{"id":205367,"date":"2024-02-09T17:33:48","date_gmt":"2024-02-09T17:33:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/02\/09\/if-you-like-the-b-17s-in-masters-of-the-air-youll-love-these-movies\/"},"modified":"2025-06-25T17:21:57","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T17:21:57","slug":"if-you-like-the-b-17s-in-masters-of-the-air-youll-love-these-movies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/02\/09\/if-you-like-the-b-17s-in-masters-of-the-air-youll-love-these-movies\/","title":{"rendered":"If You Like the B-17s in Masters of the Air, You\u2019ll Love These Movies"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> [ad_1]<br \/>\n<br \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.historynet.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/12-OClock-still-scaled.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>The Boeing B-17\u2014or its computer-generated likeness\u2014appears front and center in the AppleTV+ series <em>Masters of the Air<\/em>. The story of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.historynet.com\/the-bloody-100th\/\">100th Bombardment Group<\/a> of the Eighth Air Force in World War II, <em>MOTA<\/em> is based on the book by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.historynet.com\/masters-of-the-air-book-review\/\">Donald L. Miller<\/a>. The 100th flew the B-17 Flying Fortress and some of its missions over Europe provide harrowing sequences in the series.<\/p>\n<p>Here are a few classic films that feature the B-17 and are worth searching out.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Air Force<\/em><\/strong><em> (1943). Directed by Howard Hawks. Starring John Ridgely, Gig Young, Arthur Kennedy, Charles Drake, Harry Carey, George Tobias and John Garfield.<br \/><\/em>While B-17s are known primarily for their role in the European Theater, they flew in the Pacific as well. Howard Hawks\u2019 <em>Air Force<\/em> tells the story of one such Fort, <em>Mary Ann<\/em>. After flying into the attack on Pearl Harbor, the airplane and its crew proceed to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.historynet.com\/battle-of-wake-island\/\">Wake Island<\/a> and then on to the Philippines to take action against the Japanese. The production used real B-17B, C and D models, supplemented by model work when necessary.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p>\n<iframe title=\"Air Force - Trailer Twi\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Tc_juopVPIQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p><strong><em>The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress<\/em><\/strong><em> (1944). Directed by William Wyler.<\/em><br \/>Director William Wyler left Hollywood to document the war for the U.S. and received permission to film an account of a B-17 crew on a mission over Germany. He ended up flying five missions with pilot Robert Morgan of the 91st Bombardment Group, two of them in Morgan\u2019s regular plane, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.historynet.com\/memphis-belle-famous-wwii-eighth-air-force-b-17\/\">Memphis Belle<\/a><\/em>. Wyler used his footage to create a composite twenty-fifth mission for Morgan and the crew of <em>Memphis Belle<\/em>. (While not the first bomber to complete 25 missions, <em>Memphis Belle<\/em> was the first to return to America after having done so and earned much public attention as a result.) Released on April 15, 1944, the <em>New York Times<\/em> called the film \u201ca perfect example of what can be properly done by competent film reporters to visualize the war for people back home.\u201d (The real <em>Memphis Belle<\/em> is on display at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.) <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p>\n<iframe title=\"&quot;Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress&quot; (1944) - HD Restoration - REEL History\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NNmYL6eoeV8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p><strong><em>Memphis Belle<\/em><\/strong><em> (1990). Directed by Michael Caton-Jones. Starring Matthew Modine, Eric Stoltz,<br \/>Tate Donovan, D.B. Sweeney, Billy Zane, Sean Astin, Harry Connick Jr., John Lithgow and David Strathairn.<\/em><br \/>The fictionalized film based on Wyler\u2019s (and co-produced by his daughter) also tells the story of the titular B-17\u2019s 25th mission but suffers from a willingness to embrace clich\u00e9 as the crew faces a familiar litany of threats (bandits, flak, cloud cover, engine loss).<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p>\n<iframe title=\"Memphis Belle (1990) Theatrical Trailer #1 [4K] [FTD-0684]\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/oqKrCuIz_XQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p><strong><em>Command Decision <\/em><\/strong><em>(1948).Directed by Sam Wood. Starring Clark Gable, Walter Pidgeon, Van Johnson, Brian Donlevy, Charles Bickford, John Hodiak and Edward Arnold.<br \/><\/em>Where <em>MOTA<\/em> focuses on what the B-17 crews endured during the war, <em>Command Decision<\/em> focuses on the commanders who sent them on their missions in what Brigadier General \u201cCasey\u201d Dennis (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.historynet.com\/the-leading-man-in-the-skies\/\">Gable, who actually flew some missions over Europe)<\/a> calls \u201cthe weirdest kind of war on earth.\u201d Watching B-17s and their crews head out on a mission, he says, \u201cIn a few hours from now they\u2019ll be fighting on oxygen five miles above Germany. Tonight some of them will be dancing at the Savoy. Some of them will still be in Germany.\u201d The film can\u2019t escape its roots as a Broadway play (adapted from a novel) and remains mostly set-bound. A scene where Dennis has to talk down a B-17 bombardier flying for his wounded pilot suffers from some obvious model work that stands out in comparison to the actual combat footage used elsewhere.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p>\n<iframe title=\"Command Decision (1948) Official Trailer - Clark Gable, Walter Pidgeon War Movie HD\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OySTC_4dzmE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p><strong><em>Twelve O\u2019Clock High<\/em><\/strong><em> (1949). Directed by Henry King. Starring Gregory Peck, Hugh Marlowe, Gary Merrill and Dean Jagger.<br \/>Twelve O\u2019Clock High<\/em> covers some of the same ground as <em>Command Decision<\/em> but does it much better. The focal point is General Frank Savage (Peck) who takes command of the snakebitten 918th Bombardment Group after its previous commander got too close to his men and efficiency suffered. Savage plans to whip the unit into shape even if it means the crews will hate him. The 918th does improve, but the stresses of command eventually take their toll on Savage. B-17 fans will especially enjoy a legendary stunt sequence when stunt pilot Paul Mantz performs a belly landing in a real Fortress. The film later inspired a television series.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p>\n<iframe title=\"TWELVE O&#039;CLOCK HIGH (1949) Theatrical Trailer - Gregory Peck, Hugh Marlowe, Gary Merrill\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GS72tZXhWRA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p><strong><em>The War Lover<\/em><\/strong><em> (1962). Directed by Philip Leacock. Starring Steve McQueen, Robert Wagner, Shirley Ann Field, Gary Cockrell and Michael Crawford.<br \/><\/em>This adaptation of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.historynet.com\/aviation-history-classic-war-lover\/\">John Hersey\u2019s novel<\/a> tells the story of a pilot (McQueen) and co-pilot (Wagner) of a Flying Fortress and the woman one of them loves (Field). The pilot, \u201cBuzz\u201d Rickson, is the war lover of the tile, a man who treads the \u201cfine line between the hero and the psychopath\u201d in the words of the squadron doctor. Filmed with three actual B-17s (and footage, including Mantz\u2019s belly landing, borrowed from <em>Twelve O\u2019Clock High<\/em>), the film boasts a strong performance by McQueen but is weakened by the romance in which Field\u2019s character is used to explain the movie\u2019s themes. \u201cYou are on the side of life,\u201d she tells Wagner\u2019s character; to Buzz she explains, \u201cYou can\u2019t make love.\u2026 You can only make hate.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p>\n<iframe title=\"The War Lover 1962   Official Trailer\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/srBUAam4tl0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p><strong><em>Target for Today<\/em><\/strong> (1944) is also of interest. This wartime documentary provides a detailed nuts-and-bolts look at what it took to plan and fly B-17 missions over Europe. Cast with real military personnel and filmed largely on location, it will provide viewers with some key background for the events of <em>MOTA<\/em>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p>\n<iframe title=\"Target For Today (1944)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zVhHCMewvgI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<p>[ad_2]<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.historynet.com\/b17s-in-the-movies\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[ad_1] The Boeing B-17\u2014or its computer-generated likeness\u2014appears front and center in the AppleTV+ series Masters of the Air. The story of the 100th Bombardment Group<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":205368,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[162],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/205367"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=205367"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/205367\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":344518,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/205367\/revisions\/344518"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/205368"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=205367"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=205367"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=205367"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}