the audience applauded

That was an excellent one.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Tom Tryon ("Texas John Slaughter")Jan Merlin ("The Rough Riders")Martin Milner ("Route 66", "Adam-12")Jacqueline Beer ("77 Sunset Strip")Paul Burke ("Naked City", "12 O'Clock High")Pat Conway ("Tombstone Territory")Robert Blake ("The Richard Boone Show", "Baretta")The director was Harvard educated Charles F. Haas. Haas' best film was "Platinum High School" with Mickey Rooney, Terry Moore, Dan Duryea, Yvette Mimieux, Richard Jaeckel, and Elisha Cook, Jr. The film was a reworking of "Bad Day at Black Rock". Haas also directed "Showdown at Abilene" with future TV stars Jock Mahoney ("Yancy Derringer"), Grant Williams ("Hawaiian Eye"), and David Janssen ("Richard Diamond"). And Haas directed 4 films highlighting the talents of Mamie Van Doren.Haas later directed episodes of "Route 66", "77 Sunset Strip", "Alfred Hitchcock Hour", and "The Outer Limits". Haas used Richard Jaeckel again in his "Alfred Hitchcock Hour" and Grant Williams in one of his "Outer Limits". Inger Stevens starred in Haas' "Route 66" and "Alfred Hitchcock Hour."Haas died in 2011 at the age of 97.Co-screenwriter David Lang went on to write episodes of "Maverick", "Cheyenne", "Have Gun - Will Travel", "Wanted: Dead or Alive", "The Rebel", and "Tombstone Territory".Robert Presnell, Jr., the other screenwriter, wrote episodes of "Twilight Zone", "The Eleventh Hour", "Mr. Novak", and "Banacek". He was married for 40 years to Marsha Hunt ("Raw Deal").The story for "Screaming Eagles" was by two-time Oscar nominee Virginia Kellogg ("White Heat", "Caged").

"Star in the Dust" director Charles F. Haas' routine, black & white, World War II mission-oriented actioneer is based ostensibly on the real-life exploits of the 101st Airborne Division nicknamed 'the Screaming Eagles.' The action takes place before the Allies launched their historic, cross-channel invasion of France at Normandy during on June, 1944, when paratroopers were dropped behind enemy lines to capture bridges intact from the occupying Germans. A couple of new soldiers, Private Mason (Thomas Tryon of "The Glory Guys") and Private Corliss (Martin Milner of "Route 66"), join the 101st before the unit goes into action. Unfortunately, Mason alienates himself from the rest of the company when he embarks on a drunken spree as a result of a Dear John letter from his sweetheart. Naturally, everybody is upset with Mason's disruptive behavior. He turns over the furniture in the barracks and aggravates his commanding officer, Lieutenant Pauling (Jan Merlin of "Illegal"), who threatens to leave him behind. After Mason sobers up, Pauling decides to let him join them as they set off on their mission. The Screaming Eagles bail out over enemy country, but they miss their landing zone and wind up lost in the countryside. Indeed, this happened in real life. Once they've landed, Pauling warns his men not to exchange shots with the Germans. Naturally, Mason screws up when he kills a German soldier with his bayonet. The dying German loosens off a rifle shot and chaos ensues. Mason is reprimanded for his actions. Moments later, during a shooting incident involving a German soldier, Pauling is blinded by power burns from gunshots. He spends the remainder of "Screaming Eagles" wearing a bandage over his eyes. Mason is ordered to take care of Pauling, and he leads the wounded officer around like a tour guide. During a firefight, Mason captures a German soldier and a French woman. They use the French girl to communicate with the German. Most of the action in "Screaming Eagles" is enough to make an eagle scream at the absurdity of it all. Haas stages several combat scenes without a shred of believability. For example, two G.I.s approach a house in plain view of its windows and are surprised when Germans with a machine gun open fire on them. During a body search of the French woman, the G.I.s turn their backs on their German prisoner. Mind you, the German doesn't do anything, but it would have been a prime opportunity for him to engage in some desperate behavior. Later, when they exploit the German prisoner to check on his army with a radio, the Americans neglect to supervise him, and he notifies his own forces by leaving the circuit open so his commanding officer will be aware of the presence of the Americans. Interestingly enough, the G.I.s don't carry out their mission. During the mission, the Americans lose nine men. "Screaming Eagles" has an interesting cast. For a change, veteran villain Jan Merlin actually plays a sympathetic, good guy. Robert Blake has a small role as the token Hispanic in the outfit, and Alvy Moore of "Green Acres" plays it straight as a machine gun toting serviceman. Paul Burke, Mark Damon, and Martin Milner also flesh out a good cast. Altogether, "Screaming Eagles" amounts to very little to scream about because of its unrealistic combat sequences.

Tom Tryon's first movie. He is over the top as being the most unlikeable soldier in the 101st Division. Some 20 miles behind German lines on Day-D minus 12 hours they are casually taking prisioners. They encounter a tri-lingual French woman for sweet talking the Germans who let them pass thru to the American lines in the North. It's all highly improbable. The bad attitude shown by Private Mason (Tryon) should have gotten him transfered into a less critical position. I think of all the unlikely things in this movie, the fact that no one beats the stuffing out of Mason is the most unusual thing about the movie. Another strange thing about this movie, is that the unit doesn't accomplish its mission, you get reminded at the end what they were supposed to do in the first place.

One interesting thing about watching multi-character movies is the increased chance of spotting future stars. War movies are good for doing that especially. In this movie, several minor actors became bigger stars. Another highlight of this movie are the use of script devices that add energy to the plot. Imagine being blind behind enemy lines. Or become frustrated with language barriers to the point of using creativity to overcome that hindrance. It is worth a look.