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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 |
Richard Crane | Ens. Gus Chisholm |
Glenn Langan | Executive Officer |
Directors
Writers
Jerome Cady, Mortimer Braus, Jo Swerling
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 |
Richard Crane | Ens. Gus Chisholm |
Glenn Langan | Executive Officer |
Renny McEvoy | Ens. Cliff Hale |
Robert Bailey | Ens. Paducah Holloway |
Reed Hadley | Cmdr. O'Donnell |
George Mathews | Dooley |
B.S. Pully | Flat Top |
Dave Willock | Ens. Hans Jacobson |
Murray Alper | Benjamin K. 'Benny 'O'Neill |
Eddie Acuff | Pharmacist's Mate |
Stanley Andrews | Marine General |
Irving Bacon | Sailor Projectionist |
Producers
Name | Role |
---|
William A. Bacher | Producer |
Walter Morosco | Producer |
Editors
Year | Type | Category | Won |
---|
1945 | Oscar | Best Writing, Original Screenplay | Nominated |