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The heroic true exploits of the "Flying Tigers"--the American Volunteer Group of pilots who flew against Japanese forces for China in the days before Pearl Harbor--inspired this patriotic drama that was star John Wayne's first entry in the war genre. The exciting dogfight scenes are a highlight; with Paul Kelly, John Carroll, Anna Lee. 100 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby mono; Subtitles: English.
John Wayne plays the tough commander of Flying Tigers, the famous fighter squadron that fought to save China from the Japanese. Wayne finds he is fighting a war on two fronts: he's taking on the enemy with only a handful of inexperienced men and patched-up planes while keeping a cocky new pilot from stealing his girl. The story has little in common with real history, and lots of classic post-Pearl Harbor propaganda fills the script. Regardless, the movie is all Wayne's, and Wayne fans will enjoy seeing the prototype for what would become the Duke's trademark portrayal of the military fighting man. Although the pressure of making life-and-death decisions in wartime may be more maturely explored in Twelve O'Clock High, Flying Tigers still has enough characterization and action to keep the viewer's attention (not to mention special effects by the pioneering Howard Lydecker). --Mark Savary
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