Flying Leathernecks (1951)

Director: Nicholas Ray
Starring: John Wayne, Robert Ryan, Don Taylor

Synopsis:
The new commander of a Marine fighter squadron clashes with his executive officer over their styles of leadership.

Impressions:
While this isn't a great war film, I did like the core conflict and it was played out well between John Wayne and Robert Ryan. Maybe the two of them being at odds politically in real life helped make this dynamic work (though from what I understand, the two actors got along fairly well in spite of their differences, for a time at least). It's never over-dramatized, which is how a dispute between professional officers would play out. The character drama is probably enough to warrant a watch, but you're looking for a truly exceptional war film, you'll probably be a bit underwhelmed.

Rating:
50/50