ActuallyGlimmer The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

Nicole I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

Cody One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

Jerrie It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Mikel3 I watched 'Wings of the Navy' (1939) on TCM Today. I wouldn't say it was a great film, it was entertaining and fun to see a VERY young John Payne and Olivia de Havilland in action. Olivia de Havilland was quite a talented beauty. She was at her peak in those years (1930s through the 40s) IMO. John Payne looked even younger than his 27 years at the time. I notice a marked improvement in his performance 8 years later in 'Miracle on 34th Street' (1947). In this movie he did little more than wear a uniform well and deliver his lines appropriately. George Brent was good in it as John Payne's older brother. He always could do the dignified characters well. I'd rate this a 4 out of 10 stars. I was just reading this about the movie at the IMDb: " 'Lux Radio Theater' broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on October 7, 1940 with George Brent, John Payne and Olivia de Havilland reprising their film roles." I find it interesting how many old films had the original cast do radio versions too. BTW - I enjoyed the footage of the early flying boat aircraft...especially the larger two engine models.

dougandwin Having read all previous reviews, and having just watched this Movie again on TCM, it seems Warner Bros have tried very hard to make a stirring story at the same time as glorifying the US armed forces (as they were at that time). Sadly, they have failed to give any real life to what should have been more than just a run of the mill programmer. Cast-wise, George Brent is far too stodgy in a role made for a Flynn or Cagney, John Payne was fine (very early in his career), Olivia de Havilland was gorgeous but really had nothing to do and was wasted, while the usual Warner stalwarts (like McHugh and Toomey) played the same old characters they have portrayed in countless films. Photography was not bad at all, and the sound track was very good.

bkoganbing Covering a lot of the same ground, but a year earlier than MGM's Flight Command, Wings Of The Navy is one of those military preparedness films that Hollywood was importuned to make by the powers that be in Washington, DC. Those folks knew that we would be in a shooting war and shortly and this was their way of getting America psychologically ready.George Brent and John Payne play a pair of brothers who are career Navy men, Annapolis graduates and sons of a late naval hero. Dad was an early Navy pilot and Brent has followed in his footsteps. Payne would like to do the same, but he's in the submarine service. Nevermind, Payne gets himself a transfer much to Brent's displeasure because Payne's a competitive sort and likely to get himself killed trying to out do big brother.The brothers are also rivals for Olivia DeHavilland who was once again in a thankless role of the girl who was the object. For someone of her talents, DeHavilland had precious little to do except look pretty. She was desperately trying to get roles of more substance. She would shortly in Gone With The Wind that same year of 1939.Wings Of The Navy is a real treat for aviation buffs with the various types of planes that were the latest thing in 1939 being shown. Also some even earlier types of planes were what the Navy was training with even then. We lagged far behind Germany and Japan and even Great Britain at this point.After World War II when President Truman decided to consolidate the services into one Department of Defense, the big sticking point was Naval Aviation. The Army was willing to let their Army Air Force become a separate Air Force service, the Navy insisted on controlling its planes that were taking off and landing from carriers. The compromise was reached and both the separate Air Force and the Navy controlling its aviation service was allowed. What we see here in Wings Of The Navy is a stage in the development of Naval aviation that helped win the Pacific War.And it is to those who were in that service in that war that this film review is respectfully dedicated.

cmfield I was seven years old when my parents took me to see "Wings of the Navy" in 1939 at the Vogue Theater in Montebello, CA. I believe this was the first movie I had seen. At least I don't recall any movie before this one. I remember sitting near the back of the theater with my parents. I really like the flying scenes and I remember the sounds of the airplane engines. The love scenes did not do anything for me of course. Boy that is amazing I can remember those details. I remember calling the movie Wings of the Avery. Does anyone know if there was ever a DVD or Video made of the movie? I have looked everywhere I can think of with no luck. If someone knows where I can get a copy of it I would be one happy guy.Sincerely,Charles Field