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Aerial Gunner
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Wikipedia article
'Aerial Gunner' is a 1943 American black-and-white World War II propaganda film produced by William C. Thomas and William H. Pine, who also directed. The film stars Chester Morris, Richard Arlen, and Jimmy Lydon. This was the first feature film directed by Pine, who produced other films through his company, Pine-Thomas Productions. 'Aerial Gunner' was distributed by Paramount Pictures."Aerial Gunner." London: 'Monthly Film Bulletin, Vol. 10, Issue 109, January 1, 1943, p. 62.
Plot
Policeman Jon Davis (Richard Arlen) informs "Foxy" Pattis (Chester Morris) at his shooting gallery, that his criminal father has died. Foxy blames all policemen, feeling they harassed him all his life and were responsible for his death. John Davis enlists and "Foxy" Pattis is drafted into the United States Army Air Forces where Foxy becomes the instructor at an aerial gunnery school. He makes life miserable for Jon, now a "Flying Sergeant" student, trying to force the former policeman to resign.
Despite Foxy's hostility, Jon is able to pass the course. He later befriends a young Texas gunnery candidate, Sandy (Jimmy Lydon), whose father was an airman killed at Hickam Field during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Sandy invites Jon and Foxy to his family's ranch, where both men fall for Sandy's sister Peggy (Amelita Ward).
After graduation, Jon is commissioned as a lieutenant and is assigned as a pilot of a light bomber, with many of his classmates now his crew. A belligerent Foxy serves as his gunner and is not accepted as a team player by the other members of the aircrew. During a bombing mission against the Japanese, however, he makes the ultimate sacrifice in trying to protect the other crew members when the bomber is shot down behind enemy lines.
Cast
* Chester Morris as T/Sgt. "Foxy" Pattis
* Richard Arlen as T/Sgt, later Lt., Jonathan "Jon" Davis
* Jimmy Lydon as Pvt. Sanford "Sandy" Lunt
* Amelita Ward as Peggy Lunt (credited as Lita Ward)
* Dick Purcell as Pvt. Lancelot "Gadget" Blaine
* Keith Richards as Sgt. Henry "Jonesy" Jones
* William 'Billy' Benedict as Pvt. Jackson "Sleepy" Laswell
* Olive Blakeney as Mrs. Sanford Lunt
* Robert Mitchum as S/Sgt Benson (uncredited)
Production
The film was announced in August 1942 and was based on an idea by Army lieutenant Jack Dailey, who had worked in public relations for Paramount; after joining the service, he worked in public relations for Harlingen Air Force Base.[https://archive.org/stream/variety148-1942-10#page/n227/mode/1up/search/%22aerial+gunner%22 "Aerial; Funner starts shooting at Texas field."] 'Variety', October 28, 1942, p. 20."Screen news here and in Hollywood: Paramount will make 'Night Plane From Chungking'; Chester Morris Cast." 'The New York Times', August 6, 1942, p. 23. It became a vehicle for Richard Arlen and Chester Morris, who were the two top stars of Pine-Thomas Productions."Drama: Cesar Romero to Play 'Coney Island' threat. 'Los Angeles Times', September 15, 1942, p. 13.
In October, Jimmy Lydon, who played Harry Aldrich in a series of B movies for Paramount, joined the cast. William Pine directed; it was his first film, though he had directed several wartime propaganda shorts. Thomas announced he would direct 'Alaska Highway', but he ended up not doing it, making his directorial debut on a different feature."Film Assignments." 'The Christian Science Monitor', October 27, 1942, p. 14.
Principal photography for 'Aerial Gunner' by the Paramount Pictures Pine-Thomas Productions unit took place over from October 21 to mid-November 1942.[http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/66838/Aerial-Gunner/original-print-info.html "Original Print Information: Aerial Gunner (1943)".] 'Turner Classic Movies'. Retrieved: August 27, 2014. Location work was done at the air gunner training school at Harlingen Air Force Base, Texas. Many of the USAAF trainees from the base are used in the film as extras.Orriss 1984, p. 72.
Lita Ward made her film debut as the female lead. She lived in Texas and was cast while the film was shooting on location.Schallert, Edwin. "Drama: Texas again supplies photogenic beauty; Another sister debuts; Male Stars Get 'Breaks'; Naval Officer 'Find'; 'Cyclone'; Much Astir Hitler Satire on Way." 'Los Angeles Times', November 2, 1942, p. 18.
With the assistance of the USAAF, aerial scenes featured North American T-6 Texan and Beech AT-11 Kansan trainers at Harlingen Air Force Base, and Lockheed B-34 Lexington bombers. The use of operational aircraft lent an air of authenticity to this low-budget B film feature, although a number of ground scenes that were later added had to rely on studio rear projection work.Hardwick and Schnepf 1989, p. 51.
The film was rushed into theatrical release to beat another World War II feature to theaters, which focused on a B-17 Flying Fortress air crew, Howard Hawks' production of 'Air Force' (1943). Paramount authorized an extra $75,000 to help promote 'Aerial Gunner'.[https://archive.org/stream/variety149-1943-02#page/n164/mode/1up/search/%22aerial+gunner%22 "Inside Stuff."] 'Variety', February 24, 1943, p. 21.
Reception
'Aerial Gunner' had its world premiere on May 9, 1943, at Harlingen Air Force Base, where much of the film is set.[https://archive.org/stream/variety150-1943-05#page/n72/mode/1up/search/%22aerial+gunner%22 "Aerial Gunner Preem."] 'Variety', May 12, 1943, p. 17."Take Part in Texas Premiere." 'The Washington Post', June 12, 1943, p. B4.Orriss 1984, p. 73. Other premieres at major cities followed.
Box Office
The film was very popular in army camps, despite being a relatively low budget B film.[https://archive.org/stream/variety151-1943-07#page/n59/mode/1up/search/%22aerial+gunner%22 "Stage Door Canteen Fave in Camps/] 'Variety', July 14, 1943, p. 4.Critical
Reception by film critics was mixed, with Kate Cameron of 'The New York Daily News' describing the film as the "most ambitious picture" that Paramount producers William Pine and William Thomas had turned out.Bosley Crowther completely disagreed in his review for 'The New York Times'; he dismissed the effort as nothing more than "... heroics for the bumpkins in one-syllable clichs. There are a few interesting sequences in it of training at an aerial gunnery school and some routine, but always pretty pictures of planes climbing up and setting down. But never do they rise above the ceiling prescribed by a normal B-film. This is strictly a picture for the shooting-gallery trade".Crowther, Bosley. [https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9807E7DA1139E33BBC4E51DFB0668388659EDE "Aerial Gunner (1943): The screen."] 'The New York Times', June 26, 1943.
The 'Chicago Daily Tribune' called the film "a forthright little number very well acted and directed".Tinee, Mae. "Aerial Gunner: an interesting little 'B' film." 'Chicago Daily Tribune', October 10, 1943, p. E8.
The 'Los Angeles Times' called it "well acted...perhaps it is a little too grim".Scott, John. "Paramounts Pair Music, War Films." 'Los Angeles Times', June 18, 1943, p. 15.
Pine-Thomas were so impressed with the performance by Morris that they signed him to a new three-picture contract, which began after 'Tornado'.Schallert, Edwin. "Drama and Film: Young Producer Plans Hollywood Invasion; Chester Morris Wins Three-Picture Contract With Pine and Thomas/" 'Los Angeles Times', March 16, 1943, p. 13.
References
Notes
Citations
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.
* Orriss, Bruce. 'When Hollywood Ruled the Skies: The Aviation Film Classics of World War II'. Hawthorne, California: Aero Associates Inc., 1984. .
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