Combat America
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Clark Gable, Kenneth L. Hulls, Philip J. Hulls, Theodore R. Geropolis, William A. HatcherDVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Black & White, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 62 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2001-05-15
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Good Times Video
Movie Reviews of Combat America
Movie Review: Heroes
Summary: 5 Stars
This film was made and narrated by Clark Gable and that, in and of itself makes it special. Gable was possibly the most famous screen actor of his time and at his age he could have stayed out of the army, or joined up and gone around making war bonds speeches in the US. However, he wanted to go where the action was and became an officer in the Army Air Force. He was given the job of making a film to help recruiting for gunners in the B-17 strategic bombers. He himself had to take an air gunnery course, because if he flew on missions, even if it was as a passenger whose job was to film the other crewmen, it might be necessary for him to replace a wounded gunner.
It turned out that in the time that it took to make the film, enough volunteers had joined up so the film wasn't needed for that purpose, but it still ranks as a testimony to the men who flew these dangerous missions, including Gable himself who flew several. Some people consider the film "propaganda", but that is unfair. It is true that he asks a wounded man "how good is the B-17 and the equipment they give you?" and it would be surprising if he answered "the plane is too cold and uncomfortable, the guns jam too frequently, the food is lousy, we don't enough leave, etc, etc" (instead he replied that "everything is the best"), but the film does not shy away from showing the dangers of the job.... evacuation of the wounded men from the aircraft, the hospitals and , most heartbreakingly, several B-17's going down while the pilot of Gable's plane asking his crewmen "anybody see any parachutes?" from the stricken aircraft.
A pleasant surprise in the film is the visit of Bob Hope's entertaiment troupe to the base Gable was working at. Bob says "I know Rhett Butler is out there in the audience", but Gable managed to remain concealed among his fellow airmen.
I am in awe of the men who flew these very dangerous missions day after day, and it is inspiring to see men like Gable, and others like Jimmy Stewart who, being famous, could have avoided combat, yet who felt they owed it to their country to put themselves where the danger was the greatest.
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