaps best remembered for playing George Bailey's younger brother, Harry Bailey, in the 1946 film ''It's a Wonderful Life''. Early life Karns was the so ...

as Meyers * Charles King Jr. as Cadet Chubby *

Jill Esmond Jill Esmond (born Jill Esmond Moore; 26 January 1908 – 28 July 1990) was an English stage and screen actress. She was the first wife of Laurence Olivier. Early life Esmond was born in London, the daughter of stage actors Henry V. Esmond and ...

as Phyllis *

Ian Wolfe Ian Marcus Wolfe (November 4, 1896 – January 23, 1992) was an American character actor with around 400 film and television credits. Until 1934, he worked in the theatre. That year, he appeared in his first film role and later television, as a ...

as Sir Charles Porter *

Alan Napier Alan William Napier-Clavering (7 January 1903 – 8 August 1988), better known as Alan Napier, was an English actor. After a decade in West End theatre, he had a long film career in Britain and later, in Hollywood. Napier is best remembered for ...

as Black Watch officer * Harold De Becker as Pvt. Owen * Donald Stuart as Hoskins *

Carl Harbord Carl Harbord (26 January 1908 – 18 October 1958) was an English stage, film and television actor. Stage When he was 19, Harbord appeared in the play ''The Happy Husband'', which was presented at the Criterion Theatre in London, England. ...

as Lubbock * Charles Irwin as Sir Benjamin Trask *

Florence Gill Florence Gill (27 July 1877 – 19 February 1965) was a British actress. In Walt Disney's animated films, Gill made a specialty for 20 years of voicing hens, including Clara Cluck, The Wise Little Hen and other assorted fowl. Gill was a member ...

As Cockney *

Olaf Hytten Olaf Hytten (3 March 1888 – 11 March 1955) was a Scottish actor. He appeared in more than 280 films between 1921 and 1955. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and died in Los Angeles, California from a heart attack, while sitting in his car ...

as Day Controller

Documentary version

The film began as a documentary on real Eagle Squadron pilots, with cooperation with the British Ministry of Information which provided actual aerial combat footage. On October 23, 1940 producer Walter Wanger announced he would make ''Eagle Squadron'' for

United Artists United Artists Corporation (UA), currently doing business as United Artists Digital Studios, is an American digital production company. Founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, the stud ...

and that he wanted

William Wellman William Augustus Wellman (February 29, 1896 – December 9, 1975) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, actor and military pilot. He was known for his work in crime, adventure, and action genre films, often focusing on a ...

to direct. On November 4, 20th Century Fox announced they were going to make a rival project, ''The Eagles Fly Again'', with Henry Fonda and Don Ameche. In November Wagner hired William Hird Bennett to write the script. In March 1941 Wanger announced the film would be one of three pictures he would make for United Artists, the other being ''Sundown'' and ''So Gallantly Gleaming''. In July Wanger said the film would be part of a four picture deal with UA, the others being ''Sundown'', ''Cheyenne'' and ''To Be Or Not to Be''. Harry Watts and

Ernest Schoedsack Ernest Beaumont Schoedsack (June 8, 1893 – December 23, 1979) was an American motion picture cinematographer, producer, and director. Schoedsack worked as a cameraman in World War I, where he served in the Signal Corps. At the conclusion o ...

would direct. Wanger sent fellow producer

Merian C. Cooper Merian Caldwell Cooper (October 24, 1893 – April 21, 1973) was an American filmmaker and Academy Award winner, as well as a former aviator who served as an officer in the United States Air Force and Polish Air Force. In film, he is credited a ...

and directors

Harry Watt Harry Watt (18 October 19062 April 1987) was a Scottish documentary and feature film director, who began his career working for John Grierson and Robert Flaherty. His 1959 film ''The Siege of Pinchgut'' was entered into the 9th Berlin Inter ...

and Schoedsack, to film the squadron in action. Watt and screenwriter

Ian Dalrymple Ian Dalrymple (26 August 190328 March 1989) was a British screenwriter, film director, film editor and film producer. Biography Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, he was educated at Rugby School, Rugby and Trinity College, Cambridge. He worke ...

came from the British

Crown Film Unit The Crown Film Unit was an organisation within the British Government's Ministry of Information during the Second World War. Formerly the GPO Film Unit it became the Crown Film Unit in 1940. Its remit was to make films for the general public in ...

. The film's producers identified six pilots who would serve as the focus of the film. In September the ''New York Times'' reported that they had been shooting in England for three months, and the six men were Andrew Mamedoff, Gregory Daymond,

Eugene Tobin Flying Officer Eugene Quimby "Red" Tobin (4 January 1917 – 7 September 1941) was an American pilot who flew with the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain in World War II. He was one of 11 American pilots who flew with RAF Fighter ...

, William R. Dunn, Luke Allen and Chesley G Petersen. Schoedsack said he did not want to focus on any particular flier in case one was shot down - that happened to Tobin in September. Schoedsack was forbidden to fly on missions because if he was shot down, as a civilian he would be subject to execution because he was not one of the armed forces.Getting Down to Facts: Hollywood Shows an Uncommon Interest In Documentary Films -- Other Items. By Douglas W. Churchill. New York Times September 14, 1941: X3. The squadron continued to fight during filming in Britain, and several pilots were killed. Technical advisor John M. Hill, on leave from the RAF due to a war injury and an actual member of the Eagle squadron, was one of only four pilots of the 17-strong squadron to survive. The six months of pre-production filming were fraught with many problems, including the reluctance of the Eagle Squadron pilots to take part. It ended with Watt and Dalrymple resigning. Although the original documentary project was not possible, the footage shot would prove to be recycled for a new film.

Feature film production

In October 1941 Wagner sold his company, including sixteen properties, to United Artists, but kept the rights to ''Eagle Squadron''. Wagner intended to set up a new company and make ''Eagle Squadron'' its first film. On November 17 Wagner announced he had signed a deal to make movies at Universal, including ''Eagle Squadron''. This film would no longer be a documentary but a fictional story, based on a magazine story by C.S. Forester. Norman Reilly Raine was writing the script. The film would use footage taken in England, but now the characters would be played by actors rather than real pilots. Reportedly the fictional story had been an idea of Raine's, who sold it to Wanger, who then hired Forester to write it up as a magazine story. In December 1941 Wanger announced the female lead would be played by Diana Barrymore who was appearing on stage in ''The Land is Bright''. Other key roles went to Robert Stack, Leif Ericson and Jon Hall. (Wanger liked Hall's work so much he put the actor in ''Arabian Nights''). In early January Universal announced that the director would be Arthur Lubin. Lubin got the job directing on the back of his success with Abbott and Costello. Filming started 15 January. Location shooting took place at Universal Studio's backlot outside Los Angeles. Stack remembers Barrymore as "a sad and thoroughly mixed up lady" with "an inclination to drink away her problems, a fiery temper and an erratic emotional perspective. But she had neither the time nor the training to acquire the enormous technical foundation in acting that other members of her famous family had." ''Eagle Squadron'' begins with the onscreen declaration, "This production was made possible through the cooperation of The British Air Ministry, The British Ministry of Information, The Royal Air Force ndThe Eagle Squadron of the R.A.F." Noted war correspondent and radio commentator Quentin Reynolds, who also documented the role of the Eagle squadrons, narrates an extended foreword."Notes: Eagle Squadron (1942)."
''Turner Classic Movies''. Retrieved: August 26, 2014.

Reception

Box office

Although real Eagle Squadron pilots disliked its fictionalization of their experiences, ''Eagle Squadron'' was a box office hit, earning a profit of $697,607. ''Variety'' said it earned $1.8 million in rentals in the US in 1942."101 Pix Gross in Millions" ''Variety'' 6 Jan 1943 p 58
/ref> Its San Francisco premiere at the Orpheum Theater, raised $200,000 in war bond sales.

Critical response

Critically, the film did not fare well.

Bosley Crowther Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. (July 13, 1905 – March 7, 1981) was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for ''The New York Times'' for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though his ...

, in his review in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'', thought the blending of fictional and real-life events was outlandish and dismissed the film as nothing more than a

B film A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double feature ...

. He wrote that ''Eagle Squadron'' was "... far from the genuine drama about American fliers with the R. A. F. that it should be, but is rather a highfalutin war adventure film which waxes embarrassingly mawkish about English courage and American spunk."Crowther, Bosley
"Eagle Squadron (1942) 'Eagle Squadron,' Action Film of Americans in R.A.F., With Diana Barrymore, Jon Hall and Robert Stack, at Globe."
''

'', July 3, 1942.

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

* Bernstein. Matthew. ''Walter Wanger: Hollywood Independent''. St. Paul, Minnesota: Minnesota Press, 2000. . * Cull, Nicholas John. ''Selling War: The British Propaganda Campaign against American 'Neutrality' in World War II.'' Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 1995. . * Glancy, H. Mark. ''When Hollywood Loved Britain: The Hollywood 'British' Film 1939-1945''. Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press, 1999. . * Orriss, Bruce. ''When Hollywood Ruled the Skies: The Aviation Film Classics of World War II''. Hawthorne, California: Aero Associates Inc., 1984. .

External links

* *
Short story based on the film in the June 1942 issue of ''Photoplay'' magazine.Review of film
at Variety {{Walter Wanger 1942 films 1940s war films American aviation films American black-and-white films American war films Battle of Britain films Film 1940s English-language films Films directed by Arthur Lubin Films produced by Walter Wanger Films set in England Films set in London Films set in the 1940s Universal Pictures films World War II aviation films World War II films made in wartime Films scored by Frank Skinner Films based on works by C. S. Forester