A Yank in the R.A.F. (1941)

Director:

Henry King

Writers:

Darrell Ware (screenplay) and
Karl Tunberg (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

9 February 1942 (Sweden)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Romance | War

Tagline:

ROLLICKING ROMANCE! GLORIOUS ADVENTURE! (original ad - all caps)

Plot:

Tyrone Power is a pilots' pilot, but he doesn't believe in anything beyond his own abilities. He gets...

Plot Keywords:

German Officer | German Soldier | Beautiful Woman | Nazi

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Tyrone Power	...	Tim Baker
Betty Grable	...	Carol Brown
John Sutton	...	Wing Commander Morley
Reginald Gardiner	...	Roger Pillby
Donald Stuart	...	Corporal Harry Baker
Ralph Byrd	...	Al
Richard Fraser	...	Thorndyke
Denis Green	...	Flight Lieutenant Redmond
Bruce Lester	...	Flight Lieutenant Richardson
Gilchrist Stuart	...	Wales
Lester Matthews	...	Group Captain
Frederick Worlock	...	Canadian Major
Ethel Griffies	...	Lady Fitzhugh
Fortunio Bonanova	...	Headwaiter
James Craven	...	Instructor
Morton Lowry	...	Squadron Leader
G.P. Huntley	...	Radio Operator
Stuart Robertson	...	Intelligence Officer
Dennis Hoey	...	Intelligence Officer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gladys Cooper	...	Mrs. Pillby (scenes deleted)
John Rogers	...	Chauffeur (scenes deleted)
Harry Allen	...	Air Raid Warden (uncredited)
Claud Allister	...	Officer-Motorist (uncredited)
Ray Atchley	...	German Flyer (uncredited)
Bunny Beatty	...	Chorine (uncredited)
Charles Bennett	...	Man on Stretcher (uncredited)
Russell Burroughs	...	Pilot (uncredited)
John Burton	...	Captain (uncredited)
Gerard Cavin	...	Foley (uncredited)
Howard Davies	...	Air Raid Warden (uncredited)
Richard Davis	...	Pilot (uncredited)
Leslie Denison	...	Group Captain C.O. (uncredited)
Eddie Fisher	...	Pilot (uncredited)
Mildred Gaye	...	Chorine (uncredited)
Frederick Giermann	...	German Soldier (uncredited)
Frances Gladwin	...	Chorine (uncredited)
John Good	...	Reynolds (uncredited)
Douglas Gordon	...	Gunner (uncredited)
Harriette Haddon	...	Barmaid at Stetton's (uncredited)
Bobby Hale	...	Cab Driver (uncredited)
John Hartley	...	Co-pilot (uncredited)
Leyland Hodgson	...	Radio Operator (uncredited)
Lilyan Irene	...	Stretcher Bearer (uncredited)
Charles Irwin	...	Uniformed man (uncredited)
Edna Mae Jones	...	Chorine (uncredited)
Victor Kendall	...	Pilot (uncredited)
Crauford Kent	...	Group Captain (uncredited)
Guy Kingsford	...	Officer (uncredited)
Patricia Knox	...	Chorine (uncredited)
Kurt Kreuger	...	German Pilot (uncredited)
Marten Lamont	...	Walker, Spitfire pilot (uncredited)
Eric Lonsdale	...	Radio Man (uncredited)
Anthony Marsh	...	Officer (uncredited)
Alphonse Martell	...	Headwaiter (uncredited)
John Meredith	...	Cadet (uncredited)
Lucille Miller	...	Chorine (uncredited)
Gavin Muir	...	Wing Commander (uncredited)
Roseanne Murray	...	Chorine (uncredited)
Reginald Owen	...	'Internal Injury' in Air raid drill (uncredited)
Gil Perkins	...	Sergeant (uncredited)
Lillian Porter	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Jean Prescott	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Charles Ray	...	American business executive (uncredited)
Otto Reichow	...	German Pilot (uncredited)
Lynne Roberts	...	Nurse at Boat (uncredited)
Maureen Roden-Ryan	...	Barmaid at Stetton's (uncredited)
Henry Rowland	...	German Soldier (uncredited)
Hans Schumm	...	German Officer (uncredited)
Evan Thomas	...	Group Captain (uncredited)
David Thursby	...	Hospital Orderly (uncredited)
Valerie Traxler	...	Chorine (uncredited)
Leslie Vincent	...	Pilot (uncredited)
Hans von Morhart	...	German Sergeant (uncredited)
Gordon Wallace	...	Pilot (uncredited)
John Wilde	...	Flying Officer Graves (uncredited)

Directed by
Henry King

Writing credits
Darrell Ware		(screenplay) and
Karl Tunberg		(screenplay)
Darryl F. Zanuck		(story) (as Melville Crossman)

Produced by
Louis F. Edelman	....	associate producer (as Lou Edelman)
Darryl F. Zanuck	....	producer

Cinematography by
Leon Shamroy

Film Editing by
Barbara McLean

Art Direction by
James Basevi
Richard Day

Set Decoration by
Thomas Little

Costume Design by
Travis Banton

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Major Herbert Mason	....	director of flying sequences

Sound Department
Bernard Freericks	....	sound
Roger Heman Sr.	....	sound (as Roger Heman)

Special Effects by
Fred Sersen	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Otto Kanturek	....	camera operator: flying sequences
Ronald Neame	....	camera operator: flying sequences
Jack Whitehead	....	camera operator: flying sequences
Jack Parry	....	aerial photographer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sam Benson	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Music Department
Alfred Newman	....	musical director

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1941) (USA) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1953) (USA) (theatrical) (reissue)
• Fox Video (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Royal Air Force (RAF)  appreciation

Also Known As:

A Yank in the RAF (Australia) (video catalogue title) (International: English title) (alternative spelling)
A Yank in the Royal Air Force (International: English title) (informal title)
The Eagle Flies Again (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (certificate #7276) | Canada:PG (video rating) | Australia:PG | Finland:(Banned) (1942-1946) | Finland:S

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The scenes with the Spitfires were filmed in the UK. The Spitfires were from 602 squadron under the command of Squadron Leader Sandy Johnstone who were resting in early 1941 in Scotland after fighting in the Battle of Britain.

Quotes:

Tim Baker: Well, I haven't looked at another girl since you left.
Carol Brown: Well, I've looked at other men.
Tim Baker: Maybe, but I'll bet you didn't look at them the same way you looked at me that first night in Kansas City. Remember?... You were going east, and I was going west; then we saw each other, and I was going east!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Blue, White and Perfect (1942)

Soundtrack:

Bless 'em All

Power at his most charming.

Tyrone Power is so charismatic in this film that the rest of it hardly matters. His astonishing good looks and easy charm really make this film. But there is also good direction, a witty script, great Oscar-winning special effects and fine cinematography.

Betty Grable has never done much for me, but she's pleasant enough in this. But the aerial work, done mostly with models, is exceptionally strong particularly in a spectacular and believable recreation of the evacuation at Dunkirk. This is a war propaganda film, designed to encourage the USA to join the war in Europe - but it is not cloyingly over patriotic. And there are some very original moments - look at the scene where Power wakes up and doesn't know where he is. The camera stays in extreme close-up on his face for a long time, so we don't know where he is either. We see him go through fear and bewilderment as we hear strange sounds. Finally his face relaxes and the camera pulls back to reveal...well I don't want to spoil it for you, but this is a very strong directorial decision. Henry King is to be praised.

You'll enjoy this film.