''Dive Bomber'' is a 1941 American

aviation Aviation includes the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. ''Aircraft'' includes airplane, fixed-wing and helicopter, rotary-wing types, morphable wings, wing-less lifting bodies, as well as aerostat, lighter- ...

film from

Warner Bros. Pictures Warner Bros. Pictures is an American film production and distribution company of the Warner Bros. Pictures Group division of Warner Bros. Entertainment (both ultimately owned by Warner Bros. Discovery). The studio is the flagship producer of li ...

, directed by

Michael Curtiz Michael Curtiz ( ; born Manó Kaminer; since 1905 Mihály Kertész; hu, Kertész Mihály; December 24, 1886 April 10, 1962) was a Hungarian-American film director, recognized as one of the most prolific directors in history. He directed cla ...

, and starring

Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian-American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, freque ...

and

Fred MacMurray Frederick Martin MacMurray (August 30, 1908 – November 5, 1991) was an American actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films and a successful television series, in a career that spanned nearly a half-century. His career as a major film le ...

. The film is notable for both its

Technicolor Technicolor is a series of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes, the first version dating back to 1916, and followed by improved versions over several decades. Definitive Technicolor movies using three black and white films ...

photography of pre-

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 World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

aircraft and as a historical document of the U.S. in 1941. This includes the aircraft carrier USS ''Enterprise'', one of the best-known U.S. warships of World War II. The film was the last of a collaboration between director Curtiz and actor Errol Flynn, which began in 1935 and spanned 12 films. The cast also includes Fred MacMurray, on loan from Paramount Studios and

Alexis Smith Margaret Alexis Fitzsimmons-Smith (June 8, 1921 – June 9, 1993) was a Canadian-born American actress and singer. She appeared in several major Hollywood films in the 1940s and had a notable career on Broadway in the 1970s, winning a Tony Awar ...

in her first credited screen performance. Flynn portrays a

Harvard Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

-educated doctor who is involved in heroic medical research on pilots, with MacMurray as the skeptical veteran aviator who gets swept up in the project. The plot is not historically accurate, but depicted in a near- documentary style, the film contains elements of true events that were involved in period aeromedical research, as well as real contemporary medical equipment. The vivid cinematography prompted the tagline: "The stunning spectacle of color rides with you into the heavens!"

Bert Glennon Bert Lawrence Glennon (November 19, 1893 – June 29, 1967) was an American cinematographer and film director. He directed ''Syncopation'' (1929), the first film released by RKO Radio Pictures. Biography Glennon was born in Anaconda, Mont ...

was nominated for an Oscar for Best Color Cinematography at the

14th Academy Awards The 14th Academy Awards honored film achievements in 1941 and were held at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California. The ceremony is now considered notable as the year in which ''Citizen Kane'' failed to win Best Picture, losing to John ...

in 1942. The film is dedicated to the flight surgeons of the U.S. armed forces "in recognition of their heroic efforts to solve the immensely difficult problems of

aviation medicine Aviation medicine, also called flight medicine or aerospace medicine, is a preventive or occupational medicine in which the patients/subjects are pilots, aircrews, or astronauts. The specialty strives to treat or prevent conditions to which aircr ...

".The film was a big hit at the box office, rounding out as the 19th-highest grossing film of 1941.

Plot

During prewar operations from an aircraft carrier off Hawaii, the VB-3 dive bombing squadron (bearing the "High Hat" emblem of Bombing Squadron 14) arrives in a

wingover A wingover (also called a wing-over-wing, crop-duster turn or box-canyon turn) is an aerobatic maneuver in which an airplane makes a steep climb, followed by a vertical flat-turn (the plane turns to its side, without rolling, similar to the way a c ...

approach to Honolulu; one of its pilots blacks out during the high-speed dive and crashes. At the base hospital in Honolulu, Lieutenant Commander Joe Blake (Fred MacMurray) is concerned that Lieutenant "Swede" Larson (

Louis Jean Heydt Louis Jean Heydt (April 17, 1903 – January 29, 1960) was an American character actor in film, television and theatre, most frequently seen in hapless, ineffectual, or fall guy roles. Early life Heydt was born in 1903 (not 1905, as many sou ...

) will not survive. U.S. Navy doctor, Lieutenant Doug Lee (Errol Flynn], convinces the senior surgeon, Commander Martin (

Moroni Olsen Moroni Olsen (June 27, 1889November 22, 1954) was an American actor. Life and career Olsen was born in Ogden, Utah to Latter-day Saint parents Edward Arenholt Olsen and Martha ( Hoverholst) Olsen, who named him after the Moroni found in the ...

), to operate, but the pilot dies on the operating table. After Blake blames Lee for rushing the surgery, the doctor decides to become a naval

flight surgeon A flight surgeon is a military medical officer practicing in the clinical field of aviation medicine. Although the term "flight surgery" is considered improper by purists, it may occasionally be encountered. Flight surgeons are physicians ( M ...

and winds up being trained at the U.S. Naval Air Station in San Diego by a number of instructors, including his nemesis, Blake. A subplot involving the romantic adventures of Blake, Lee, and a group of mechanics, introduces divorcee Linda Fisher (

) as a love interest for the two rivals, Blake and Lee. On completion of his flight training, Lee is posted as an assistant to a senior flight surgeon, Commander Lance Rogers (

Ralph Bellamy Ralph Rexford Bellamy (June 17, 1904 – November 29, 1991) was an American actor whose career spanned 65 years on stage, film, and television. During his career, he played leading roles as well as supporting roles, garnering acclaim and ...

), who is working to find a solution for

altitude sickness Altitude sickness, the mildest form being acute mountain sickness (AMS), is the harmful effect of high altitude, caused by rapid exposure to low amounts of oxygen at high elevation. People can respond to high altitude in different ways. Sympt ...

that affects pilots in dive bombers. Lee flies with Blake as his pilot in a camera-equipped aircraft and observes Blake blacking out. He experiments with a pneumatic belt that will keep blood above the heart and successfully flight tests it himself, although he disobeys regulations in flying by himself. Even though he has qualified as a

naval aviator Naval aviation is the application of military air power by navies, whether from warships that embark aircraft, or land bases. Naval aviation is typically projected to a position nearer the target by way of an aircraft carrier. Carrier-bas ...

, Lee is still not trusted, considered a "grandstand player" and a "vulture", always there when someone crashes. His judgment over pilots' ability to fly is further resented when he grounds a pilot, Lieutenant Tim Griffin (

Regis Toomey John Francis Regis Toomey (August 13, 1898October 12, 1991) was an American film and television actor. Early life Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he was one of four children of Francis X. and Mary Ellen Toomey, and attended Peabody High ...

), who is suffering from chronic fatigue. In anger, Griffin resigns from the Navy and joins 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 Canada, but visits his old squadron when he is ferrying a new fighter from the Los Angeles factory. On his return flight, Griffin suffers from fatigue and dies attempting to land at an emergency field, completely misjudging his approach. Blake finally accepts that the flight surgeon is trying to help pilots survive dangerous, high-altitude flying, and volunteers as a "guinea pig" pilot for aerial experiments. The first flight test of a pressurized cabin nearly ends in disaster when the aircraft ices up and Blake passes out, forcing Lee to take over. After ground testing of a new invention jointly developed by Lee and Blake, a pressure suit, Blake is told that he did not pass his most recent flight physical and will be grounded. Taking off without permission, Blake carries out the aerial testing of the new suit, anyway, but when the oxygen regulator fails, he loses consciousness and fatally crashes. His notes are salvaged from the wreckage, however, and mass production of the suit can begin. In the final scene, Blake's self-sacrifice is acknowledged while Rogers and Lee are honored for their pioneering work in protecting pilots flying at high altitude. An ongoing motif involving gold cigarette cases from the

National Air Races The National Air Races (also known as Pulitzer Trophy Races) are a series of pylon and cross-country races that have taken place in the United States since 1920. The science of aviation, and the speed and reliability of aircraft and engines grew ...

carried by each of the three "High Hats" squadron leaders continues into the final sequence. Blake is the last of the three to perish in service, and Lee throws his cigarette case from one of the squadron's airplanes out over the Pacific as a final tribute. SB2Us in movie Dive Bomber 1941

Cast

as LT Douglas S. "Doug" Lee, Medical Corps, USN *

as LCDR Joe Blake, USN *

as LCDR Lance Rogers, Medical Corps, USN *

as Mrs. Linda Fisher * Robert Armstrong as Art Lyons *

as LT Tim Griffin, USN *

Allen Jenkins Allen Curtis Jenkins (born Alfred McGonegal; April 9, 1900 – July 20, 1974) was an American character actor and singer who worked on stage, film, and television. Life and career Jenkins was born on Staten Island, New York, on April 9, 1900. ...

as Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class "Lucky" James * Craig Stevens as Pilot Trainee, ENS John Anthony, USN * Herbert Anderson as LT "Slim" Markham, Medical Corps, USN *

as CDR Martin, Medical Corps, USN *

Dennie Moore Dennie Moore (born Florence Moore; December 30, 1902 – February 22, 1978) was an American film and stage actress. Early life Moore was born in New York City on December 30, 1902, to immigrant parents of Scottish and Irish descent. She wa ...

as Ex-wife of "Lucky" James *

as LT "Swede" Larson, USN *

Cliff Nazarro Clifford Nazarro (January 31, 1904 – February 18, 1961) was an American double-talk comedian of the 1930s and 1940s who appeared in films such as ''You'll Never Get Rich'' (1941) as Swivel Tongue with Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth, In Old ...

Double-talk Double-talk is a form of speech in which inappropriate, invented, or nonsense words are interpolated into normal speech to give the appearance of knowledge, and thus confuse or amuse the audience. Vaudevillian Cliff Nazarro, for instance, would s ...

ing Corpsman *

Tod Andrews Tod Andrews (born Theodore Edwin Anderson; November 9, 1914 – November 7, 1972) was an American stage, screen, and television actor. Early years Tod Andrews was born as Theodore Edwin Anderson in El Paso, Texas, to Henry Anderson and Lydia ...

as Telephone Man (uncredited) *

Creighton Hale Creighton Hale (born Patrick Fitzgerald; May 24, 1882 – August 9, 1965) was an Irish-American theatre, film, and television actor whose career extended more than a half-century, from the early 1900s to the end of the 1950s. Career Born in Cou ...

as Hospital Attendant (uncredited) *

Howard Hickman Howard Charles Hickman (February 9, 1880 – December 31, 1949) was an American actor, director and writer. He was an accomplished stage leading man, who entered films through the auspices of producer Thomas H. Ince. Career In 1900, Hickman ...

as Admiral (uncredited)

Production

Development

''Dive Bomber'' is characterized as " Warner's tribute to the pre-

Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the Naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the ...

U.S. Navy". Hardwick and Schnepf 1989, p. 58. Based on a screenplay adapted from an original story by Commander Frank "Spig" Wead, USN (Ret), ''Dive Bomber'' features spectacular flying scenes (as in other films with a scenario written by Wead) interwoven into a storyline of medical research undertaken to combat the effects of high

g-force The gravitational force equivalent, or, more commonly, g-force, is a measurement of the type of force per unit mass – typically acceleration – that causes a perception of weight, with a g-force of 1 g (not gram in mass measur ...

combat maneuvers. The "Schneider index" test playing a pivotal role in the plot in the story was actually a cardiovascular fatigue test familiar to pilots of the era. Developed in 1918 by Major Edward C. Schneider, an aviation medicine pioneer with the Air Service of the AEF, it was widely used by the military until World War II, when statistical analysis showed that a much simpler measurement was equally effective. Upon the first reading of the proposed script, the Department of the Navy realized the potential of the film to be a showcase of U.S. Naval aviation and lent its full support to the production. ''Dive Bomber''s working title was "Beyond the Blue Sky". In December 1940, Warner Bros. originally intended to star

James Cagney James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor, dancer and film director. On stage and in film, Cagney was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He ...

, George Brent, and

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...

, with

Lloyd Bacon Lloyd Francis Bacon (December 4, 1889 – November 15, 1955) was an American screen, stage and vaudeville actor and film director. As a director he made films in virtually all genres, including westerns, musicals, comedies, gangster films, an ...

directing ''Dive Bomber''."Notes: Dive Bomber."
''Turner Classic Movies''. Retrieved: February 7, 2014. By February 1941, however, the script had been revised and the project reconfigured as an Errol Flynn film, with a new director. Filming was given priority over Flynn's other planned vehicle, ''

They Died with Their Boots On ''They Died with Their Boots On'' is a 1941 American black-and-white Western film from Warner Bros. Pictures, produced by Hal B. Wallis and Robert Fellows, directed by Raoul Walsh, that stars Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland. The film's sto ...

'' (1941) because the U.S. Navy requested ''Dive Bomber'' be made as soon as possible. Fred MacMurray was borrowed from Paramount to star opposite Flynn. In exchange, Paramount borrowed Olivia de Havilland from Warner Bros. for '' Hold Back the Dawn'' (1941). Preproduction planning began in January 1941, and once the generous $1.7 million budget was established, a tight schedule of two months was determined for principal photography on location. Although the U.S. Navy had agreed to cooperate, providing over 1,000 officers and enlisted men along with access to some of its most highly secured facilities, world events had dictated a full war readiness, which placed additional pressures on the film cast and crew. With all naval air and sea forces committed to training and war exercises, Curtiz was notified in advance so that he could take advantage of the ongoing activities and set up his camera crews accordingly.

Filming

''Dive Bomber'' was the final film collaboration between Errol Flynn and Michael Curtiz. It was the 12th and most contentious pairing of the high-spirited matinee idol and the fiery director. Throughout the production, an ever-widening rift emerged between the two due to conflicts over the use of actors in demanding and sometimes risky scenes, leading to inevitable clashes and delays in filming. The off-screen moments were fraught with stress for the cast and crew observing the contentious exchanges. Orriss 1984, p. 27. One bizarre incident came about when a formation of aircraft flew over the film set at a time when all the cameras were being reloaded. Curtiz reacted immediately by standing up and waving them off when he realized that the camera crews were not in position. The pilots, who were setting out on a daily exercise, simply ignored the gesticulating and screaming Curtiz below. The film crews were mightily amused by Curtiz's declarations of "No, no. Go back!" as if the flight crews could actually hear him. The incident was symptomatic of the many outbursts and exchanges on the set when the autocratic Curtiz helmed a film. Principal photography began on March 20, 1941 at

NAS North Island Naval Air Station North Island or NAS North Island , at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay in San Diego, California, is part of the largest aerospace-industrial complex in the United States Navy – Naval Base Coronado (N ...

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United States ...

with the famous aircraft carrier , also placed at the disposal of the production crew of 150 actors and technicians for an entire week. Farmer 1989, p. 81. When principal photography commenced, the initial aircraft scenes featured U.S. Navy aircraft in their prewar colorful schemes, set off by the Technicolor process, making this a vibrant document, unique for its time. During filming, as war preparations ramped up, the U.S. Navy ordered a new grey color camouflage for all its sea-based aircraft, with the associate producer Robert Lord scrambling to have a concession made where a few aircraft in each squadron would retain their colorful schemes to match previously shot footage. The film ultimately uses footage that includes aircraft in this new uniform light-grey color scheme especially in the carrier sequence. Orriss 1984, p. 28. Though famed aerial pilot and cinematographer

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 Ma ...

is listed in the credits as the chief pilot for Warner Bros., his injuries in a previous accident prevented him from doing the flying, so Frank Clarke took over, with Mantz continuing to oversee the air operations. Orriss 1984, p. 25. Although Errol Flynn had a pilot's license, he was expressly forbidden to fly in the production, under threat of suspension from Warner Bros. due to his "buzzing" the cast and crew of 1938's ''

The Adventures of Robin Hood ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' is a 1938 American Technicolor swashbuckler film from Warner Bros. Pictures. It was produced by Hal B. Wallis and Henry Blanke, directed by Michael Curtiz and William Keighley, and stars Errol Flynn, Olivia d ...

''. Flynn did taxi a dive bomber to allow closeups of him in the cockpit during a critical scene when his character "is testing a g-resistant belt." The bulky Technicolor cameras caused considerable problems in the scenes filmed in the air; special mounts were built to allow one of the two cameras in the chase aircraft to be moved back and forth. With the preponderance of actual aerial footage shot from a bevy of camera platforms, both on the ground and mounted to aircraft, ''Dive Bomber'' was notable in the restrained use of special effects. During the two months of studio post-production, footage of scale models and closeup "blue screen" effects were matched up with the aerial sequences.

Musical Score

The theme Max Steiner composed for ''Dive Bomber'' gave Warner Bros. good value. It was reused as the main theme for the films'' Fighter Squadron'' and '' Operation Pacific'', and made an appearance in the film ''

Up Periscope ''Up Periscope'' is a 1959 World War II submarine film drama directed by Gordon Douglas, produced by Aubrey Schenck and starring James Garner and Edmond O'Brien. The supporting cast features Andra Martin, Alan Hale Jr., Edd Byrnes, Warren Oate ...

'', as well.

Aircraft featured

The principal aircraft depicted in ''Dive Bomber'' are

Vought SB2U Vindicator The Vought SB2U Vindicator is an American carrier-based dive bomber developed for the United States Navy in the 1930s, the first monoplane in this role. Vindicators still remained in service at the time of the Battle of Midway, but by 1943, all h ...

dive bombers and

Douglas TBD Devastator The Douglas TBD Devastator was an American torpedo bomber of the United States Navy. Ordered in 1934, it first flew in 1935 and entered service in 1937. At that point, it was the most advanced aircraft flying for the Navy and possibly for any na ...

torpedo bombers, although many other types are included, especially parked, as backdrops. The

N3N Canary The Naval Aircraft Factory N3N was an American tandem-seat, open cockpit, primary training biplane aircraft built by the Naval Aircraft Factory (NAF) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the 1930s and early 1940s. Development and design Built t ...

trainers were the primary type in use at Naval Air Station North Island and are featured prominently in the flight training sequence. All other aircraft were deployed temporarily for training to North Island and were subsequently available for use in the film. An entire squadron of

Grumman F3F The Grumman F3F was a biplane fighter aircraft produced by the Grumman aircraft for the United States Navy during the mid-1930s. Designed as an improvement on the F2F, it entered service in 1936 as the last biplane to be delivered to any Ameri ...

fighters from the USS ''Enterprise'' was flown to NAS North Island with a single example appearing prominently in the penultimate "

pressure suit A pressure suit is a protective suit worn by high-altitude pilots who may fly at altitudes where the air pressure is too low for an unprotected person to survive, even breathing pure oxygen at positive pressure. Such suits may be either full-pr ...

" scenes both on the ground and in the air. All the aerial closeup work with the cast was photographed later in the studio using a series of realistic

mock-up In manufacturing and design, a mockup, or mock-up, is a scale or full-size model of a design or device, used for teaching, demonstration, design evaluation, promotion, and other purposes. A mockup may be a ''prototype'' if it provides at lea ...

s. Some of the aircraft types used in ''Dive Bomber'' were engaged a few months later in combat with the Japanese aerial and naval forces, up to and including the

Battle of Midway The Battle of Midway was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II that took place on 4–7 June 1942, six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor and one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea. The U.S. Navy under ...

, while other types were declared obsolescent and relegated to home use when the U.S. geared up for war in earnest. ''Enterprise'' is the film's

aircraft carrier An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and facilities for carrying, arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft. Typically, it is the capital ship of a fleet, as it allows a ...

, and went on to be one of the most famous ships of World War II. Other aircraft types featured in the film include the biplane

Curtiss SBC Helldiver The Curtiss SBC Helldiver was a two-seat scout bomber and dive bomber built by the Curtiss-Wright Corporation. It was the last military biplane procured by the United States Navy. Delivered in 1937, it became obsolete even before World War II ...

(no relation to the SB2C of the same name and manufacturer),

Brewster F2A Buffalo The Brewster F2A Buffalo is an American fighter aircraft which saw service early in World War II. Designed and built by the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation, it was one of the first U.S. monoplanes with an arrestor hook and other modificatio ...

(in long shots), and one good shot of a

Douglas SBD Dauntless The Douglas SBD Dauntless is a World War II American naval scout plane and dive bomber that was manufactured by Douglas Aircraft from 1940 through 1944. The SBD ("Scout Bomber Douglas") was the United States Navy's main carrier-based scout/di ...

. For security reasons, no bombs or

torpedo A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, and with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, ...

es are shown. Several of the squadrons featured, and undoubtedly many of the aircrew, such as Bombing Squadron 6 of the ''Enterprise'', later played critical roles at the battles of

Coral Sea The Coral Sea () is a marginal sea of the South Pacific off the northeast coast of Australia, and classified as an interim Australian bioregion. The Coral Sea extends down the Australian northeast coast. Most of it is protected by the Fre ...

, Midway, and other World War II engagements. Two rare shots are the landing on and subsequent launch from the ''Enterprise'' in its prewar livery, filmed from an aircraft.

Reception

Box office

Released just months before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, ''Dive Bomber'' generally was well received by the public, while the U.S. Navy lent the new SBD Dauntless dive bomber to be displayed in conjunction with film screenings at principal cities, and set up recruiting booths by the theaters. The film was Warner Bros.'s most popular film of 1941, generating a profit in excess of $1 million. It was listed as the sixth-most popular film over all of 1941. According to Warner Bros records, the film earned $1,755,000 domestically and $858,000 foreign.

Critical

Critically reviewed, ''Dive Bomber'' was praised for its colorful subject matter, but the plot as conceived by the screenwriting team of Frank Wead and Robert Buckner was considered "fanciful" and a "necessary evil" by

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 ...

of ''

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 ...

''. ''Filmink'' magazine said, "There’s not a lot of action, comedy or romance, and it’s not a very good movie, but it was in colour with two big stars and American audiences were keen to see films about their military at the time – it was a smash."

In popular culture

The film was also an inspiration for the song "Divebomber" from

Neil Finn Neil Mullane Finn (born 27 May 1958) is a New Zealand singer-songwriter and musician who is known for being a member of Crowded House, Split Enz (which he co-fronted with brother Tim), and Fleetwood Mac. Finn rose to prominence in the late ...

's 2014 solo album '' Dizzy Heights''. The film was parodied on ''

The Jack Benny Program ''The Jack Benny Program'', starring Jack Benny, is a radio-TV comedy series that ran for more than three decades and is generally regarded as a high-water mark in 20th century American comedy. He played one role throughout his radio and televis ...

'', on October 28, 1941.

References

Bibliography

* ''Dive Bomber''. Los Angeles: Warner Home Video, 2007. * ''Dive Bomber: Keep 'Em in the Air''. Atlanta: Turner Entertainment Company, 2005. * Dolan, Edward F. Jr. ''Hollywood Goes to War''. London: Bison Books, 1985. . * Farmer, James H. "Hollywood Goes to North Island NAS." ''Air Classics'', Volume 25, No. 9, September 1989. * 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. * Kinnard, Roy and R.J. Vitone. ''The American Films of Michael Curtiz''. Metuchen, New Jersey: Scarecrow Press, 1986. . * Orriss, Bruce. ''When Hollywood Ruled the Skies: The Aviation Film Classics of World War II''. Hawthorne, California: Aero Associates Inc., 1984. . * Robertson, James C. ''The Casablanca Man: The Cinema of Michael Curtiz''. London: Routledge, 1994. . * Tranberg, Charles. ''Fred MacMurray: A Biography''. Albany, Georgia: Bear Manor Media, 2014. .

External links

* * * *
Entry at internet movie plane database - impdb.orgReview
at ''Variety'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Dive Bomber (Film) 1941 films Films about the United States Navy in World War II Films directed by Michael Curtiz Films scored by Max Steiner American aviation films Warner Bros. films American war drama films 1940s war drama films 1941 drama films 1940s American films 1940s English-language films