Flight for Freedom (1943)

This is a fun movie of thirties aviation. The mid air between Randy and Tonie is laughable and fake. That aside I enjoy the tone and the simple enjoyment of the movie for what it was, a WWII war movie. Randy (Fred Mac Murry) and Tonie fall for each other with the background of thirties type air racing and breaking records as their goals. Then when a special assignment comes up to look for a "missing pilot" over the Japanese mandated islands, they both volunteer. Overall this is one of my favorite movies for this type. The Japanese hotel manager - as a Jap spy- is so typical as to be laughable. But this movie is not about realism or political correctness.

Movies like these were typical of the time. You must put this movie in that context. Too many critics compare the old movies and their politics with today's views. Flight for Freedom like so many films in the 1940's had a purpose; to win the hearts and minds of the average American who may have had doubts about why we were fighting. Amelia Earhart was an icon of the American spirit and therefore, by demonizing the Japanese military who may or may not have killed her; the US government could whip up a frenzy of resolve to fight the war on to the finish. Ironically, espionage is a capital offense in most countries and it was typical to be awarded a long sentence or a possible death penalty. But it makes good drama, since the thought of killing a female for such a crime is yet another possible reason for FDR to get the US into the war.

This film is influenced by the patriotism during the great struggle of The Second World War. It is accurate in depicting the spirit of the great Emelia Earhart. A film made today might choose to focus on other aspects but that is more an indication of the difference in attitudes from the 40s to now. This is an interesting film for youngsters and adults.

The film is badly directed and acted propaganda but all this is put in the shade by an extraordinary scene towards the end.I don't want to spoil the plot, so I will just say:The pilot heroine of the film Tonie Carter finds herself on a remote pacific island with a strange mission ahead of her, over the course of one night on the island, a lot changes in her life, both in considering her past and her present situation, and she decides on her course of action for when she leaves the island the next morning.This scene is mysterious and evocative, there is very little detail and almost everything we see is significant so the island takes on the quality of a dream. The various characters which come her way seem like ghosts; their significance is in what they whisper to her, reminds her of her responsibilities and memories.Now comes the ending of the film but with an unforseen direction born of the night on the island, this leads to some bitter sweet ironies which undercut in a way the propaganda of the film.So this is another one to add to the class of awful films which emerge with the most imaginative visions, but by some who-knows-how accident, its certainly not due to the director or actors. In this respect its much like 'The Eye of the Beholder '(1999 )by Stephan Elliot.If Lothar Mendes was aware of what he created I wonder how he felt, pleased but perhaps also a little guilty and frustrated.