Jet Pilot

1957
Approved
1h 53m

IMDb RATING

5.6/10

2.8K

YOUR RATING

John Wayne and Janet Leigh in Jet Pilot (1957)

Air Force Colonel Jim Shannon is tasked to escort a defecting Soviet pilot who is scheming to lure Shannon to the USSR.

Play trailer1:00

1 Video

99 Photos

Action Drama Romance Thriller War

Air Force Colonel Jim Shannon is tasked to escort a defecting Soviet pilot who is scheming to lure Shannon to the USSR.Air Force Colonel Jim Shannon is tasked to escort a defecting Soviet pilot who is scheming to lure Shannon to the USSR.Air Force Colonel Jim Shannon is tasked to escort a defecting Soviet pilot who is scheming to lure Shannon to the USSR.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.6/10

2.8K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Girl
(uncredited)

Phil Arnold

Bellboy
(uncredited)

Lois Austin

Saleswoman at Palm Springs Dress Shop
(uncredited)

Paul Bakanas

Russian Security Man
(uncredited)

Hall Bartlett

Sergeant
(uncredited)

Gregg Barton

Military Policeman
(uncredited)

John Bishop

Maj. Sinclair
(uncredited)

Earl Breithard

Guard
(uncredited)

James Brown

Sergeant
(uncredited)

William Bryant

Radar Monitor
(uncredited)

Director
- Josef von Sternberg
Writer
- Jules Furthman
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

6.4

6.6

6.9

6.6

6.5

6.2

6.4

6.1

5.6

6.1

6.7

4.9

Storyline

Edit

Did you know

Edit

Trivia
Howard Hughes intended to show off the latest in aircraft technology in 1949-50 (when this film was shot). By the time it was finally released to the public in 1957, the aircraft featured were already obsolete.

Goofs
When Anna's plane flames out, it would have no thrust, so it should immediately start to slow down and lose altitude, and Jim would notice right away. But he doesn't notice, and Anna has to tell him that she has flamed out. The two jets keep flying smoothly in close formation, revealing that one is seeing film of two jets both under power.

Quotes
Lt. Anna Marladovna Shannon: [When asked why a fellow Russian has ejected from an aircraft sitting on the runway] He made a mistake. He pulled the seat ejector instead of the seat adjuster.

Crazy credits
Advertising carried the credits "Starring John Wayne, Janet Leigh, and the United States Air Force."

Connections
Featured in Hollywood the Golden Years: The RKO Story: Howard's Way (1987)

User reviews62

Featured review

4/10

A waste

The aerial footage is nice, but once people start talking, the film goes into a tailspin. The plot seems as though it was made up as they went along (on a few occasions, I thought a reel must be missing) and I don't think I'm giving anything away (like there was any suspense anyway) by saying John Wayne must really love Janet Leigh to stay with her after she pistol whips him. Twice. It's unintentionally hilarious but unbelievably bad. I always like Hans Conreid, but he doesn't show up until the very end. All of the other actors in the film have a wooden presentation, as though they brought in actual air force officers to appear in the film. And if the U.S. military really hatched a plan like this, there should be courts martial all around.