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Wing and a Prayer (also known as Queen of the Flat Tops and Torpedo Squadron Eight) is a black-and-white 1944 war film about the heroic crew of an American carrier in the desperate early days of World War II in the Pacific theater, directed by Henry Hathaway and stars Don Ameche, Dana Andrews and William Eythe. Although arguably a classic propaganda movie, it was appreciated for its very realistic portrayal and was nominated for the 1944 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
The film title Wing and a Prayer was borrowed from a number one hit song in 1943, "Coming In On a Wing and a Prayer". In a bit of studio self-promotion, the carrier crew watches another 20th Century Fox picture, Tin Pan Alley (1940), during the film.
Original Release
01/01/1945
Cast
Name | Character |
---|
Don Ameche | Flight Cmdr. Bingo Harper / Bingo Harper |
Dana Andrews | Lt. Cmdr. Edward Moulton / Edward Moulton |
William Eythe | Ens. Hallam 'Oscar' Scott / Hallam "Oscar" Scott |
Charles Bickford | Capt. Waddell / Captain Waddell |
Cedric Hardwicke | Admiral |
Kevin O'Shea | Ens. Charles 'Cookie' Cunningham / Charles "Cookie" Cunningham |
Richard Jaeckel | Beezy Bessemer |
Harry Morgan | Ens. Malcolm Brainard / Malcolm Brainard |
Eddie Acuff | Pharmacist's Mate |
Stanley Andrews | Marine General |
Directors
Writers
Mortimer Braus, Jo Swerling, Jerome Cady
Cast
Name | Character |
---|
Don Ameche | Flight Cmdr. Bingo Harper / Bingo Harper |
Dana Andrews | Lt. Cmdr. Edward Moulton / Edward Moulton |
William Eythe | Ens. Hallam 'Oscar' Scott / Hallam "Oscar" Scott |
Charles Bickford | Capt. Waddell / Captain Waddell |
Cedric Hardwicke | Admiral |
Kevin O'Shea | Ens. Charles 'Cookie' Cunningham / Charles "Cookie" Cunningham |
Richard Jaeckel | Beezy Bessemer |
Harry Morgan | Ens. Malcolm Brainard / Malcolm Brainard |
Eddie Acuff | Pharmacist's Mate |
Stanley Andrews | Marine General |
Irving Bacon | Sailor Projectionist |
Chet Brandenburg | Mail Orderly |
Ralph Brooke | Gunner |
Gary Bruce | Gunner |
Neil Carter | Telephone Orderly |
George Chandler | Sailor Assisting Projectionist |
William Colby | Minor Role |
Robert Condon | Pilot |
Rim Conrad | Pilot |
Thomas Cowan | Navigator |
Producers
Name | Role |
---|
William A. Bacher | Producer |
Walter Morosco | Producer |
Editors
Year | Type | Category | Won |
---|
1945 | Oscar | Best Writing, Original Screenplay | Nominated |