Winged Victory (1944) DVD-R

Starring Lon McCallister, Jeanne Crain, Edmond O'Brien, Jane Ball, Mark
Daniels, Judy Holliday, Lee J. Cobb, Red Buttons, Barry Nelson, Gary
Merrill, George Reeves
Directed by George Cukor

Print: black/white
Runtime: 130 min.
Genre: drama
Print Quality: B

Moss Hart's hit Broadway play Winged Victory was brought to the screen
in 1944, with most of its original cast intact. The story, concerning regular
Joes from all walks of life joining the Army Air Force, is secondary to such
theatrical setpieces as a camp show wherein several virile Hollywood
leading men cavort about in drag. As a break from the all-male
atmosphere, Hart adds a scene in which several wives and sweethearts
discuss their fighting men; among these ladies is 23-year-old Judy
Holliday. Reflecting the fact that most of the cast was actually serving in
the Armed Forces at the time of filming, many of the actors are billed with
their rank included: Pvt. Lon McAllister, Sgt. Edmond O'Brien, Cpl. Lee J.
Cobb, and so on. While the patriotic elements of Winged Victory have
faded in the intervening five decades, the film is worth a glance for its
heady cast lineup of celebrities-to-be, including Peter Lynd Hayes, Red
Buttons, Barry Nelson, and future director Martin Ritt.