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Flight Command

Play trailer Poster for Flight Command 1940 1h 53m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 1 Reviews 29% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Straight out of flight school, Ensign Alan Drake (Robert Taylor) plans to arrive at his assigned San Diego naval post with a flourish -- but is forced to eject due to dense fog, hardly making a good impression. Drake's squadron, led by Cmdr. Billy Gray (Walter Pidgeon), puts up with his less than stellar contributions. But when the men think Drake is having an affair with Gray's wife, Lorna (Ruth Hussey), their tolerance ends. Drake, now an outsider once more, must prove himself to the others.

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Flight Command

Critics Reviews

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Jose Maria Santos Cine-Mundial Sep 17, 2019
The director Frank Borzage, and the main actors Robert Taylor, Ruth Hussey and Walter Pidgeon deserve to be praised. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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David K @RT61474040 Jan 14, 2026 Although the acting is fine, the film is pretty standard with one significant exception - the aerial scenes. They are absolutely some of the best ever committed to film, and for those interested in that aspect, the film is well worth the almost two hour running time. See more
Aldo G @RT54480587 May 17, 2024 Robert Taylor commands the movie and the aerial scenes are well shot. See more
Russ G @RT78760655 Jan 8, 2023 Given the utter lack of discipline shown here on the part of "Pensacola" while facing no consequences, you gotta wonder why the US Navy "cooperated" in the making of this formulaic melodrama. Our protagonist ignores a direct order to bail out, but isn't grounded. Then he crashes a plane into a target drone after being warned to break off his gunnery run on an earlier approach; still no grounding. Is this any way to run an armed service? See more
Dec 10, 2020 No more than you might expect, maybe no less. Old-timey patriotic flyer squadron coming of age. Stereotypes galore, special effects from early last century. One of your last unseen military films. Go ahead and watch, it won't hurt you. See more
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Flight Command

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Cast & Crew

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Frank Borzage

Director

Robert Taylor

Ensign Alan Drake

Ruth Hussey

Lorna Gary

Walter Pidgeon

Squadron Cmdr. Billy Gary

Paul Kelly

Lieut. Cmdr. "Dusty" Rhodes

Shepperd Strudwick

Lieut. Jerry Banning
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Flight Command

Flight Command (1940) Flight Command (1940) Flight Command (1940) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Straight out of flight school, Ensign Alan Drake (Robert Taylor) plans to arrive at his assigned San Diego naval post with a flourish -- but is forced to eject due to dense fog, hardly making a good impression. Drake's squadron, led by Cmdr. Billy Gray (Walter Pidgeon), puts up with his less than stellar contributions. But when the men think Drake is having an affair with Gray's wife, Lorna (Ruth Hussey), their tolerance ends. Drake, now an outsider once more, must prove himself to the others.
Director
Frank Borzage
Producer
J. Walter Ruben
Screenwriter
Wells Root, Harvey S. Haislip
Production Co
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Loew's
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 17, 1940, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 22, 2016
Runtime
1h 53m
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