This Man's Navy

This Man's Navy

Theatrical Poster
Directed by William A. Wellman
Starring Wallace Beery
Tom Drake
James Gleason
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date(s) 4 January 1945
Running time 100 min.
Country U.S.A.
Language English

This Man's Navy (1945) is a World War II film about U.S. Navy airships starring Wallace Beery, Tom Drake, and James Gleason, and directed by William A. Wellman.

Contents

Plot

During World War II, Chief Aviation Pilot Ned Trumpet (Wallace Beery) is in charge of an airship at Lakehurst, New Jersey naval base. "Old Gas Bag" brags about his "son" and realizes that he will need someone impersonate his fictional son. Trumpet finds Jess Weaver (Tom Drake), a young disabled man, arranging for an operation to fix his legs. Afterward, Weaver goes along with the deception and soon earns his flying license. While on a submarine patrol mission, his "father" orders an unauthorized and premature attack on a German submarine but the youngster's bomb misses and the submarine fires back, hitting the airship. Trumpet takes over the controls and sinks the submarine, but Weaver faces a court-martial for disobeying orders but the older man takes the blame for his actions.

Weaver transfers to the Ferry Command, and while on assignment in Burma, his aircraft crashes in Japanese territory. Trumpet rushes to the scene with a rescue team. Both are successfully brought out and are decorated for their heroism. Afterward, Weaver indicates that he will be returning to the lighter-than-air service in Lakehurst, to reunite with his "father".

Cast

Production

Wallace Beery served in the US Navy as a Commander and on his release, was instrumental in making a tribute to his former command. [1] This film is one of the very few outside of training films to depict this military unit.[2]

Reception

Considered a Beery potboiler, it received a typical reaction from critics and public alike. The New York Times dismissed the film as pleasant fare but, "...while nominally a topical adventure, the film is largely devoted to Mr. Beery disporting himself as of yore. As a rough-hewn, golden-hearted chief petty officer in the Navy's blimp service, he is scarcely different from Beery the erstwhile marine, gob, etc."[3]

References

Notes
  1. ^ Heiser 2006, p. 74.
  2. ^ Hardwick and Schnepf 1989, p. 62.
  3. ^ " 'This Man's Navy' Stars Wallace Beery at Globe." The New York Times, April 16, 1945. Retrieved: March 30, 2011.
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.
  • Heiser, Wayne H. U.S. Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Aviation, V. I, 1916 - 1942 Chronology. McHenry, IL: Dihedral Press, 2006. ISBN 978-0977826704.
  • Wynne, H. Hugh. The Motion Picture Stunt Pilots and Hollywood's Classic Aviation Movies. Missoula, Montana: Pictorial Histories Publishing Co., 1987. ISBN 0-933126-85-9.

External links