''Lafayette Escadrille'', also known as ''C'est la Guerre'', ''Hell Bent for Glory'' (UK) and ''With You in My Arms'', is a 1958 American

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

produced by

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

It stars

Tab Hunter Tab Hunter (born Arthur Andrew Kelm; July 11, 1931 – July 8, 2018) was an American actor, singer, film producer, and author. Known for his blond, clean-cut good looks, Hunter starred in more than forty films. He was a Hollywood heartthrob of t ...

and

Etchika Choureau Etchika Choureau (19 November 1929 – 25 January 2022) was a French film actress. She was at one point in a relationship with Hassan II of Morocco, who was then heir to the throne. Choureau died on 25 January 2022, at the age of 92. Filmogra ...

and features

David Janssen David Janssen (born David Harold Meyer) (March 27, 1931February 13, 1980) was an American film and television actor who is best known for his starring role as Richard Kimble in the television series '' The Fugitive'' (1963–1967). Janssen also ...

and

Will Hutchins Will Hutchins (born Marshall Lowell Hutchason; May 5, 1930) is an American actor most noted for playing the lead role of the young lawyer Tom Brewster, in the Western (genre), Western television series ''Sugarfoot'', which aired on American B ...

, as well as

Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western TV series '' Rawhide'', he rose to international fame with his role as the "Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's "''Doll ...

, in an early supporting role. It was the final film in the career of director

William A. 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 avi ...

and is based on his original story.

Plot

Thad Walker (

), a spoiled, rich kid from Boston, who had gotten in serious trouble with the law, fled to France to join the

French Foreign Legion The French Foreign Legion (french: Légion étrangère) is a corps of the French Army which comprises several specialties: infantry, Armoured Cavalry Arm, cavalry, Military engineering, engineers, Airborne forces, airborne troops. It was created ...

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. In Paris, with companions, "Duke" Sinclair (

), Dave Putnam (

), Tom Hitchcock (Jody McCrea) and Bill Wellman (William Wellman Jr.), the boys stop at a bar and learn of the recent formation of the

Lafayette Escadrille The La Fayette Escadrille (french: Escadrille de La Fayette) was the name of the French Air Force unit escadrille N 124 during the First World War (1914–1918). This escadrille of the ''Aéronautique Militaire'' was composed largely of Ameri ...

made up of American volunteer pilots who fly for France. The group of expatriates join up and learn to fly on training aircraft before becoming combat pilots. While off duty, Walker meets and falls in love with Renée Beaulieu (Etchika Choureau), a common streetwalker with some sensitivity; she quits the oldest profession and takes a job, reforming for her American lover's sake. Walker's father beat him, and he resents any kind of authority. When a strutting, arrogant French officer (

Marcel Dalio Marcel Dalio (born Marcel Benoit Blauschild; 23 November 1899 in Paris – 18 November 1983) was a French movie actor. He had major roles in two films directed by Jean Renoir, ''La Grande Illusion'' (1937) and ''The Rules of the Game'' (1939). ...

), irritated by the young man's inability to understand commands in French, strikes him, he knocks the officer to the ground, a very serious offense. Before he can be jailed, his pals smuggle Walker out of camp. He then spends a great deal of time hiding in Paris in his sweetheart's apartment. His friends continue with their training while Walker works for the Madam (Veola Vonn), hoping to make enough money to run away to South America with his girlfriend. Later, the now veteran pilots he had befriended come to the bar and Walker realizes he still wants to redeem himself. Convincing an American general that he is sincere, when the United States enters the war, he joins the American Air Service. Walker finally is able to fly a mission with the Lafayette Escadrille, where he proves to be a superb fighter pilot. Returning to Paris, Walker asks his friends to join him as he weds Renée.

Cast

as Thad Walker *

as Renée Beaulieu *

as Drill Sergeant *

as "Duke" Sinclair *

Paul Fix Peter Paul Fix (March 13, 1901 – October 14, 1983) was an American film and television character actor who was best known for his work in Westerns. Fix appeared in more than 100 movies and dozens of television shows over a 56-year career be ...

as U.S. General * Veola Vonn as The Madam *

as Dave Putnam *

George Moseley George Clark Moseley was an American football player. He played at the end position for Yale University and was chosen as a first-team All-American in 1916 by Collier's Weekly, as selected by Walter Camp. During World War I, Moseley served wit ...

* Robert Hover as Dave Judd *

Tom Laughlin Thomas Robert Laughlin Jr. (August 10, 1931 – December 12, 2013) was an American actor, director, screenwriter, author, educator, and activist. Laughlin was best known for his series of ''Billy Jack'' films. He was married to actress De ...

as Arthur Blumenthal *

Brett Halsey Brett Halsey (born Charles Oliver Hand, June 20, 1933) is an American film actor, sometimes credited as Montgomery Ford. He appeared in B pictures and in European-made feature films. He originated the role of John Abbott on the soap opera ''The ...

as Frank Baylies * Henry Nakamura as Jimmy *

Maurice Marsac Maurice Marsac (23 March 1915 – 6 May 2007) was a French actor who had a long career, with over 150 appearances in American films and television. He was also a nationally ranked croquet player. Born in La Croix-Valmer, France, he was a memb ...

as Sgt. Parris *

Raymond Bailey Raymond Thomas Bailey (May 6, 1904 – April 15, 1980) was an American actor, and comedian on the Broadway stage, films, and television. He is best known for his role as greedy banker Milburn Drysdale in the television series ''The Beverly Hill ...

as Amos J. Walker *

William Wellman Jr. William Wellman Jr. (born January 20, 1937) is an American former actor. In a career spanning 65 years, he appeared in about 77 films and television series. Life and career Wellman was born in Los Angeles, California, and is the son of actress ...

as Bill/

Jody McCrea Joel Dee "Jody" McCrea (September 6, 1934 – April 4, 2009) was an American actor. He was the son of actors Joel McCrea and Frances Dee. Early life McCrea was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of actors Joel McCrea and Frances Dee. ...

as Tom Hitchcock * Denny Devine as Lawrence "Red" Scanlan * Ralph Guldahl as Dudley Tucker * Sam Boghosian as Booth Cast notes: * The roles of "Duke" Sinclair (Reginald "Duke" Sinclaire), Dave Judd (Edward David Judd), Arthur Blumenthal and Frank Baylies (Frank Leamon Baylies) were also based by Wellman on actual members of the Escadrille * Craig Hill's uncredited role as Lufberry, based on Raoul Gervais Lufbery, is essentially a walk-on role.

Production

Relying on his own World War I service, Wellman wrote the original story, based on the actual exploits of a friend from the war years. Earning himself the nickname "Wild Bill", Wellman was first an ambulance driver in the Norton-Harjes Ambulance Corps, then joined the

. On December 3, 1917, assigned as the first American fighter pilot to join N.87 ''escadrille'' in the

Lafayette Flying Corps The Lafayette Flying Corps is a name given to the American volunteer pilots who flew in the French Air Force (Armée de l'Air) during World War I. It includes the pilots who flew with the bona fide Lafayette Escadrille squadron. Numbers The e ...

, Wellman went on to score three recorded "kills", along with five probables and to receive the

Croix de Guerre The ''Croix de Guerre'' (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awa ...

with two palms.Silke 1980, p. 57. Although he considered ''Lafayette Escadrille'' a "personal project", the studio did not give Wellman the budget he demanded and continued to interfere with the project, to the extent that the decisions on starring roles, title, ending and other important aspects of the production were taken out of his hands, including the title of the film: Wellman's original title was ''C'est la Guerre'' which the studio, despite his objections, changed to ''Lafayette Escadrille''. In casting, Wellman wanted

Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. He was the recipient of numerous awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three ...

and Clint Eastwood as the leads; studio head

Jack L. Warner Jack Leonard Warner (born Jacob Warner; August 2, 1892 – September 9, 1978) was a Canadian-American film executive, who was the president and driving force behind the Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California. Warner's career spanned some ...

refused, and substituted teen idol Tab Hunter and David Janssen, with Eastwood moved to a minor role. Warner also insisted Wellman make ''

Darby's Rangers ''Darby's Rangers'' (released in the UK as ''The Young Invaders'') is a 1958 war film directed by William Wellman and starring James Garner as William Orlando Darby, who organizes and leads the first units of United States Army Rangers during Wor ...

'' as a condition of financing ''Lafayette Escadrille''.Nat Segaloff, ''Final Cuts: The Last Films of 50 Great Directors'', Bear Manor Media 2013 p 312–314 The use of mocked-up

Nieuport 28 The Nieuport 28 C.1, a French biplane fighter aircraft flown during World War I, was built by Nieuport and designed by Gustave Delage. Owing its lineage to the successful line of sesquiplane fighters that included the Nieuport 17, the Nieu ...

and Thomas-Morse Scout fighters along with other period aircraft such as one real

Fokker D.VII The Fokker D.VII was a German World War I fighter aircraft designed by Reinhold Platz of the Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. Germany produced around 3,300 D.VII aircraft in the second half of 1918. In service with the ''Luftstreitkräfte'', the D.VII qu ...

and the ubiquitous Travelair "Wichita Fokkers" were "lifted" from Wellman's earlier 1938 production, ''

Men with Wings ''Men With Wings'' is a 1938 American Technicolor war film, directed by William A. Wellman and starring Fred MacMurray, Ray Milland, and Louise Campbell. Donald O'Connor also has a small part as the younger version of MacMurray's character. The ...

'', an early color feature also directed by Wellman. Principal photography took place primarily at the Hancock

Santa Maria, California Santa Maria (Spanish language, Spanish for "Mary, mother of Jesus, St. Mary") is a city near the Central Coast (California), Central Coast of California in northern Santa Barbara County, California, Santa Barbara County. It is approximately no ...

airport. Hollywood stunt pilot

Paul Mantz Albert Paul Mantz (August 2, 1903 – July 8, 1965) was a noted air racing pilot, movie stunt pilot and consultant from the late 1930s until his death in the mid-1960s. He gained fame on two stages: Hollywood and in air races. Early years Man ...

, built a number of

Blériot XI The Blériot XI is a French aircraft of the pioneer era of aviation. The first example was used by Louis Blériot to make the first flight across the English Channel in a heavier-than-air aircraft, on 25 July 1909. This is one of the most fam ...

"Penguin" clipped-wing and full span training aircraft, used in the training sequences. According to information in the Warner Bros. Archive, the original script—with the tragic ending in which Walker dies in combat and Renée commits suicide—was written by Paul Fix. A later script, dated October 1956 and attributed to A. Fleischman (with story credit to Wellman) has the happy ending. Shooting took place October 19 to December 8, 1956.

Reception

In the original cut of the film Tab Hunter's character died at the end. However this was poorly received at previews and a new ending was shot in April–May 1957 where he lived. While the aviation scenes in ''Lafayette Escadrille'' were well received ( William Clothier filmed the spectacular aerial sequences, evocative of those he shot in Wellman's earlier silent classic ''

Wings A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is expresse ...

''), critics said the film falls far short of the classic status of the 1928 Oscar winner. The flying sequences were not enough to overcome a mediocre story and flat acting, aspects roundly panned by critics. Howard Thompson, reviewer for ''The New York Times'' called it a "flapdoodle" in his blistering review.''Variety'' echoed other reviews, noting, "What could have been an reasonably good actioneer ... has been badly marred by a flat predictability in plot, intrusion of an inept and, at times, ludicrously irrelevant romance and some quite dreadful dialog.'' The ''Lafayette Escadrille '' was also totally disowned by those still alive who had flown as part of the fabled

and the

, who were understandably upset at their portrayal, including Wellman who insisted that his producer's credit be removed. This was to be William Wellman's last directorial effort; it had started out to be a paean to his memories of the storied squadron, but ended up a target for insults, accusations and lawsuits, not the least of which were directed against Jack Warner and Warner Brothers Studios for their heavy-handed interference.Nixon, Rob
"Lafayette Escadrille (1958)."
''Turner Classic Movies.'' Retrieved: March 12, 2012. The film was shelved for two years, partly because of the wrangling between the two Hollywood heavyweights. TCM.com reports that a modern source suggests that the delay was at least partly due to the studio’s hopes that Hunter would succeed as a singer. So a "pollyanna" ending grafted into the film. Wellman was "heartbroken" with his treatment at the hands of Jack L. Warner, and kept his word that ''Lafayette Escadrille'' would be his last film.Wellman 2006, p. xvi.

References

Explanatory notes Citations Bibliography * Hardwick, Jack and Ed Schnepf. "A Viewer's Guide to Aviation Movies". ''The Making of the Great Aviation Films,'' General Aviation Series, Volume 2, 1989. * Hunter, Tab and Eddie Muller. ''Tab Hunter Confidential: The Making of a Movie Star''. New York: Algonquin Books, 2005. . * Parish, James Robert. ''The Great Combat Pictures: Twentieth-Century Warfare on the Screen.'' Metuchen, New Jersey: The Scarecrow Press, 1990. . * Silke, James R. "Fists, Dames & Wings." ''Air Progress Aviation Review'', Volume 4, No. 4, October 1980. * Thompson, Frank T. ''William A. Wellman'' (Filmmakers Series). Metuchen, New Jersey: Scarecrow Press, 1983. . * Wellman, William A. ''Go, Get 'em! The True Adventures of an American Aviator of the Lafayette Flying Corps.'' Boston: The Page Company, 1918. * Wellman, William A. ''A Short Time for Insanity: An Autobiography''. New York: Hawthorn Books, 1974. . * Wellman, William Jr. ''The Man And His Wings: William A. Wellman and the Making of the First Best Picture''. New York: Praeger Publishers, 2006. .

External links