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

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Henry King

Writers:

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

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

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:

Featured in "Biography: Betty Grable: Behind the Pin-up" (1995)

Soundtrack:

She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain When She Comes

As flimsy as it gets

This PearL Harbor like story that was released before the actual bombing of Pearl Harbor occurred does not have much going for it. Tyrone is roguishly handsome and gives all his scenes the necessary spark of a golden boy daredevil but it all comes across as very hollow as he jets off to London to join the war for monetary purposes to deliver bombs or is it flyers? over Germany. John Sutton, his boss and arch-rival with a very charming voice and demeanor provides good support to no avail. Betty Grableas the girl in one of her few dramatic parts (if this could be called a dramatic part)is fine but the probably with this movie is that it intends to only entertain and is afraid to dig any deeper than a few inches. Hammy speeches are delivered, strong scenes killed with ill-advised laughter and everybody talks and acts like children while playing grown adults. The battle of Dunkirk filmed in a swerving and swelling wide shot is gorgeous to look at. It is like a real life video game as filmed using models of the real thing by the technical crew. Such,it was nominated for a special effects Oscar. This is a typical DFZ production with not much to offer to the body or the soul.