‘The Flying Leathernecks’: The Marines Fly

John Wayne stars in a gritty war drama where different worlds collide.

Maj. Dan Kirby (John Wayne) performs a strafing run, in “The Flying Leathernecks.” RKO Radio Pictures

NR | 1h 42m | Action, Drama, War | 1951

In the world of cinema, the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) is most often seen in amphibious combat operations. Marines also played a lesser-known role in air missions and came into their own during World War II.