Steve McQueen, Robert Wagner, Shirley Anne Field, The War Lover, 1962

[@Firebrand55]

The first 25 minutes.......an excellent portrayal of B-17's at work in WW2. At that time the B-17 carried a limited bomb load; that's why there where so many built. This meant many aircraft forming up after take off which could be a nightmare in poor, gloomy light, a feature of the UK then and now. Contrary to the turret gunner's lament, ( Michael Crawford, 20.17 ), the B-17 was relatively easy to jump out of......there were far more 8th Air Force POW's than RAF.

[@fifthbusiness1678]

The details paid to were remarkable; I can’t think of another WW2 ‘bomber’ film that even comes close. They mounted cameras on the exterior of the airplane as well. Terrific stuff!

[@LordStevie]

Lancasters had a much bigger payload, and three less crew members.

[@robertpigott5312]

There are only 3 B-17's flying now. This movie had at least 6 at least in 1962. Some of the best B-17 action I've ever seen. Very detailed and worth a look.

[@DennisRex-c4c]

The 3 B-17s used to make this film were taken from one of the boneyards out west, made air worthy again and flown, in formation, to England for the filming. Their trip is documented in the book "Everything but the Flack." It's a very good read if you can find a copy.

I flew the "Yankee Lady", one of the three. Quite an experience.

[@williampankratz600]

In 1979 there was a complete B-17 used for a gas station awning in Milwaukee Oregon , it was salvaged and parts of it are still flying on one of the 3

[@jameshuffman835]

My father was a flight engineer on a B-17 193-45! This is what happened to the "Class of 42"! Dad passed away in 05!

[@RussellBauwens]

Excellent movie! I've always loved the B-17, I always considered it to be one of the most beautiful aircraft ever built! These "G" models were my favorites and the footage of them alone made the movie great, not to mention the actors and the acting. I was fortunate enough to go through several of these B-17's many years ago, at an airshow .. I never got to fly on one but it's still a dream of mine to do so someday before I die .. Thankfully there are such groups as The Commemorative Air Force that keep the remaining few still in the air! Steve McQueen was excellent in this movie, as he was in all his movies. He was extremely believable in every part he played, from cowboy, to race-car driver, cop, hoodlum, and here as a pilot..you name it, he became the person he portrayed in the movies and I always thought it was a terrible loss when he died. Just my two-cents.. Anyway, thanks for sharing this classic movie!!

[@MarkSmith-js2pu]

Good note

[@BeachsideHank]

Toured one of the Fortresses at Boston's Logan airport during a promo for he film. In the remains of the tail gunner's compartment was a parachute setup to be tossed out if needed, I could only guess they had expectations the brakes might fail at anytime- it was a "G" model too.

[@stuartmenziesfarrant]

Nice to see British comedy actor Michael Crawford in an early film role!

[@anthonyvalenti9093]

Great Valentine!!! The scenes with the B-17’s are tremendous. Trust me sweetheart Buzz didn’t want to die!!!!!

[@dorothyorr1537]

and OUR LORD KNOWS without the Americans coming to our aid , we would have been incinerated .. Millions of Russians also died 'froze to death' as well a millions burnt alive in the DEATH CAMPS SOBIBOR ;and elsewhere NEVER forget the sacrifices these 'Angels' did to save our butts !!!!!!

[@diannemiller1895]

At 76, usually save the war flicks for the guys but I'm a fan of rebel McQueen. Actually impressive portrayals and flight shots. Really enjoyed 👍

[@MarkSmith-js2pu]

Welcome to the club

[@IncogNito-gg6uh]

Aviation author Martin Caidin wrote an entertaining book, “Everything But The Flak,” about finding and getting three B-17s airworthy enough to fly them from the US to England for the film.

[@Dog.soldier1950]

I read that decades ago. Your right a good read

[@mariellegrass-singing4718]

No one like McQueen. Irritation produces a pearl.

[@daviddorward7684]

Great movie, great WW2 scenes of the B-17.

[@tritom1955]

Great movie....well done...and thanks for the upload.

[@Mr-Valentine-shorts]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@martynmcnulty782]

great 👍 🎬

[@Mr-Valentine-shorts]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@williamlockner8788]

I'm really enjoying this movie, I'm suprised I never new about it.

[@MarkSmith-js2pu]

Me too!

[@nev707]

Bert Kwouk who played Cato in the Pink Panther movies played an uncredited role as a B17 crewman.

[@lordemed1]

Good flick…great bomber shots

[@Lee-vg8yk]

Very Nice

Steve McQueen was not acting...... that was him.

[@MarkSmith-js2pu]

I loved the way he reminisced about his date the night before, never saw that one before.

[@stevemartin6144]

The makers of this movie are so ill informed that they state in text at the beginning of the movie that this is about the USAF. This is about the USAAF. The USAF began in 1947. Pretty sad that even a Canadian like me is more informed than the movie types.

[@aileen694]

Good film. Steve McQueen wears a ring in his left "wedding finger!" Strange. They usually wore one on the left pinkie...

[@jimlaguardia8185]

A truly great movie!

[@TranscendianIntendor]

Hell of a movie.. McQueen was something wasn't he.

[@diannemiller1895]

Surprisingly good 👍 Don't care much for Wagner but he did a gr8 job. Unexpected ending. Terrific flying/bombing. Impressive story/plot.

[@Mr-Valentine-shorts]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@MarkSmith-js2pu]

I gauge all of Wagners early stuff to the first movie I ever saw, and to this day my favorite, “The Hunters” with Robert Mitchum, 1958 and McQueen in “A Soldier in the Rain with Jackie Gleason and Tuesday Weld, 1963.

[@andrewhammond1949]

In 1962 the production team could have found the correct model Jeep!

[@yomama8873]

Great movie 🤩🤩🤩💖💖

[@stevemartin6144]

Kiel. One of the most defended targets in the ETO. Not a single fighter attack or anti-aircraft shot on approach and over target? Laughable. Brand new 1962 wrist watches with big clock faces. Wartime USAAF watches had tiny clock faces in comparison. You've got to love that belly landing film clip. It was in the "Twelve O'clock High" TV series about a dozen times. Why is an English actor portraying an USAAF type named "Junior".

[@RicharFarr]

Good Story Mc is McQueen! Good movie!

[@davidlindsay9543]

Mighty EIGHT, BLESS THEM ALL!!!

[@fload46d]

McQueen would have made a great bomber pilot.

[@stevemartin6144]

He was a tiny man. I suppose that he could have sat on a couple of telephone books.

[@MarkSmith-js2pu]

I didn’t realize that the top torrent was so close the the pilots heads. Was there any armor up there?

[@stevemartin6144]

That bar/air raid scene certainly makes the Americans seem mean, nasty, rude, crude, arse pieces when stationed in England. Did American audiences like this portrayal? If so, do they still think that this is "Cool" and admirable? This is 1962....just 17 years after the end of the war and just 19 years after the setting of this movie. Were the Yanks this creepy during the war?

[@MarkSmith-js2pu]

I hope not, but I think many war brides left Britain for the US. I seriously doubt the US would have gotten away with that kind of behavior with British service men around.

[@angloaust1575]

Piccadilly circus favourite spot For american servicemen in Ww2 for picking up women!

[@caseyj.1332]

Good show

[@billybob9961]

Hollywood wouldn’t be able to make a movie like this today with a $500 million budget. 99% of the new stuff is just trash not even worth watching. The writing is terrible. The acting is mediocre and they’ve infused everything with some type of, it’s like putting a square peg around hole. Fortunately, for us, there is decades of good quality movies from the 30s up to the 80s and maybe a few good ones in the 90s to enjoy. Even TV series were great back in the 50s 60s and especially the 70s.

[@MarkSmith-js2pu]

My sentiments exactly!

[@doreekaplan2589]

He did not pack a parachute, didn't take the guys who died, but says "We're gonna make it. Get me up," Makes no sense.

[@nomadpi1]

Read the book.

[@tbecie6106]

He was talking to the plane.

[@oneastrails]

Jesus, Steve McQueen is a super creepy character in this. Usually he is troubled but likeable, not this flick. Man this movie is all over the place with facts. It is Nov 42 as they mention the Torch Landings in North Africa yet they are going to launch a 1000 bombers. Not happening in November of 42, not until Big Week of 44 were there 1000 plane American raids. Also confusing this attack on Leipzig with the Schweinfurt/Regensburg raids of 43. Even in August of 43 they could only amass 370 some odd heavy bombers for the first really deep unescorted mission.

[@stevemartin6144]

Well, he was a creep in real life.

[@angloaust1575]

Cato in the US air force!

[@stuartmenziesfarrant]

And Frank Spencer!

[@kurtz7339]

49:41. Why Royal Air Force wings on a US Army Air Force officer's uniform?

[@oneastrails]

Might have been an early war RAF Eagle squadron pilot and earned his RAF wings before joining the US Air Corps. Lots of US pilots trained with the RAF or RCAF before 1941. Notice they are on the right side not the left where his US wings are.

[@stevemartin6144]

BCATP is how he got his training.

[@stevemartin6144]

@@oneastrails , yes, a great and truthful explanation. The only dumb and impossible aspect is that a guy with that training experience would NEVER have achieved the rank of Colonel in the USAAF in 1943 or even 1945 for that matter.

[@stevemartin6144]

@@oneastrails , usually it was RAF pilots that wore both wings. They came from the UK to Canada as part of the BCATP. They then were trained in the southern USA, were issued their USAAF wings upon graduation and were then issued their RCAF or RAF wings upon return to Canada. I have an original RAF uniform given to me by the vet that wore it. The RAF wings are mounted above the left breast pocket and the USAAF wings on the right. I've NEVER heard of a USAAF type wearing both sets of wings. I was a friend of "Nick" Knilans of Wisconsin. He joined the RCAF well before Dec. 1941. He went on to be a pilot of 617 "Dambuster" Squadron. In late 1943, he joined the USAAF but remained in service with the RAF and 617, switching to wearing an USAAF uniform. Although qualified to wear BOTH sets of wings, he wore only the USAAF wings from 1943 onwards. He thought that wearing both sets would draw too much unwanted attention and silly questions.

[@عبدالرحمنسعيد-ث5ف]

تحياتي

[@David-j5w9e]

Wagner snuff out Wood

[@Dog.soldier1950]

Ignorant comment

[@MarkSmith-js2pu]

Nobody including you knows for sure.

[@David-j5w9e]

@MarkSmith-js2pu the skipper of the splendor would know an wilkens

[@JeffreyWilliams-dr7qe]

Yeah more to Maime , destroy. Crew as well! Those Bomber Boys!

[@ge484]

anyone who thinks war is 'great' forgets the trenches

[@stevemartin6144]

Trenches in WW2?

[@MarkSmith-js2pu]

@@stevemartin6144sure, but not like in WWI.

[@Thompson-xp1mk]

I watched

[@oldfan1963]

This might make this dull flicvk more ointeredsting: "Screenplay by Howard Koch." Koch was blacklisted and labelled a "communist" by HUAC.

[@MarkSmith-js2pu]

Half of Hollywood was involved in the day.