IMDb RATING
6.6/10
1.4K
YOUR RATING
In WW2, an American aircraft carrier sails around the Pacific on a decoy mission until it joins the battle of Midway against the Japanese forces.In WW2, an American aircraft carrier sails around the Pacific on a decoy mission until it joins the battle of Midway against the Japanese forces.In WW2, an American aircraft carrier sails around the Pacific on a decoy mission until it joins the battle of Midway against the Japanese forces.
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
1.4K
YOUR RATING
- Director
- Writers
- Jerome Cady(story)
- Mortimer Braus(contributor to screenplay construction)
- Jo Swerling(contributing writer)
- Stars
Top credits
- Director
- Writers
- Jerome Cady(story)
- Mortimer Braus(contributor to screenplay construction)
- Jo Swerling(contributing writer)
- Stars
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 1 nomination total
Videos1
Cedric Hardwicke
- Admiralas Admiral
- (as Sir Cedric Hardwicke)
Harry Morgan
- Ens. Malcolm Brainardas Ens. Malcolm Brainard
- (as Henry Morgan)
Eddie Acuff
- Pharmacist's Mateas Pharmacist's Mate
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- Jerome Cady(story) (screenplay)
- Mortimer Braus(contributor to screenplay construction) (uncredited)
- Jo Swerling(contributing writer) (uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- See more cast details at IMDbPro
Storyline
An aircraft carrier is sent on a decoy mission around the Pacific, with orders to avoid combat, thus lulling Japanese alertness before the battle of Midway. All the men have their individual worries and concerns, but become increasingly frustrated at their avoidance of combat, for reasons unknown to them. But in the end, all get their chance to fight. —Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>
- aerial shot
- reference to betty grable
- reference to greta garbo
- reference to hollywood
- reference to superman
- 9 more
- Taglines
- MIGHTY DRAMA OF AIRCRAFT CARRIER X (original ad - all caps)
- Genres
- Certificate
- Passed
- Parents guide
Did you know
- TriviaWhen former American President Ronald Reagan famously once said, "We'll bring this one down together", he was actually quoting from this movie.
- GoofsThe film takes place in the months leading up to the Battle of Midway in June, 1942, and the pilots in it fly Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers. The TBF was not introduced until just prior to Midway and saw its first operational flights at the battle. During the period in which the film takes place, the pilots would actually be flying Douglas TBD Devastator torpedo bombers instead.
- Quotes
Capt. Waddell: The trap has been sprung. Believing us scattered all over the ocean, the main Jap fleet is headed for Midway. They're going in for the kill and so are we. We're through pulling punches. We're through running away. Our mission is accomplished and from here on in, we fight!
- ConnectionsEdited into All This and World War II (1976)
Top review
A Very Different View Of Midway
If you want to see the actual story of the battle of Midway than definitely see the film that came out in the Seventies. If you can fast forward through the fictional plot involving Charlton Heston and his family problems you will see a very good documentary about the battle and how close run it was.
Wing and a Prayer came out two years after and there were restrictions placed on the details, probably due to the fact that one of the reasons we won it was because we had broken the Japanese naval code. Still some of the restrictions were a bit ridiculous.
Whose idea was it to cast Sir Cedric Hardwicke as an American Admiral, presumably the Chief of Naval Operations who gave us an overview of the film we were about to see in a prologue. The Chief of Naval Operations at that time was one Ernest J. King who was a rather profane man given to using universally understood words in his normal conversations. He must have had one good laugh at the very prim and proper Cedric Hardwicke playing him, in on a pass from the Royal Navy.
The aircraft carrier where the story takes place is unnamed, but I think we can assume it's the Enterprise. In charge is Admiral Charles Bickford playing most probably Raymond Spruance who had tactical command of the task force at Midway.
The plot of Wing and a Prayer centers around a conflict between Dana Andrews head of a torpedo squadron assigned to the carrier and Don Ameche, a stern by the book Naval commander in charge of the airplanes and their crews. Ameche and Andrews have conflicts similar to what Ameche had with Tyrone Power in films like In Old Chicago. If Power hadn't been in the Marines at the time serving in the real war in the Pacific, I'm sure he would have had Andrews's part.
The usual wartime clichés and characters abound in Wing and a Prayer. One unusual part is that played by William Eythe, a Hollywood actor enlisted in the service and who's one of Andrews's pilots. This might have been Darryl F. Zanuck's idea of a tribute to his main star who as I said was actually serving.
Wing and a Prayer is not a bad film, but with Midway out there it's just not the best film on the subject.
Wing and a Prayer came out two years after and there were restrictions placed on the details, probably due to the fact that one of the reasons we won it was because we had broken the Japanese naval code. Still some of the restrictions were a bit ridiculous.
Whose idea was it to cast Sir Cedric Hardwicke as an American Admiral, presumably the Chief of Naval Operations who gave us an overview of the film we were about to see in a prologue. The Chief of Naval Operations at that time was one Ernest J. King who was a rather profane man given to using universally understood words in his normal conversations. He must have had one good laugh at the very prim and proper Cedric Hardwicke playing him, in on a pass from the Royal Navy.
The aircraft carrier where the story takes place is unnamed, but I think we can assume it's the Enterprise. In charge is Admiral Charles Bickford playing most probably Raymond Spruance who had tactical command of the task force at Midway.
The plot of Wing and a Prayer centers around a conflict between Dana Andrews head of a torpedo squadron assigned to the carrier and Don Ameche, a stern by the book Naval commander in charge of the airplanes and their crews. Ameche and Andrews have conflicts similar to what Ameche had with Tyrone Power in films like In Old Chicago. If Power hadn't been in the Marines at the time serving in the real war in the Pacific, I'm sure he would have had Andrews's part.
The usual wartime clichés and characters abound in Wing and a Prayer. One unusual part is that played by William Eythe, a Hollywood actor enlisted in the service and who's one of Andrews's pilots. This might have been Darryl F. Zanuck's idea of a tribute to his main star who as I said was actually serving.
Wing and a Prayer is not a bad film, but with Midway out there it's just not the best film on the subject.
helpful•1721
- bkoganbing
- Aug 16, 2007
Details
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $2,250,000
- Runtime1 hour 37 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content

Recently viewed
Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.