Hollywood Air Force
It’s simply a
question of not underestimating your opponent. Congressman Balljoy takes a tour
of an Air National Guard Unit in Van Nuys and sees the men busy illuminating a
joke from Fanny and Alexander and Blazing Saddles. It’s 1961, the
Russians are playing footsie in Berlin, he’s shocked at so much unreadiness.
The 73rd
Air Transport Wing mainly comprises actors, choreographers, studio people of
all sorts, with the odd gossip columnist or journalist. The Congressman
threatens to ship them out to the Pacific on an island so remote and
warhead-laden that preparedness becomes the watchword of the unit, with a final
inspection imminent.
Convy and the
screenwriters pull out all the stops at various points, with material from The
Nutty Professor and High Anxiety, and at least one number that later
appeared on Saturday Night Live. The commanding officer is Lloyd Bridges
as Col. Archer, a cowboy star who rides the range in a jeep at the close to
rescue a Wizard of Oz munchkin from certain death, awing the Congressman
no end, not to mention the Romanian ambassador.
Bridges takes off
from Airplane! in ten thousand shades of nuance. Graham Jarvis as
Balljoy makes a leap from dutiful support to the grand manner. Vic Tayback as
Sgt. Burdge is all roar and bluster. The rest of the cast is excellent.