You won't be disappointed!

Just what I expected

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

If you are interested in the aviation history (in general) or naval aviation (in particular), you might find this movie interesting. Otherwise, as a movie plot, the story is very thin indeed. George Brent and John Payne play two naval brothers. Their father was a naval aviation hero, and Brent has followed in his footsteps as an aviator and instructor at the training station in Pensacola Florida. His younger brother, who has always looked up to him, wants to transfer from submarines to aviation after seeing his brother. Filmed at the naval aviation bases in Pensacola and San Diego, there are some interesting shots of training sessions in the film. De Havilland plays Brent's fiancée who falls in love with Payne. Frank McHugh adds some humur, with that characteristic laugh of his, as one of Payne's fellow trainees.Again, any plot here is overshadowed, for better or worse, by the aviation shots, thus making this more of a recruiting film than a movie with an interesting plot.

I'm serious. After watching this film, I wonder how we ever won the Second World War.My other question is -- why would the public go to such a film in that magic cinematic year of 1939 when they also had films like "Gone With The Wind" and "The Wizard Of Oz"? This film is so shallow that an ant couldn't drown in it.The premise is quite simple and had potential: a young submarine man (John Payne) spends his whole life trying to compete with his impressive older brother (George Brent). And then they fall in love with the same woman (Olivia de Havilland)! Then tragedy strikes and pushes the romance in a particular direction.There's really only two reasons to watch this film. First, that you really like one of the stars (and I like them all, but I still wish I hadn't wasted my time). The other is that you're a flying aficionado...which I'm not...because the one thing I'll give the film credit for is some really good flying sequences (although since when are cloud layers perpendicular to the earth?).The 4 main characters here are played by: George Brent -- I usually like George Brent, particularly when he was starring with Bette Davis, but here he seems sort of wooden. Olivia de Havilland is the love interest here, and she has a couple of very good scenes; interesting to note that this was the same year as "GWTW"! John Payne, an underrated and mostly forgotten actor, does nicely here. Frank McHugh -- yawn...well actually here he's pretty decent here, and for a change he's not playing essentially exactly the same character as he did in most films.I guess you could say this film has its moments, but they are few and far between.

Having read all previous reviews, and having just watched this Movie again on TCM, it seems Warner Bros have tried very hard to make a stirring story at the same time as glorifying the US armed forces (as they were at that time). Sadly, they have failed to give any real life to what should have been more than just a run of the mill programmer. Cast-wise, George Brent is far too stodgy in a role made for a Flynn or Cagney, John Payne was fine (very early in his career), Olivia de Havilland was gorgeous but really had nothing to do and was wasted, while the usual Warner stalwarts (like McHugh and Toomey) played the same old characters they have portrayed in countless films. Photography was not bad at all, and the sound track was very good.

While the training exercises are realistic enough in WINGS OF THE NAVY, filmed on location at actual training grounds in Pensacola and San Diego, its story is strictly formula stuff with a love triangle between two brothers (George Brent, John Payne) in love with the same girl (Olivia de Havilland) holding the action sequences together.This is almost like a B&W version of PEARL HARBOR--but lacking the punch of the PEARL HARBOR war scenes. It's a dated aviation drama, with a love story against the background of preparations for war. However, none of the characters have any real depth and there's the usual clumsy comedy attempts of Frank McHugh which become irritating after awhile.The chief players are pleasant enough and it's interesting to see how the sea planes operated in San Diego--but the script is strictly off the Warner assembly line. Olivia de Havilland is pretty as a picture as the heroine but given little to do while Brent and Payne share most of the spotlight. The training scenes give us an interesting look at the air force equipment of 1939--and I'm sure it encouraged many young men to enlist two years before World War II broke out.