• Rating:
• Genre: Drama
• Movie Type: Biography
• Themes: Military Life, War in the Sky, Living With Disability
• Director: John Ford
• Main Cast: John Wayne, Dan Dailey, Maureen O'Hara, Ward Bond, Ken Curtis
• Release Year: 1957
• Country: US
• Run Time: 110 minutes

Plot

The Wings of Eagles is filmmaker John Ford's paean to his frequent collaborator--and, it is rumored, drinking buddy--Cmdr. Frank "Spig" Wead. John Wayne stars as Wead, a reckless WW1 Naval aviator who (it says here) was instrumental in advancing the cause of American "air power". In private life, Wead becomes estranged from his wife Minnie (Maureen O'Hara) after the death of their baby. Drinking heavily, Wead tumbles down the stairs of his home, and as a result he is apparently paralyzed for life. With the help of happy-go-lucky Navy mechanic Carson (Dan Dailey), Wead is able to regain minimal use of his legs, but it seems clear that his Naval career is over. Fortunately, he manages to find work as a prolific Hollywood screenwriter, and after the attack of Pearl Harbor he is called back to active duty to oversee the construction of "jeep carriers". Not one of John Ford's more coherent films--in fact, it's downright sloppy at times--The Wings of Eagles nonetheless contains several highlights, not least of which are the "I'm gonna move that toe" scene with John Wayne and Dan Dailey, and Ward Bond's inside-joke performance as irreverent film director "John Dodge". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Cast

• John Wayne - Frank W. "Spig" Wead
• Dan Dailey - "Jughead" Carson
• Maureen O'Hara - Minnie Wead
• Ward Bond - John Dodge
• Ken Curtis - John Dale Price

Edmund Lowe - Adm. Moffett; Kenneth Tobey - Capt. Herbert Allen Hazard; James Todd - Jack Travis; Barry Kelley - Capt. Jock Clark; Sig Rumann - Party Manager; Henry O'Neill - Capt. Spear; Willis B. Bouchey - Barton; Dorothy Jordan - Rose Brentmann; Tige Andrews - "Arizona" Pincus; Veda Ann Borg; Danny Borzage - Pete; Olive Carey - Bridy O'Faolain; James Flavin - Military Policeman at garden party; Mimi Gibson - Lila Wead; Fred Graham - Officer in brawl; Sam Harris - Patient; William Henry - Naval aide; Louis Jean Heydt - Dr. John Keye; Stuart Holmes - Producer; Cliff Lyons; Mae Marsh - Nurse Crumley; May McAvoy - Nurse; Alberto Morin - 2nd Manager; Peter Ortiz - Lt. Charles Dexter; Chuck Roberson - Officer; Evelyn Rudie - Doris Wead; William Tracy - Air Force Officer; Charles Trowbridge - Adm. Crown; Harlan Warde - Executive Officer; Jack Pennick - Joe McGuffey; Janet Lake - Nurse

Credit

Malcolm Brown - Art Director; Frank Fenton - Screenwriter; John Ford - Director; Arnold A. Gillespie - Special Effects; Keogh Gleason - Set Designer; William Wister Haines - Screenwriter; William Horning - Art Director; Paul Mantz - Consultant/advisor; Paul Mantz - Stunts; James Newcom - Associate Producer; Warren Newcombe - Special Effects; Walter Plunkett - Costume Designer; Gene Ruggiero - Editor; Charles Schnee - Producer; William J. Tuttle - Makeup; Paul Vogel - Cinematographer; Frank Wead - Screenwriter; Edwin B. Willis - Set Designer; Jeff Alexander - Composer (Music Score); Commander Frank "Spig" Wead - Book Author

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