Screaming Eagles (film)
| Screaming Eagles | |
|---|---|
 Original film poster | |
| Directed by | Charles F. Haas |
| Written by | Virginia Kellogg (story) David Lang Robert Presnell Jr. |
| Produced by | Samuel Bischoff David Diamond |
| Starring | Tom Tryon Jan Merlin Jacqueline Beer |
| Cinematography | Harry Neumann |
| Edited by | Robert S. Eisen |
| Music by | Harry Sukman |
| Distributed by | Allied Artists |
Release date | May 27, 1956 (U.S. release) |
Running time | 79 min |
| Language | English |
Screaming Eagles is a 1956 black-and-white World War II film directed by Charles F. Haas and released by Allied Artists. It stars Tom Tryon, Jan Merlin and was the film debut of Jacqueline Beer a French Miss Universe 1954 runner up. The story is set during the night of the Normandy Invasion where the 101st Airborne Division jumps into France. The title of the film refers to the nickname of the Division, based on its shoulder sleeve insignia. The film is notable for its large cast of up-and-coming actors.
Plot
Prior to the Normandy landings three replacements are assigned to the 1st Platoon, "D" Company, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment. Amongst them is Private Mason (Tom Tryon) who doesn't get along with his fellow paratroopers but is kept in the unit by his platoon commander Lt. Pauling (Jan Merlin).
Soon after the drop, Lt. Pauling is blinded and Mason learns how to be a paratrooper when he takes care of his Lieutenant.
Cast
- Tom Tryon - Pvt. Mason
- Jan Merlin - Lt. Pauling
- Alvy Moore - Grimes
- Martin Milner - Corliss
- Pat Conway - Sgt. Forrest
- Jacqueline Beer - Marianne
- Joe di Reda - Dubrowski
- Mark Damon - Lambert
- Paul Burke - Dreef
- Edward G. Robinson Jr. - Smith
- Robert Dix (son of Richard Dix) - Peterson
- Robert Roark - Torren
- Robert Blake - Hernandez
- Keith Larsen
Production
Parts of the film were filmed at Fort Benning, Georgia.[1] The technical advisers were Richard Haynes Case a D-Day veteran of the 101st [2] and Werner Klingler, a German film director who also had a role in the film. Case had also acted as an adviser to The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit in the same year.[3]
Jan Merlin recalled that originally he was supposed to play Private Mason due to his reputation for playing villains. As his character was to continually carry the blinded Lieutenant who was to have been played by the much taller Tom Tryon, the two agreed to switch their roles to make things easier.[4] As Tryon usually played heroes he welcomed the change in roles.
See also
References
External links