Review of I Wanted Wings

I must admit I watched this film because of Veronica Lake and I was not disappointed. This being her first big role , she really holds her own with big stars William Holden, Ray Milland and easily outshines Constance Moore. It is proof to me that given the right role and direction, Veronica Lake had the acting talent. As it is, this film is very long and has some dull spots along the storyline, but it makes up for them when Veronica Lake's character appears. Lake and Holden have good chemistry, look good together and it would have been even better if this film was a little shorter and if the script had more focus on Holden and Lake. The story for the most part follows the training and personal lives of three recruits in the Army Air Corps, Ray Milland, William Holden, and Wayne Morris and was made as a salute to the Army Air Corps and an inspiration to those interested in joining. It is easy to see why this film was a hit with the young male audiences of 1941 and this film still adequately holds interest for anyone keen on WW II aviation and those interested in Veronica Lake's early stardom.