Dive Bomber

Dive Bomber_720p(480P)

source: Dive Bomber

Trailer—Dive Bomber

Dive Bomber

After a tragic World War II-era mission near Hawaii, handsome US Navy doctor Errol Flynn (as Douglas "Doug" Lee) must perform a controversial operation. This puts him at odds with dive bomber Fred MacMurray (as Joe Blake). The storyline involves complications from "blackouts" pilots experience during dive bombing. The co-stars continue to study the problem in San Diego, under the command of stern Ralph Bellamy (as Lance Rogers). There are so many cigarettes you'd think the film was promoting tobacco more than the War. Feminine attraction is provided by beautifully-proportioned Alexis Smith (as Linda Fisher) and some shapely female extras. The film looks nice in Technicolor. ***** Dive Bomber (8/12/41) Michael Curtiz ~ Errol Flynn, Fred MacMurray, Ralph Bellamy, Alexis Smith

This is a very unusual film for Errol Flynn, as he plays a doctor and pilot trying to create better pressure suits for the Army Air Corps. This is far from the usual romantic or action adventure role, but it suits him well. Also unusual is seeing Flynn paired up with Fred MacMurray, but they work out well together. Despite much of the film being spent in labs and pressure chambers, there are plenty of aerial scenes to please airplane buffs (like me) and keep the movie from being too technical or too claustrophobic. While the overall film doesn't offer a huge number or surprises, it was amazingly good and a much more serious film than the Cagney film CAPTAINS OF THE CLOUDS--which was released a short time afterwords--also by Warner Brothers.

While Dive Bomber has some formulaic elements, it is a glorious technicolor view of US naval aviation just before the US entered World War II. The air sequences include shots of aircraft (Vindicators, Devastators, Curtiss Hawks, etc.) that soon became obsolete and that I have never seen in any other technicolor film. The carrier scenes are set on the USS Enterprise the year before this ship fought in the Midway and Guadalcanal battles. The film is shot on location in San Diego, and I noticed landmarks like the Hotel Del Coronado and the Cabrillo lighthouse in the background. Thanks to Turner Classic Movies for playing this.

Legendary Michael Curtiz directs this exciting, well paced aviation drama about two naval officers(Errol Flynn and Fred MacMurray)who put aside their personal differences to work together conducting experiments to understand and prevent pilots from suffering altitude blackouts. Visually exciting pre war flick filmed at Pensacola that in turn led to accusations that in real life Flynn aided Nazi agents. MacMurray and Flynn have very different acting styles, but work well together...of course Flynn seems to always be the focus. Alexis Smith is the rose among the thorns so-to-speak. The cast also features: veteran actor Ralph Bellamy and Regis Toomey, Robert Armstrong and Craig Stevens. After all these years DIVE BOMBER can still hold your attention.