A GUY NAMED JOE

It's not hard to see why A GUY NAMED JOE (1943), ranks as one of legendary American director Steven Spielberg's favorite films. This wartime fantasy/drama is full to bursting with sentimentality, humor, romance, and aerial action. In fact, Spielberg remade GUY in 1989 as ALWAYS, updating the setting from WWII pilots to aerial firefighters. It's an impressive, well made film but as always (you'll pardon the pun), the original is the best.

Spencer Tracy stars as cocksure, devil-may-care bomber pilot Pete Sandidge. Pete believes he's the best there is and takes many reckless chances on his missions over Europe. His squadron mate, Al Yackey (Ward Bond who, as you probably know, appeared in every movie made), keeps an eye on Pete and tries to keep him grounded and level-headed. Pete constantly butts head with squadron commander "Nails" Kilpatrick (James Gleason) but Pete, despite his braggadocio, has fallen head over heels in love with a female pilot, Dorinda Durston (the lovely Irene Dunne). Cue the theme song, "I'll Get By (As Long as I Have You)".

But fate steps in when Pete is killed during an attack on a German aircraft carrier (there were no such vessels in WWII). Pete finds himself in aviator heaven where is he befriended by fellow dead pilot, Dick Rumney (Barry Nelson). The commanding officer in this otherworldly realm is "The General" (Lionel Barrymore). He sends Pete and Dick back to earth in the form of invisible "angels" to watch over two young pilots. Dick is assigned to ex-football star, James Rourke (Don De Fore), while Pete draws wealthy young Ted Randall (Van Johnson). All goes well until Ted's path crosses Dorinda's. The two fall in love and Pete is helpless to interfere. Or is he?

A GUY NAMED JOE is a handsome, glossy MGM production, directed by veteran maestro Victor Fleming. One of the cinematographers was the legendary Karl Freund (he shot Fritz Lang's METROPOLIS). The aerial sequences are well-staged combinations of stock footage, miniatures and full-scale mock-ups. The breathtakingly beautiful Esther Williams, although prominently billed on the lobby card above, appears in only one scene as a canteen hostess.

Schmaltzy and sentimental, A GUY NAMED JOE is full of wartime propaganda and paeans to sacrifice and the need to let go and move on. As corny as it all may sound, the cast, script (by Dalton Trumbo and Frederick Hazlitt Brennan), first rate production design and Fleming's masterful direction, sells this hopelessly romantic tear-jerker. Highly recommended.

By the way, I'm convinced that either Stan Lee or Steve Ditko (perhaps both), were fans of this film. The story in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #38 (the last issue drawn by Ditko) was entitled JUST A GUY NAMED JOE. While the story has nothing to do with WWII pilots, I can't believe the film's title didn't influence the comic book creators.