Beyond the Line of Duty

In wartime, everyone needs some sort of hero and this film provides one in the unassuming guise of Hewitt T. Wheless. Teased by his pals for being vertically challenged, he decides to join the US Army Air Force. What ensues now follows his training regime of theory and practice flights before he and his crew of seven other men head on a dangerous mission to attack shipping in the Philippines. The man himself reminded me a little of Glenn Ford with a big smile and a charismatic look to him that was obviously designed by the film-makers to entice others to follow in his stead and get their own silver wings. It mixes actuality with some dramatic-looking archive footage and what’s produced is a less jingoistic but still quite effective piece of WWII spirit-raising. It even gets a plug in for war bonds, too.