Flight Command

Flight Command

Drama, War | Dec. 27, 1940

A rookie flyer, Ens. Alan Drake, joins the famous Hellcats Squadron right out of flight school in Pensacola. He doesn't make a great first impression when he is forced to ditch his airplane and parachute to safety when he arrives at the base but is unable to land due to heavy fog. On his first day on the job, his poor shooting skills results in the Hellcats losing an air combat competition. His fellow pilots accept him anyways but they think he's crossed the line when they erroneously conclude that while their CO Billy Gray is away, Drake has an affair with his wife Lorna. Drake is now an outcast and is prepared to resign from the Navy but his extreme heroism in saving Billy Gray's life turns things around.

Flight Command

Drama, War | Dec. 27, 1940

Flight Command
A rookie flyer, Ens. Alan Drake, joins the famous Hellcats Squadron right out of flight school in Pensacola. He doesn't make a great first impression when he is forced to ditch his airplane and parachute to safety when he arrives at the base but is unable to land due to heavy fog. On his first day on the job, his poor shooting skills results in the Hellcats losing an air combat competition. His fellow pilots accept him anyways but they think he's crossed the line when they erroneously conclude that while their CO Billy Gray is away, Drake has an affair with his wife Lorna. Drake is now an outcast and is prepared to resign from the Navy but his extreme heroism in saving Billy Gray's life turns things around.
IMDb rating 6.3
Producers Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Original title Flight Command
Directors Frank Borzage
Writers Harvey S. Haislip, John Sutherland, Wells Root

Cast

Robert Taylor

as Ens. Alan Drake

Ruth Hussey

as Lorna Gray

Walter Pidgeon

as Squadron Commander Billy Gary

Paul Kelly

as Lieut. Cmdr. 'Dusty' Rhodes

Shepperd Strudwick

as Lieut. Jerry Banning

Red Skelton

as Lieut. 'Mugger' Martin

Nat Pendleton

as C.P.O. 'Spike' Knowles

Dick Purcell

as Lieut. 'Stichy' Payne

William Tannen

as Lieut. Freddy Townsend

William Stelling

as Lieut. Bush

Stanley Smith

as Lieut. Frost

Addison Richards

as Vice Admiral

Donald Douglas

as 1st Duty Officer

Pat Flaherty

as 2nd Duty Officer

Forbes Murray

as Captain

Marsha Hunt

as Claire

Cliff Danielson

as Hell Cat

Bob Davis

as Hell Cat

Lee Tung Foo

as Jung, Gary's Servant

Reed Hadley

as Admiral's Aide

John Hamilton

as Pensacola Commander

Otto Han

as Gogo, Officer's Club Attendant

Hal Le Sueur

as Hell Cat

Jack Luden

as Hell Cat

James Millican

as North Island Tower Operator (voice)

Alberto Morin

as Waiter

Tom Neal

as Hell Cat

George Offerman, Jr.

as Small Sailor on Downed Seaplane

Claire Owen

as Mrs. Frost

Steve Pendleton

as North Island Tower Operator

John Raitt

as Hell Cat

Walter Sande

as Officer on Downed Seaplane

James Seay

as Officer on Downed Seaplane

John Sheehan

as Friendly Mechanic

Dick Wessel

as Big Sailor on Downed Seaplane

Gayne Whitman

as Doctor

Gilbert Wilson

as Hell Cat

Bruce Edwards

as Hell Cat

Howard Wilson

as Hell Cat