Delbert Mann being a bomber pilot who flew combat missions during World War 2, was not unfamiliar with Air Force culture. Excellent director that he was, I don't suppose Mann was ever intending to fowl his own nest so to speak, with A Gathering of Eagles, being filmed with the complete cooperation of the USAF and to which the film is dedicated.
So what we end up with is nearly a "A Mutiny on the Bounty" scenario set on a fictitious Air Force base hosting a Strategic Air Command squadron of bomber jets. Rock Hudson is the ambitious Captain Bligh like Wing Commander Caldwell, trying to whip his base into being one of the most efficient in the Force. In doing so they'll be prepared to pass (with flying colours ... sorry) any unannounced "ORI"( operational readiness inspection) hung on them, that we, the audience, know will inevitably arrive. Contrasting with the stern Caldwell, is Rod Taylor's likeable Fletcher Christian parallel, Col. Hollis Farr the base's vice wing commander.
I say "nearly" because a movie receiving a high degree of support and cooperation from the armed forces, is always unlikely to be then critical of the hand that feeds. And so it proves here in A Gathering of Eagles.
The closest we ever get to a mutiny situation is "general unrest on the base". The "Fletcher Christian figure" is fired well before any uprising occurs, though he does end up temporarily "steering the ship" so to speak during the film's climax. Caldwell's regime of firm discipline and rigorous application is demonstrated to succeed to all and sundry. I include his wife here. It may be realistic, but in all honesty it doesn't make for good drama. Thus when a senior career officer is fired and facing an early forced retirement, his suicide attempt miserably fails, as we expect. It wouldn't look good if the military was linked to an onscreen suicide. To further enhance this extreme aspect of tough love, Caldwell is seen shaking the ex-officer out of his depression, by giving him another bawling out, this one conveniently designed to "inspire" him to greater things outside military life.
The positives of a close association with the military are on show for all to see. The plentiful hardware both in the air and on the grounds reeks of authenticity. The airborne cinematography is never less than impressive.
But in a close to two hour film, the storyline needs a lot more than an almost fawning predictability and supplication to sustain our interest and this is where AGOE, comes closest to crashing and burning. Little wonder then, unlike some of Mann's earlier films, this was a critical and commercial flop.
So what we end up with is nearly a "A Mutiny on the Bounty" scenario set on a fictitious Air Force base hosting a Strategic Air Command squadron of bomber jets. Rock Hudson is the ambitious Captain Bligh like Wing Commander Caldwell, trying to whip his base into being one of the most efficient in the Force. In doing so they'll be prepared to pass (with flying colours ... sorry) any unannounced "ORI"( operational readiness inspection) hung on them, that we, the audience, know will inevitably arrive. Contrasting with the stern Caldwell, is Rod Taylor's likeable Fletcher Christian parallel, Col. Hollis Farr the base's vice wing commander.
I say "nearly" because a movie receiving a high degree of support and cooperation from the armed forces, is always unlikely to be then critical of the hand that feeds. And so it proves here in A Gathering of Eagles.
The closest we ever get to a mutiny situation is "general unrest on the base". The "Fletcher Christian figure" is fired well before any uprising occurs, though he does end up temporarily "steering the ship" so to speak during the film's climax. Caldwell's regime of firm discipline and rigorous application is demonstrated to succeed to all and sundry. I include his wife here. It may be realistic, but in all honesty it doesn't make for good drama. Thus when a senior career officer is fired and facing an early forced retirement, his suicide attempt miserably fails, as we expect. It wouldn't look good if the military was linked to an onscreen suicide. To further enhance this extreme aspect of tough love, Caldwell is seen shaking the ex-officer out of his depression, by giving him another bawling out, this one conveniently designed to "inspire" him to greater things outside military life.
The positives of a close association with the military are on show for all to see. The plentiful hardware both in the air and on the grounds reeks of authenticity. The airborne cinematography is never less than impressive.
But in a close to two hour film, the storyline needs a lot more than an almost fawning predictability and supplication to sustain our interest and this is where AGOE, comes closest to crashing and burning. Little wonder then, unlike some of Mann's earlier films, this was a critical and commercial flop.