The crew of an Air Force bomber arrives in Pearl Harbor in the aftermath of the Japanese attack and is sent on to Manila to help with the defense of the Philippines.
Direction
Hawks turns a flying tin can into dynamic social space.
Acting
Garfield's restless energy against Ridgely's stoic center.
Director
Howard Hawks
John Ridgely
Pilot
Gig Young
Co-Pilot
John Garfield
Tail Gunner Joe Winocki
Arthur Kennedy
Bombardier
George Tobias
Asst. Crew Chief
Charles Drake
Navigator
Harry Carey
Crew Chief
Ward Wood
Radio Operator Peterson
Ray Montgomery
Asst. Radio Operator Chester
James Brown
Pilot Tex Rader
Stanley Ridges
Maj. Mallory - Clark Field
Willard Robertson
Colonel at Hickam Field
Moroni Olsen
Col. Blake
Edward Brophy
Marine Sgt. J.J. Callahan
Richard Lane
Maj. W.G. Roberts
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The B-17 featured was a captured Japanese prize, repainted and flown by Hawks' crew for authentic aerial footage.
Released four months after Guadalcanal, this was rushed into theaters as living wartime reportage—audiences didn't know which real battles the characters would survive.
US
