The Wings of Eagles
The Wings of Eagles is a 1957 American Metrocolor film starring John Wayne, Dan Dailey and Maureen O'Hara, based on the life of Frank "Spig" Wead and the history of U.S. Naval aviation from its inception through World War II. The film is a tribute to Wead (who died 10 years earlier, in 1947 at age of 52) from his friend, director John Ford, and was based on Wead's "We Plaster the Japs", published in a 1944 issue of The American Magazine.
Plot
Soon after World War I is over, Naval Aviator "Spig" Wead, along with John Dale Price, tries to prove to the Navy the value of aviation in combat. To do this, Wead pushes the Navy to compete in racing and endurance competitions. Several races are against the US Army aviation team led by Captain Herbert Allen Hazard.
Cast
- Alberto Morin
- Barry Kelley
- Charles Trowbridge
- Chuck Roberson
- Dan Dailey
- Dorothy Jordan
- Edmund Lowe
- Franklyn Farnum
- Fred Graham
- Harlan Warde
- Henry O'Neill
- Jack Pennick
- James Flavin
- John Wayne
- Ken Curtis
- Kenneth Tobey
- Les Tremayne
- Louis Jean Heydt
- Mae Marsh
- Maureen O'Hara
- May McAvoy
- Mimi Gibson
- Peter J. Ortiz
- Sig Ruman
- Stuart Holmes
- Veda Ann Borg
- Ward Bond
- William "Bill" Henry
- William Tracy
- Willis Bouchey
More details
| author | Charles Schnee Frank Fenton William Haines |
|---|---|
| director | John Ford |
| editor | A.C.E. Gene Ruggiero |
| events | aviation |
| genre | drama |
| keywords | air racing aircraft carrier army general battle scene escort escort carrier fighter squadron film director fly frank wead heart attack id john dale price kamikaze pacific pacific war paralyze racing and endurance competitions retire spig wead squadron united states army air service us army world war ii write |
| musicBy | Jeff Alexander |
| producer | Charles Schnee |
| publisher | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| theme | biographical race |