A Gathering of Eagles (VHS, 1998)

I bought this VHS tape because it is not available in DVD format, and I had not seen the movie before. As a retired Air Force veteran, I am always enthralled by vintage aircraft, and have been ever since I was old enough to know what an airplane was. This movie has no shortage of vintage B-47 and KC-135 flightline and aerial shots from the 1950's and 1960's era Air Force, and that's what makes this film worth watching. Can't get much better than that for an old airplane nut like me!! On top of that, Robert Lansing stars as the chief mechanic in this great vintage film. For you old Twelve O'Clock High TV series fans, if you recall, Robert Lansing played General Savage in the entire first season of the series. It was great seeing him in this film. The film centers mainly around ORIs (Operational Readiness Inspections) that the Air Force was so tightly wrapped around in those days, especially if you were assigned to Strategic Air Command (SAC). Rock Hudson does a good job of playing the hard-assed general tasked to bringing a less-than-capable unit up to snuff. While "A Gathering of Eagles" is a great film, you can't watch this VHS tape on a HDTV set, so you are pretty much limited to viewing it on an older TV set in order to really appreciate it.

A time in our nation's history where men put themselves through demanding and difficult challenges to keep us safe from annihilation from Soviet Russia. Excellent B52 flight footage..OK plot and acting.. An update of the Jimmy Stewart Strategic Air Command film. This was released in 1963, not long after the Cuban Missle Crisis. SAC was serious business and this film gets that point across. Rock Hudson as wing commander actually says when a sudden alert happens, "with the way things are right now this actually could be a real one." Those of us who lived through those times knew and felt that daily uncertainty. The tension was very real and expectation high that bombs might actually start to fall. Air raid drills in schools, fallout shelters..SAC was our primary deterrent against Russia. In 1963 manned bombers were still the main retaliatory strike weapon. This film does a good job of showing what pressures that put on SAC crews and families. It also shows the pride in a job well done. For anyone wanting an idea of what went on during the Cold War in SAC, this is a pretty good snapshot. It is only a movie, the reality and stakes were much more intense.

I was a military dependant and my father was stationed at the Air Force base
where this movie was filmed. I was in my teens and introduced to all of the
actors.This was by far the most authentic Air Force film ever produced about
SAC. There were more leading actors in this film then any other filmed made
about service life.Rock Hudson and Rod Taylor played great roles.The movie
was as realistic as you can make a film about alerts on SAC Bases.The director
of this film should have won an award for producing it. GREAT MOVIE.

Very well done account of Strategic Air Command quick reaction preparations during the cold war period.
Also, most interesting, and accurate, account of the challenges faced by a commander in having to discipline a subordinate--putting aside personal friendships. One of Rock Hudson's better movies. Look forward to this movie being released on DVD.

If you want a good account of just HOW READY our Air Force is...this should dispell any issues you may have. And, we're BETTER...FAR BETTER than we were when this movie was filmed back in 1963. I remember seeing it a long time ago and am QUITE PLEASED that I have a copy to see every now and then. It's a good "peace time military" film to own.