6.8 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Taking place during the Battle of Guadalcanal, this story follows the struggles and conflict of a Marine Corps fighter squadron under the new leadership of Major Daniel Kirby, and his veteran (yet undisciplined) second in command, Capt. Carl 'Griff' Griffin.
Starring: John Wayne, Robert Ryan (I), Don Taylor (I), Janis Carter, Jay C. FlippenWar | 100% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 0.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Hollywood movies about World War II and subsequent wars often distinguish between the philosophical differences between military figures in the chain of command. Flying Leathernecks offers a classic example in its first reel. Captain Carl “Grif” Griffin (Robert Ryan) is disappointed, as are his pilots, that he's been passed over for commanding officer in favor of Major Daniel Xavier Kirby (John Wayne). Kirby assumes command of the Wildcats, a US Marine Air Squadron who are nicknamed "Flying Leathernecks" for the thick neck pieces around their uniforms. The flying unit VMF-247 will battle the Japanese over Guadalcanal, Leyte, and parts of the Pacific. Grif and Kirby differ in the ways they deal with their squad. Kirby is a strict disciplinarian while Grif is looser and more easy-going with the pilots. They like Grif more because he's compassionate and understanding of their frailties compared to the tough-as-nails Kirby. While Kirby is hell bent in sending the flyers into harm's way, the war brings out a sensitive side in him when he struggles to compose a letter to the family of a dead pilot. The film also brings out his softer side when he returns stateside to visit his wife Joan (Janis Carter) and their son Tommy (Gordon Gebert).
The Warner Archive Collection's Blu-ray of Flying Leathernecks presents a 4K restoration of the film's 3-strip Technicolor that looks practically flawless. From the opening on the island of Oahu (Screenshot #16), the image looks very clear and sharp with finely delineated hues. I only spotted one shot of some debris over the image. The scene depicted in #17 looks out of place with rest of the film because the viewer can clearly detect the painted backdrop. The film was shot at Camp Pendleton and the El Toro Marine Base in California, which stand in for the Solomon Islands. Along with the studio footage, producer Edmund Grainger and editor Sherman Todd intercut 16mm archive montage of sea take-offs, landings, and aerial fights courtesy of the US Navy (see frame grabs 18-20). The shot taken inside the cockpit is noticeably softer than the studio shots. The shot of the vessel boasts a thick grain. Footage of hand-to-hand combat is less grainy but sports greater and cleaner color saturation. According to a 1951 Variety, the stock color footage is of the real Pacific from years earlier.
Flying Leathernecks appears in the aspect ratio of 1.37:1, which seems to be the format it was shown in cinemas. Ray author John Kreidl says that he rented a 16mm print of Flying Leathernecks (from a company called MacMillan) that has it in the 1.66:1 ratio. I don't know of any other extant prints or video presentations that display it in that ratio, however. Warner's MPEG-4 AVC-encoded BD-50 carries a mean video bitrate of 34995 kbps.
Warner provides a whopping forty scene selections for the 102-minute feature.
Warner supplies a DTS-HD Master Audio Dual Mono (1883 kbps, 24-bit). The monaural mix is clean and pretty crisp throughout. I didn't have any issues understanding the dialogue. The aerial strafing and bombings almost produced a stereophonic effect. Sound f/x had excellent range for a 1951 recording. Composer Roy Webb adapts portions of the Marine Hymn and uses it in variations for his rousing and patriotic score.
Warner provides optional English SDH.
Flying Leathernecks is a solid WWII film with exciting air fights to go with a compelling battle of wills between John Wayne and Robert Ryan's commanders. Wayne delivers his usual sturdy, workmanlike performance while Ryan's take is the more nuanced of the two. The movie can be interpreted as a propaganda piece for American intervention in Korea. This probably went against Nicholas Ray's aim as the director attempted to show some of the costs of war (or as much as Howard Hughes would allow him to). Warner's image and sound presentations are nearly immaculate. RECOMMENDED to fans of Wayne and Ryan.
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Warner Archive Collection
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Fragile Fox
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Warner Archive Collection
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Special Edition
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Warner Archive Collection
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Limited Edition to 3000 - SOLD OUT
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