Red Tails Plays It Straight
Red Tails is an action picture about the Tuskegee Airmen that feels more like a movie made in 1944 than the kind of nuanced and morally complicated film that the credits of its director, screenwriters and cast might lead you to expect.
Who gets the credit and/or blame here? George Lucas.
If you watch those two-star WWII movies that show on Turner Classic Movies or the Military Channel at 3am, then you have an idea of the depth of character and moral conflict here. Since the Tuskegee Airmen didn’t get that kind of cardboard cutout Hollywood treatment during the war, then should anyone begrudge them finally getting their moment now?
Red Tails has a screenwriting credit from Boondocks cartoonist Aaron McGruder and was directed by The Wire’s Anthony Hemingway. The cast includes Ne-Yo and Method Man, as well as the actors who played Michael and Bubbles on The Wire. Those guys might lead you to expect something a little more complicated that what we’ve actually got here.
There’s a ton of flying action in the movie and, even though there was a lot of attention paid to those special effects, the in-the-air sequences don’t really have that full Top Gun impact.
So what happened here? In a long New York Times Magazine piece, everyone associated with the movie talks about how they wanted to put in some realism and edge and how George Lucas brought each of them around to his cornball vision.
George might be right. Even though the studios didn’t want anything to do with Red Tails and Lucas had to pay for the film and all its marketing out of his own pocket, the movie made a ton of money this past weekend, so much that we might start hearing about both a prequel and a sequel sometime soon. In any case, Red Tails has given a lot of joy to some old vets who believed they’d never get any credit.
So credit to George for writing the check and making exactly the kind of uncynical, uncomplicated movie about the Tuskegee Airmen he thinks everyone should want to see.
![Der Gro?mufti von Jerusalem [Amin al Husseini] bei den bosnischen Freiwilligen der Waffen-SS. Der Gro?mufti ist auf dem Truppenubungsplatz ein[getroffen] und schreitet die Front der angetretenen Freiwilligen mit erhobenem Arm ab.](http://images-undertheradar.military.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/nazicollaborators300.jpg)
Under the Radar is commentary. We don’t report the news; we offer our take on what happened.
29 Comments
This movie was great I took my 11 year old daughter I thought she would fall asleep but turned out to be very interested in the movie. It is great that this movie was made and did credit the Tusjegee Airmen.
I saw the movie and was let down. It was so typical hollywood crap (think pearl harbor) than fact, in fact it was more placating/politicizing a certain “group” than anything else. First, fighter escorts NEVER escorted w/in the bomber stream. Second, the facts need to be checked about the subject of bomber losses because there WERE bombers lost due to enemy fighters while the TA escorted them (even their own veteran’s association admitted this… Third, since when do a few (and I mean a few) .50 cal bullets blow up ships/trains??? Fourth, how is it that the 20/30mm canons on the ME262 only cause finger-sized holes and don’t do any damage to the P-51? I will stop here but could go on and on. This movie is nothing more than total crap and celebrates a certain group of the population…
So what you are saying is that every movie about white people only celebrates a certain group of people?
That’s not what I read out of his response at all — look at how the movie is sensationalized through the usual hollywood crap and doesn’t follow true history. While some will see what he said as “racist”, the fact remains that in a sense he is right…watch it with an open mind and not how it is “celebrated”…
The movie was made to show the world that these men contributed to the was and were left out off all the history books. The story is based the limited information provided. All moveis are made to please a certain crowd. Saving Private Ryan only gives credit to one squad when infact many people played a part in that mission.
Limited information provided? By who? The information is there — all one has to do is look. But to just take the group’s word after they have been proven false (i.e., not losing a bomber) doesn’t do well in the credibiltiy department. Much like that POS movie Pearl Harbor. I wanted the movie to be good, but…
i dont kno where you read that but as far as i kno when i went through bmt for the airforce they had in there that they didnt lose not 1 BOMBER through all there missions and yes i am currently in still and i went through the summer of 2011 so i dont see how it is they will have false information for this long,2 so basicly its a issue that it celebrates blacks and what they did in the war dats real nice so since its a movie that uplifts blacks and wat they did in the war they have to be discredited and analyzed, dats crazy to me but racism still exist and by your comments it shows
Wrong — you better check up on your facts, they in fact lost numerous bombers…a little checking goes a long way, not just relying on the “word” of some individuals. Case in point, a magazine printed something along the lines that if it hadn’t been for the TA, D-Day wouldn’t have happened. Couldn’t be further from the truth — it goes to mention how they destroyed a German radar tower. In fact, that mission took place in AUG 1944 — 2 months AFTER D-Day. So you believe what you want because obviously you will…
Also, if you want to make a valid point, the use correct English — terms such as “dat” makes your intelligence level look a good deal less than what it actually may be…
Here is the order of battle, in no way are the TA associated with D-Day:
from here:
http://www.territorioscuola.com/wikipedia/en.wikipedia.php?title=Operation_Dragoon_order_of_battle
NO where is the 332d listed, and according to its own history the 99th squadron was returned to the 332 in June 1944 before the operation
http://brebru.com/webquests/tuskegeeairmen/tuskegeetimeline.html
January, 1944–Lt. Colonel Benjamin Davis, Jr. and the 332nd arrive in Taranto, Italy and attached to the 12th Air Force.
June 25, 1944–pilots of the 302nd Fighter Squadron sink a German destroyer with machine gun fire from their P-47’s.
June,1944–The 332nd is attached to the 15th Air Force. The 99th Fighter Squadron is added to the 332nd Fighter Group as its fourth squadron.
August, 1944–The 332nd participates in the invasion of southern France by escorting bombers and on *****ground attack missions in Rumania and Czechoslovakia******.
September 10, 1944–Four pilots of the 332nd are awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Allied Air forces
Mediterranean Allied Tactical Air Force
Major General John K. Cannon
XII Tactical Air Command
Brigadier General Gordon P. Saville
1st Fighter Group (Lockheed P-38 Lightning) (on loan to MATAF 1220 August 1944)
14th Fighter Group (P-38 Lightning) (on loan to MATAF 1220 August 1944)
27th Fighter Group (Republic P-47 Thunderbolt)
57th Operations Group (P-47 Thunderbolt)
79th Fighter Group (P-47 Thunderbolt)
86th Fighter Group (P-47 Thunderbolt)
324th Fighter Group (P-47 Thunderbolt)
No. 251 Wing RAF (Supermarine Spitfire IX)
No. 322 Wing RAF (Supermarine Spitfire IX)
No. 324 Wing RAF (Supermarine Spitfire IX)
47th Bombardment Group (Douglas A-20 Havoc)
111th Reconnaissance Squadron (F-6A Mustang)
415th Night Fighter Squadron (Beaufighter VI)
No. 225 Squadron RAF (Spitfire V)
II/33 Escadrille (Spitfire V)
Quartieme Escadre (P-47 Thunderbolt)
57th Bombardment Wing
310th Bombardment Group (North American B-25 Mitchell)
321st Bombardment Group (B-25 Mitchell)
340th Bombardment Group (B-25 Mitchell)
5th Reconnaissance Squadron (F-5 Lightning)
23rd Reconnaissance Squadron (F-5 Lightning)
No. 682 Squadron RAF (Supermarine Spitfire XI)
42nd Bombardment Wing
17th Bombardment Group Martin B-26 Marauder
319th Bombardment Group (B-26 Marauder)
320th Bombardment Group (B-26 Marauder)
31e Escadre (B-26 Marauder)
31st Fighter Group P-51 Mustang (Escorts for airborne operations)
325th Fighter Group P-51 Mustang (Escorts for airborne operations)
Source: Jackson (1986), p. 221
Mediterranean Allied Coastal Air Force
Air Vice-Marshal Hugh Lloyd
63rd Fighter Wing
No. 326 (GC 2/7 Nice) (Spitfire V and IX)
No. 327 (GC 1/3 Corse) (Spitfire IX)
No. 328 (GC 1/7 Provence) (Spitfire V and IX)
417th Night Fighter Squadron (Beaufighter VI)
VOC-01 (Grumman F6F Hellcat, Grumman TBF Avenger)
350th Fighter Group
345th Fighter Squadron (Bell P-39 Airacobra)
346th Fighter Squadron (P-39 Airacobra)
347th Fighter Squadron (P-39 Airacobra)
No. 272 Squadron RAF (Beaufighter X)
414th Night Fighter Squadron (Beaufighter VI)
No. 256 Squadron RAF (Mosquito XII and XIII)
No. 153 Squadron RAF (Beaufighter VI)
No. 458 Squadron RAAF (Wellington XIV)
No. 36 Squadron RAF (Wellington XIV)
No. 17 Squadron SAAF (Lockheed Ventura V)
4S Squadron (Supermarine Walrus)
No. 14 Squadron RAF (Marauder I, II and III)
Source: Jackson (1986), p. 222
Provisional Troop Carrier Air Division
Brigadier General Paul L. Williams
50th Troop Carrier Wing (C-47 Skytrain)
439th Troop Carrier Group
440th Troop Carrier Group
441st Troop Carrier Group
442d Troop Carrier Group
51st Troop Carrier Wing (C-47 Skytrain)
60th Troop Carrier Group
62nd Troop Carrier Group
64th Troop Carrier Group
53rd Troop Carrier Wing (C-47 Skytrain)
435th Troop Carrier Group
436th Troop Carrier Group
437th Troop Carrier Group
438th Troop Carrier Group
Source: Warren, p. 87
Hua one thing with Hollywood, they re-write history to make their point (hence make money). Where is OWS when they should be outside every motion picture studio.
Hua, check this out: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16227836/ns/us_news-life/t/wwii-pilot-corroborates-tuskegee-airmen-loss/
Or is he lying because he is white? Get off your almighty high-horse…
“Dat”, “wat”, “kno”…enough said. Please go back to school and pay attention in the English classes.
Here is the order of battle, please show us where the TA “saved” D-Day…
from here:
http://www.territorioscuola.com/wikipedia/en.wikipedia.php?title=Operation_Dragoon_order_of_battle
NO where is the 332d listed, and according to its own history the 99th squadron was returned to the 332 in June 1944 before the operation
http://brebru.com/webquests/tuskegeeairmen/tuskegeetimeline.html
January, 1944–Lt. Colonel Benjamin Davis, Jr. and the 332nd arrive in Taranto, Italy and attached to the 12th Air Force.
June 25, 1944–pilots of the 302nd Fighter Squadron sink a German destroyer with machine gun fire from their P-47’s.
June,1944–The 332nd is attached to the 15th Air Force. The 99th Fighter Squadron is added to the 332nd Fighter Group as its fourth squadron.
August, 1944–The 332nd participates in the invasion of southern France by escorting bombers and on *****ground attack missions in Rumania and Czechoslovakia*****.
September 10, 1944–Four pilots of the 332nd are awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Amen my brother
Ok first of all and this is all im saying “dats” is not a word!!! “That’s “is lets learn some real grammer!
If you say “grammer” when complaining about someone else’s spelling, you’re just begging to get called out on your own grammar issues.
Sir
From reading your comment, I can tell you are a very intelligent man when it comes to weapons and the destructive force of weapons. However, it is funny you are ready to dismember a piece of work that tells a story of a group that did their part like every other American during the war in the defense of their country. I am a US NAVY COMMAND MASTER CHIEF RETIRED who happen to be of West Indian descent, I served 30 years complete Active Duty. My suggestion is to read the book and then go back and see the movie and use your god given talent and try to understand the depth of the directors story.
USN RET
Typical, fake cheese hollywood movie.
@ Monika912
This movie does nothing of the sort in the way giving credit to the TA. That is, unless you think it must be true because they are… well, the point goes without saying.
I can tell from your comment that hate still play a big part of your life. I have learned to read between the words because I served with the best and the worst.
May you see in your words the depth of your hate and figure out a way to see people for who they are.
Peace
Have to agree with the majority.
Not worth the money unless you don’t care how things happened.
I watch movies to be ENTERTAINED. I RESEARCH facts if I want to know what really went down.
A “B”-rated movie, had Bubba from Forrest Gump and the “Rev” of Remember the Titans with all the Black Jesus comments. The movie was a total discredit to the couragous men of the 332nd. The TA are true American “Airman” heroes. Wished this movie would had better portrayed it.
While the story could be good, what is with the Hollywood hype of the New Orleans Saints huddle chant? Pure BS. Lucas could have done a great movie instead of this re-writing history.
I too was very dissapointed in the movie. I saw the original movie “Tuskegee Airmen” and must admit that movie was much beeter than this one. The dialogue in Red Tails is extremely corny and destroys the movie entirely. I nderstand why the writer/director wanted to sensationalize this part of WW II but they could have done a far better job that what they did.
I had the pleasure a couple months ago, of talking to two of the Tuskegee Airmen. They made sure to point out, that while bombers were lost, none were lost to air combat.
I haven’t seen the movie yet, so not sure what it’s like. I’m sure, like lots of movies, there were “liberties” taken. The little short I saw, looked like they blew up a battleship. It was to quick to see for sure. But no German battleships were blown up by strafing. By the TA or any others.
The .50 cal guns can, and did raise **** with just about anything the rounds hit. I believe that both the P-40 and P-51 had 6 of them at that time, and could chew up trains real easy. From real footage I’ve seen, most just holed the engine, and it lost power and steam. If they hit any kind of explosives, in the boxcars, then they got a real good boom!
The German cannon rounds, if they worked right, could bring down a plane with just a round or two. If they didn’t explode, they could pass thru a plane, and do little damage, more or less.
I just hope the movie shows the TA as being regular Americans, serving their country.
There was a GE destroyer lost to air attack by the TA; however it is not clear whether it was due to bombs dropped or a magazine onboard blowing up from the straffing…
“Played it straight”! Are you kidding?!?!?!? typical crap revisionist history. While this unit did fight in the war as a fighter group, they were not the only fighter group. So many other groups did so much more for the war effort and I would wager that not one of the people making this movie would even know their names or group. No movies have been made about them and no one seems to be indignant about it. This movie is not only a bad movie, IT IS DANGEROUS! the public learns what it believes is history from crap like this. The first Tuskegee movie was about the struggle to serve these Americans had to fight before ever fighting the enemy. This is what makes them unique, NOT their service record! They were not the best or worst fighter group just an average small one. The exploits of these men is fantastic enough that lies about never loosing a bomber do not need to be created, spread and written into the history books. To do so forget the lives of the hundreds of men lost in the bombers shoot down by the Germans while being escorted by the Tuskegee Airmen, I think the Airmen will agree those that died are the real heroes. Movies like this are dangerous, they are offered as accurate and true and those amongst us that do not do independent reading swear this 2 hours of crap is how it happened. My comment is NOT race related as some of the comments above are labeled just because they question this bad movie.