The Dawn Patrol

'William Janney' (qv)'s character name is credited as "Gordon" on screen, but he is called "Donny" throughout.

That's normally the answer to all orders given to the fliers in the day room of "Flight Commander". It signifies neither assent or disagreement, just obedience to official orders.

Suprisingly deep, heroic and definitely much better than expected. Surely one of the best anti war films of all times.

The Dawn Patrol tells the story of a British flying squadron in WW I. Dick Courtney (Richard Barthelmess) is the ace pilot facing the problem that his squadron is sent on mission impossible almost every day.

Shameless, inept and carelessly shot rear screen projection, gypped aerial scenes, horrendous overacting by rathbone and Flynn, and very obvious Southern California locations make this barely watchable. In fact, here at our Hollywood Fortress, we have unanimously sworn off anything more with Flynn I'm the cast.

It's 1915 France. Major Brand (Basil Rathbone) is tired of sending his boys into the slaughter.

... of the 1930 film of the same name.

Clear eyed depiction of the cost and dangers for bombers during wartime. Errol Flynn is very good, a reminder that he was excellent not only in period pictures and westerns but quite capable in modern dress dramas.

The Dawn Patrol stands out as my personal favourite of all WW1 films and also the best in Air warfare films. The plot is at once appealing and filled with wartime adventure.

While on the face of it "The Dawn Patrol" is just another Errol Flynn actioner, albeit a remake of Howard Hawks' film of the same name of 1930 about the heroics of the Royal Air Corps (later the R.A.