Jet Pilot (1957)

Director:

Josef von Sternberg
(more)

Writer:

Jules Furthman (written by)

Release Date:

October 1957 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Greatest Air Spectacle of the Jet Age! Earth-shaking, sky-shattering ... SO BIG it took years to make!

Plot:

Air Force Colonel Shannon is assigned to escort defecting Soviet pilot Anna. He falls in love with her...

Plot Keywords:

Pilot | Beautiful Woman

Cast

John Wayne	...	Col. Jim Shannon
Janet Leigh	...	Lt. Anna Marladovna Shannon / Olga Orlief
Jay C. Flippen	...	Maj. Gen. Black
Paul Fix	...	Maj. Rexford
Richard Rober	...	FBI Agent George Rivers
Roland Winters	...	Col. Sokolov
Hans Conried	...	Col. Matoff
Ivan Triesault	...	Gen. Langrad
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dorothy Abbott	...	Girl (uncredited)
Phil Arnold	...	Bellboy (uncredited)
Lois Austin	...	Saleswoman at Palm Springs dress shop (uncredited)
Paul Bakanas	...	Russian security man (uncredited)
Hall Bartlett	...	Sergeant (uncredited)
Gregg Barton	...	Military Policeman (uncredited)
John Bishop	...	Major Sinclair (uncredited)
James Brown	...	Sergeant (uncredited)
William Bryant	...	Radar Monitor (uncredited)
Bruce Cameron	...	Batman (uncredited)
Perdita Chandler	...	Georgia Rexford (uncredited)
Joyce Compton	...	Mrs. Simpson (uncredited)
Tom Daly	...	Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
James Dime	...	Russian security man (uncredited)
Alan Dinehart III	...	Fresh kid at Palm Springs dress shop (uncredited)
Art Dupuis	...	Russian (uncredited)
Jane Easton	...	Girl (uncredited)
Bill Erwin	...	Sergeant (uncredited)
Gene Evans	...	Airfield sergeant (uncredited)
Elizabeth Flournoy	...	WAF captain (uncredited)
Paul Frees	...	Lt. Tiompkin (uncredited)
Barbara Freking	...	WAAF private (uncredited)
Vincent Gironda	...	Muscleman (uncredited)
Fred Graham	...	Sergeant (uncredited)
Don Haggerty	...	Sergeant (uncredited)
Janice Hood	...	Girl (uncredited)
Darrell Huntley	...	Officer (uncredited)
Lamont Johnson	...	Sergeant (uncredited)
Joan Jordan	...	WAC sergeant (uncredited)
Mike Lally	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Harry Lauter	...	Sergeant (uncredited)
Ruth Lee	...	Mother (uncredited)
Nelson Leigh	...	FBI agent (uncredited)
Sylvia Lewis	...	WAC corporal (uncredited)
Herbert Lytton	...	FBI agent (uncredited)
Mike Mahoney	...	Corporal (uncredited)
Michael Mark	...	Russian general (uncredited)
Gene Marshall	...	Sergeant (uncredited)
Allen Mathews	...	Headwaiter (uncredited)
Keith McConnell	...	Bartender (uncredited)
John Morgan	...	Lieutenant (uncredited)
Alberto Morin	...	Russian Guard (uncredited)
Al Murphy	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Wendell Niles	...	Major (uncredited)
Richard Norris	...	Russian interrogator (uncredited)
Frank O'Connor	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
David Ormont	...	Russian interrogator (uncredited)
Jack Overman	...	Sergeant (uncredited)
James Parnell	...	Control Officer (uncredited)
Denver Pyle	...	Mr. Simpson (uncredited)
Theodore Rand	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Joey Ray	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Al Rhein	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Ric Roman	...	Guard (uncredited)
Gene Roth	...	Sokolov's Batman (uncredited)
James H. Russell	...	Corporal (uncredited)
Sammy Shack	...	Driver (uncredited)
Jack Shea	...	Military Policeman (uncredited)
Carl Sklover	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Jim B. Smith	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Ruthelma Stevens	...	Saleswoman (uncredited)
Armand Tanny	...	Muscleman (uncredited)
Kenneth Tobey	...	Sergeant (uncredited)
Rick Vallin	...	Sergeant (uncredited)
Mamie Van Doren	...	WAF (uncredited)
Billy Vernon	...	Drunk (uncredited)
Ralph Volkie	...	Driver (uncredited)
Smoki Whitfield	...	Henry (uncredited)
Joan Whitney	...	WAC sergeant (uncredited)
Biff Yeager	...	Captain (uncredited)
Buck Young	...	Sergeant (uncredited)
Carleton Young	...	Technical Sergeant in Palmer Field control tower (uncredited)

Directed by
Josef von Sternberg
Jules Furthman		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Jules Furthman		(written by)

Produced by
Jules Furthman	....	producer
Howard Hughes	....	producer

Original Music by
Bronislau Kaper

Cinematography by
Winton C. Hoch

Film Editing by
Harry Marker
Michael R. McAdam
William M. Moore
James Wilkinson

Art Direction by
Albert S. D'Agostino
Feild M. Gray		(as Feild Gray)

Set Decoration by
Harley Miller
Darrell Silvera

Costume Design by
Michael Woulfe

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Fred Fleck	....	assistant director (as Fred A. Fleck)

Stunts
Chuck Yeager	....	aerial stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
William H. Clothier	....	aerial photographer
Paul Mantz	....	aerial director of photography
Cliff Shirpser	....	aerial camera operator: Technicolor

Music Department
C. Bakaleinikoff	....	conductor

Production Companies

• RKO Radio Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1957) (USA) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1979) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• GoodTimes Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1958) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1957) (UK) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1981) (USA) (TV) (original airing)

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.00 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (original rating) | USA:G (re-rating) (1974) | West Germany:12 (nf) | Finland:K-12

Filming Locations:

Edwards Air Force Base, California, USA

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Trivia:

The gloss-black, prototype Northrop XP-89 scorpion appears in some scenes set in Russia.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Anna climbs in the two seat jet, there is a canopy support visible. When she taxis away and lowers the canopy the support is missing. The support is used to prevent the canopy from accidentally closing when ground crew are working on the plane.

Quotes:

Lt. Anna Marladovna Shannon: [screaming at Jim] Give me back my skirt!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Howard Hughes: His Women and His Movies (2000) (TV)

Spies are having fun

The French title of the film was : 'les espions s'amusent' : Spies have fun.

Which is closer to the real plot.

Janet Leigh who just passed away last Sunday was a very attractive actress and was a credible young Russian pilot cum spy. John Wayne was his usual self. It's a nice and funny little love story about a period which was very dark : the constant growing threat of starting a 3rd world war while senator McCarthy was active in pursuing 'Commies'. Hence the reason why the film was released in 1957. 8 years after it was made.

The technical point of view is also interesting : F89 Scorpion, F86 Sabre, T33 Tbird, B36 huge bomber, F94c night interceptor, B29 Superfortress as the motherplane for the X1 and last but not least, the last flight of the aircraft (Bell X1) which exceeded the speed of sound in 1947 piloted by no less than Chuck Yeager himself.

Some of the aerobatics in F86 supposed to be made by the Duke were actually performed by Chuck and are worth seeing them.

But 55 years after, who cares that the film was actually seen much later than originally thought : Janet Leigh and John Wayne were eight years younger : this is the bonus of the film !