A Gathering of Eagles (1963)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Delbert Mann

Writers:

Sy Bartlett (story)
Robert Pirosh (writer)

Release Date:

21 June 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

THE HIGHER THEY FLY...THE FASTER THEY LIVE! THEY CAN'T SLOW UP EVEN FOR LOVE! (original print ad - all caps)

Plot:

Rock Hudson plays an Air Force Colonel who has just been re-assigned as a cold war B-52 commander who...

Plot Keywords:

Cold War | Squash | Male Female Relationship | Airforce | Bomber

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Rock Hudson	...	Col. Jim Caldwell
Rod Taylor	...	Col. Hollis Farr
Mary Peach	...	Victoria Caldwell
Barry Sullivan	...	Col. Bill Fowler
Kevin McCarthy	...	Gen. 'Happy Jack' Kirby
Henry Silva	...	Col. Joe Garcia
Leora Dana	...	Mrs. Evelyn Fowler
Robert Lansing	...	Sgt. Banning
Richard Anderson	...	Col. Ralph Josten
Richard LePore	...	Sgt. Kemler
Robert Bray	...	Lt. Col. Gales
Jim Bannon	...	Col. Morse
Nelson Leigh	...	Gen. Aymes
Russ Bender	...	Col. Torrance
John McKee	...	Maj. Travis

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Norway:12 | Finland:S | Spain:7 | Sweden:11

Filming Locations:

Beale Air Force Base, Marysville, California, USA

Company:

Universal International Pictures (UI)

Trivia:

The scene where Mary Peach's character goes out "on the town" shows her exiting a theater into a grand lobby where she meets friends. That lobby is the actual foyer of the San Francisco Opera House, which looks virtually the same to this day.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In several scenes, flight line maintenance personnel and command staff officers are not wearing hearing protectors while standing near jet aircraft with running engines. Air Force policy requires personnel to wear hearing protection while around operating engines to prevent permanent hearing damage caused by the extremely loud, high-pitched sound produced by jet engines.

Quotes:

Col. Hollis Farr: [Singing "The SAC Song" by Tom Lehrer] Here at SAC we're filled with pride There's just one thing we can't decide Which we'd rather be clobbered by-- An enemy attack or ORI! Our wing commander's got a racket, But sometimes it's hard to hack it, Whenever he gets his wife alone, Ding-a-ling-aling goes the little red phone...

A very accurate depiction of life in SAC in the '60s. Great movie, great footage.

I was only able to see this movie once and have been looking for it ever since to no avail, so far. I was at Travis AFB at the time of it's filming. I worked on the flight line and our planes were those used in the film. I was also TDY (temporary duty) at Beale AFB where I understand most or much of the filming took place. I worked on B-52's and KC-135As in servicing, recovery and crew chief duty and spent a lot of time on alert duty at the hard pad Alert Facility. All this to say that the film was VERY true to what SAC life was like in the flesh. I can see why some think the plot was a little thin as it was a glimpse into what day-to-day life in SAC was like. The Minimum Interval Take-offs (MITOs)were very true to life, sometimes three bombers and/or tankers rolling on the runway at the same time. If full count points aren't given for the plot, or there are those who would discount because of Rock Hudson's personal life, certainly full credit has to be given for accuracy. I know, I was there! I would love to own a DVD of this movie. I have been waiting over 40 years. Help, anyone? I'd even settle for a VHS tape.