Watch Screaming Eagles For Free
Screaming Eagles
A group of young soldiers parachute into France in preparation for D-Day.
Release : | 1956 |
Rating : | 5.8 |
Studio : | Bischoff-Diamond Corporation, |
Crew : | Art Direction, Director of Photography, |
Cast : | Tom Tryon Jan Merlin Alvy Moore Martin Milner Jacqueline Beer |
Genre : | Drama War |
Watch Trailer
Cast List
Related Movies
Reviews
It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.
It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.
Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.
Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.
Producers: Samuel Bischoff, David Diamond. Copyright 1956 by Allied Artists. No New York opening. U.S. release: 27 May 1956. U.K. release through Associated British-Pathé: September 1957 (sic). Australian release through Paramount: 4 December 1959 (sic). 7,310 feet. 82 minutes. Cut to 68 minutes in Australia in order to attract bookings as a supporting feature in suburban and rural cinemas.SYNOPSIS: "The Screaming Eagles", a platoon of battle-scarred soldiers, acquires a surly new recruit who saves the life of the lieutenant, who has been blinded in action. The two make their way to a German-held farmhouse, where...COMMENT: Despite the promising lure of its title, this turns out as a distinctly mediocre war picture, — thanks to little action, a bit of stock footage, and a whole bash of dreadfully routine dialogue. The script's characters are a tepid lot and no attempt is made to flesh them out. In fact, there are only two worthwhile performances: Jan Merlin as the boyish, personable lieutenant, and newcomer Jacqueline Beer. The direction is reasonably smooth, but dull and uninteresting.OTHER VIEWS: The familiar situation of the mixed-up outsider regenerated by the comradeship of battle, is here given a second- rate adventure story treatment. With ham-heroic acting and indifferent technique, it presents but a slight tribute to the 101st Airborne Infantry Division. — Monthly Film Bulletin.
Screaming Eagles is the story of a company that dropped into France hours before the dawn of D-Day and what happened to them. If you saw The Longest Day and remember the characters of Robert Ryan and John Wayne you know what the total mission of the 101st Airborne Division was. This film could probably be edited right into The Longest Day, but for the presence of Tom Tryon who starred here and was also one of the many stars in The Longest Day. Jan Merlin plays the Lieutenant in charge of Dog company and just before zero hour for them, Private Tryon gets himself stinking drunk as soldiers are wont to do on occasion. But this wasn't the time for it and the rest of the squad reluctantly takes him along. Of course Tryon pulls himself together and comes through for his unit as you would expect he would in this film. The odyssey of this company is the subject of the film. Very few make it through to link up with the rest of 101st Airborne.Merlin spouting all kinds of philosophical dicta was out of place in a war film of this kind. And quite frankly in the real world Tryon would have been sent to the stockade and court marshaled. Then maybe he might have gotten to the continent later in the war.Former Miss France Jacqueline Beer makes an appearance in Screaming Eagles as a French farm girl who helps our GIs. The film is an Allied Artists Production and shot on the cheap. Still it is entertaining and exciting in spots and the battle sequences are well done. War film fans might like it.
Tom Tryon's first movie. He is over the top as being the most unlikeable soldier in the 101st Division. Some 20 miles behind German lines on Day-D minus 12 hours they are casually taking prisioners. They encounter a tri-lingual French woman for sweet talking the Germans who let them pass thru to the American lines in the North. It's all highly improbable. The bad attitude shown by Private Mason (Tryon) should have gotten him transfered into a less critical position. I think of all the unlikely things in this movie, the fact that no one beats the stuffing out of Mason is the most unusual thing about the movie. Another strange thing about this movie, is that the unit doesn't accomplish its mission, you get reminded at the end what they were supposed to do in the first place.
One interesting thing about watching multi-character movies is the increased chance of spotting future stars. War movies are good for doing that especially. In this movie, several minor actors became bigger stars. Another highlight of this movie are the use of script devices that add energy to the plot. Imagine being blind behind enemy lines. Or become frustrated with language barriers to the point of using creativity to overcome that hindrance. It is worth a look.