John Wayne starred in and produced the action-adventure Island in the Sky, directed by William A. Wellman (aviation expert), and adapted to the screen by Ernest K. Gann from his own novel.
Dealing with an aircraft crash, Island in the Sky bears thematic resemblance to the far superior The High and the Mighty, also starring Wayne and directed by Wellman.
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Theatrical release poster
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Set in wartime, the tale centers on Captain Dooley (Wayne), the chief pilot of a four-engine transport plane, which breaks down over the frozen land north of Labrabor. Dooley heads the plane towards a terrain where he can, as he says, “ride the ship down,” onto the flat surface of a frozen lake.
A vet of decades of flying experience, Dooley then gets his crew into shape to in order to endure six days of limited food and supplies.
Like his characters in his military films, Wayne’s Dooley is not above smacking one of his weakling crew members (played by James Lydon), who goes through hysteria.
He is working hard at keeping his unit’s morale high, despite the harsh circumstances.
Meanwhile, back home at the headquarters, Col. Fuller (Walter Abel) assembles Dooley’s pilot-peers (Played by Lloyd Nolan, James Arness, Andy Devine, and Allyn Joslyn). Though they are all weary from just-completed flights, or spending time at home with their families, they dutifully rally to the search of one of their members. Planes engage in searching for the missing Dooley and his crew through the radio transmits, which are feeble.
The film’s second half crosscuts between the rescue operations and the worsening survival conditions of Dooley’s group.
In flashbacks, we see some of the domestic stories of the men, their mother, wives, and children.
Disasters occur along the way, when Dooley’s co-pilot Lovatt (Sean McGlory) wanders off during a storm, hunting for live game, and then altogether vanishes.
Tension and suspense increase when several efforts fail, as when a plane files above the men, but it is unable to spot them.
Finally, on the sixth day, the downed fliers are spotted and food is dropped down before the rescue mission could succeed.
Cast
Captain Dooley (John Wayne)
Stutz (Lloyd Nolan)
Col. Fuller (Walter Abel)
McMullen (James Arness)
Moon (Andy Devine)
J.H. Handy (Allyn Joslyn)
Murray (James Lydon)
Hunt (Harry Carey Jr.)
Crew
Warner (Batjac, Wayne-Fellows Production)
Produced by Robert Fellows, John Wayne
Directed by William A. Wellman
Screenplay: Ernest K. Gann. From his own 1944 novel
Camera: Archie Stout
Camera (aerial): William Clothier
Art director: James Basevi
Editor: Ralph Dawson
Music: Emil Newman
Running time: 109 Minutes
Release date: September 5, 1953
Narrated by William Wellman
Budget $967,000 (estimated)
Box office $2.75 million
