20thCentury Fox in September 1941 released the movie ‘A Yank in the R.A.F.’ Its message was subtle, entertaining and got the point across, it was an unofficial tribute to the many that sacrificed their lives, or the potential to sacrifice their lives, to pull off one of the greatest rescues by air and by sea, of well over 300,000 British soldiers by the R.A.F and U.K. civilians in modern history during ‘The Miracle at Dunkirk’ May and June of 1940.
The movie begins with the Brash American flyer (Tyrone) delivering a war plane across the U.S./Canadian border in a blatant violation of the ‘Neutrality Act’. In Canada Tyrone signs up to fly bombers from Canada to the U.K. In the U.K. who does he meet up with but an old flame he hasn’t seen in a year.
How else would Fox introduce Betty Grable? but by her ‘Million Dollar’ legs, zipping out of the front seat of a Red Cross Lorry. Volunteer by day, nightclub dancer, and singer by night trying to forget the heel that she loved who jilted her the past year in the States.
This movie also mentions the Dutch, Belgium, Holland Neutrality; it definitely has its lighter moments. It was also nominated for ‘Special Effects’ in 1941 but lost to ‘I Wanted Wings’Paramount, Ray Milland, Veronica Lake.
It is well worth a watch…hmmm, I guess as we all know, Rochellelynn would say ‘any movie with Tyrone in it is, well worth a watch…’
the classic hollywood blog 