Well, OK my review title overemphasizes the frequent characterization of the Nazis as robotic bumbling fools, surely the most inept marksmen on the planet. The film also has its serious moments and themes.The costars: Errol Flynn, Ronald Reagan, and Raymond Massey, of the previous "The Santa Fe Trail", return to star in this Nazi-bashing Warner film, released in the midst of WWII. As usual, during this era, Massey plays the sinister villain, here in the guise of an important Nazi desk officer, who chases a downed British bomber crew across Germany, into Holland, before the 3 survivors manage a miraculous takeover of a captured British warplane from maybe 50 swarming Nazis, as their ticket back to the UK.In "Santa Fe Trail", Massey's John Brown is presented as a murdering madman, who thinks of himself as a messiah: not unlike Warner's perception of Hitler and the other Nazis. Now that the US was officially at war with the Axis, Warners no longer felt constrained to making Flynn-starring films, such as "Santa Fe Trail", "The Sea Hawk", and more obtusely "The Adventures of Robin Hood" and "Virginia City", in which the Nazis are allegorically represented by long past historical villains. Now, Warners could feel fully justified in releasing films scripted as taking place in the present, that gave hope that the Nazis and Japs could be defeated before they took over the entire world. Thus, a series of 5 Flynn-starring films promoting such hope was released between 1942-45. The present one was the first, and the only one scripted as taking place mainly within Germany. It also has the best balance of seriousness, humor and sentimentality, and includes excellent background music by Max Steiner. It's also the only one not focused on a single objective to accomplish. The bomber crew find themselves not only hitting several bomb targets, but unexpectedly undertaking a sabotage operation and engaging in espionage, when they steal Massey's important classified documents relating to an aircraft factory. Thus, I would guess this film to be the clear winner of the 5 films, as entertainment for audiences, including kids, of the time. However, when Flynn was slated to star in the last of the series : "Objective Burma", in which he again leads a small group on a long sojourn through enemy-held territory, he initially refused, until assured that a more realistic characterization of the Japanese would be followed.By including several acts of sabotage and help from a 'resistance' organization within the occupied country, this film established a theme central to most of the following films. Thus, in "Edge of Darkness" and "Uncertain Glory", the focus is on sabotage by 'resistance' organizations in occupied Norway or France, respectively. In "Objective Burma", as in the present film, external allied military personnel carry out the sabotage, before fleeing back to 'safe' havens.In contrast to the 3 films in this series, which include a leading lady romantic interest for Flynn for much of the film, there is no woman at all in "Objective Burma", and Nancy Coleman, who plays an anti-Nazi German helper in the present film, has very limited screen time, providing a very fleeting romantic interest for Flynn.Of the bomber crew, only 3 survive their various ordeals to get to Holland and beyond. Interestingly , none of the 3 is scripted as a Brit. Flynn, for once, is realistically scripted as an Australian, Reagan as an American, and Arthur Kennedy as a Canadian. Presumably, this is to emphasize the importance of a worldwide collaboration of all the British Commonwealth plus the USA in defeating the Axis. Apparently, the screenplay for this film was written before the USA was officially in the war. I was surprised that frequent film Flynn pal Alan Hale wasn't among the 3 survivors. Hale mainly served as the most consistent 'cut up' of the bunch, spitting BBs(presumably), as if spit balls, at his comrades and Nazis. But, Reagan gets his chance to shine as a comedian is his double-talk description of the workings of a new American bomber engine to a most perplexed Massey. During much of their overland journey, the fliers are wearing German uniforms they stole from dispatched Nazis. Flynn, as the only one who speaks German, provides the other essential ingredient in getting them accepted as genuine Nazi soldiers, in several key situations. Unfortunately, I don't understand German, but my impression was that much of the 'German' was Germanized gibberish. Correct?The long chase of the fliers in a stolen Nazi car, across the Dutch countryside, by Massey and his crew, in a car plus motorcycles, smacks of a Keystone cops chase. Why didn't the Germans shoot at their tires, instead of their smaller heads? Ditto in the later escape of our heroes in a stolen bomber surrounded by Nazis!The American-built Lockheed Hudson that the lucky 3 captured from the Germans was a 2-engine light bomber, most of which were sold to the RAF and Canadians for antisubmarine warfare and other smallish targets, reconnaissance, convoy protection, troop movement, spy transport, and training. Thus, their claim to have trained in this type of bomber is quite feasible.Flynn's parting ambition: to fight the Japs, would later come true in "Operation Burma": a more serious war film, except that in the main confrontation, the Japs fell like so many dominoes, like the Nazis in the stolen bomber scene. Flynn, of course, tried to become a real fighting man in the war, but was deemed physically unfit.

WITH the United States' entrance into World War II after the attack on Pearl Harbor by Imperial Japanese forces, December 7, 1941; the gloves were off in Hollywood. No more would they have to tap dance around the War issues, make up any generic names for any agents of some "unnamed" European power nor feign neutrality with regards to their own sympathies, nor our Nation's. From then on, it was strictly double-barreled, full speed ahead and take no prisoners! WE'RE fairly certain that even though this had a September 1942 release, it had been planned and done most of its shooting before the entry of the U.S. into the conflict; as the storyline involved a bomber crew in the RAF (that's the Royal Air Force, Schultz!). The Flight Commander, Lt. Terry Forbes (Errol Flynn) was an Australian (or was it New Zealand-oh, hell, it was "Down Under" in any case!). Flying Officer Jed Forrest (Arthur Kennedy) was a Canadian, the others including Flight Sgt. Kirk Edwards (Alan Hale) were all Brits of basically the Working Class. Flying Officer Johnny Hammond (Dutch, himself, Ronald Reagan) was a wise cracking, go-getter of a Yank. (God, they talk about Politically Incorrect Stereotypes today!) AS a whole, the crew represented a World, not simply a Nation, which wouldn't and couldn't have any true peace and freedom as long as such evil as the Axis Powers were loose and undefeated. The others were all Brits or at least members of nations which were formerly part of the British Empire, now called the British Commonwealth of Nations; except for Johnny Hammond (Dutch). As an American, a "Yank", his character as well as his cocky, self-assured and unpretentious attitudes were very important and symbolic in the story. In short, Studio Honcho, Mr. Jack Warner was asking America just how could we remain neutral in the Global Conflict? OUR STORY………………Following an air raid over a German industrial city, the RAF Bomber of the Flynn & Company's Crew is shot down. Not to be sold short, this band of Anglo-American RAF Airmen travels across Germany from the East to the Western part, traveling by night, masquerading in Nazi Uniforms and pulling off many guerrilla missions of behind the lines sabotage.OH sure, they ere captured by the Nazis and interrogated by Major Otto Baumeister (Raymond Massey); but no matter, they managed an escape due to Hammond's (President Reagan) expertise in double talk , as well as a great left hook. And once free and impersonating the 'Krauts' in uniform, they manage to stow away on board a train. But, do they get into just any passenger train car? No, of course they don't. They wind up traveling in the private car of Deputy Fuehrer Herman Goering; being explained as being out of commission and sort of "dry-docked" for repairs and refurbishing.ONLY three of the crew get out of the Third Reich safely and alive. Messers Flynn, Reagan and Kennedy were the successful ones who lived to tell about it, though all of the crewmen were heroic and highly successful.TRAGEDY such as the loss of friend or family member is handled in the standard method of the day. In short a death is announced and, whatever the circumstance , it is dealt with quickly and the other characters move on; just as we have to do during such trying times.THE overall effect of the film and the style of the story is very similar to that of a superhero comic book. And what's more, we have always felt there was a strong resemblance of DESPERATE JOURNEY to the Blackhawk Comic Book Feature; which had its origin in Wartime England with a special group of multi nationals made up their own squadron. The leader, an American, was known as Blackhawk and had a right hand man, Chuck; also a Yankee.IT has always seemed that, perhaps, DESPERATE JOURNEY provided inspiration for comic book creators Will Eisner, Reed Crandall, Lou Fine and company in creating the Military and War based feature. But, Blackhawk bowed in Quality Comics' MILITARY COMICS No 1, dated August, 1941. This was over a year before the release of DESPERATE JOURNEY; ergo, the film could not have been a factor in the story. But, could it have been the other way around? Was Blackhawk an inspiration for this film? IT is food for thought.THIS surely must rank as one of Hollywood's top Wartime Home Front Propaganda movie. The plot line has enough romanticized action scenes to generate excitement with the younger crowd; but never goes overboard as to render the film down to the level of "B" Movie or relegating it to the Saturday Afternoon Matinée. There is plenty of counter-balancing and sobering occurrences chronicled to remind us that the War is truly H-E- DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS. (That's HELL, Schultz!)

***SPOILERS***Entertaining but utterly mindless allied WW II propaganda movie that has a group of downed allied pilots, American Australian and British, trek their way across hundreds of miles of enemy territory from the German/Polish border to Holland and the English channel with no more then a company of German troops to stop them. This gang of five with two of them Sgt. Llyod Hollis II & Sgt. Kirk Edwards , Ronald Sinclair & Alan Hale, not making it back are lead by Flight Lt. Terry Forbes, Erroll Flynn, who seem for the most part to live charmed lives. They amazingly gets themselves out of one tight squeeze after another with the help of a number of British & American supporting German civilians helping them, putting the lives of themselves and their families on the line, along the way.The task to get these allied fliers into custody falls on the shoulders of German Major Otto Baumeister, Raymond Massey, who at first screwed up by letting them get the best of him and making their escape after Maj. Baumeister's men had initially captured them. The movie then turns into a Willie Coyote Road Runner cartoon with Maj. Baumeister playing the part of the thankless and frustrated Willie Coyote who no matter how hard he tries just can't get his hands on his speedy adversity, the escaped allied fliers, even with the help of the entire German Whermacht and Lufftwaffe.The escaped fliers who include future US President and leader of the Free World Ronald Wilson Reagan, as the wise cracking US fly-boy Johnny Hammond, have a field day in making the Germans look both incompetent and ridicules as they hopelessly bumble their way through the movie in trying to apprehend them. Forbes Hammond & Co. easily make their way to the English Channel, knocking out dozens of Germans on the way, with the only thing stopping them from making it back home is that their car, carjacked from the German Army, ran out of gas.Just when you would think that it's curtains for Lt. Forbes and fly-boy Hammond together with numbers man, or accountant, Jed Forrest, Arthur Kenndey, Lord and behold there's a British Lockeed Hudson bomber materializing right before their eyes as if it were a desert mirage! The Lockeed Hudson happens to be the very plane that the trio were trained to fly and there it is right there for them to hijack and fly back to England! The dastardly and not at all cricket Germans were going to use the Birtish bomber to sneak over the channel and knock out the Battersea Waterworks that, among other things, supply the water for the London Fire Department! Only the scheming and not on the level Nazis would think of something as evil as that being that the waterworks are the reason that kept London from burning down during the German Blitz of 1940/41!Forbes Hammond & Forrest gun down scores of hapless Germans, who have no idea in how to use firearms, together with the luckless Maj. Baumeister as the Lockeed Hudson finally takes off with Jed Forrest getting shot at least a half dozen times and surviving with only a minor flesh wound. On their way home to England Johnny Hammond just couldn't resist, against orders, to drop the bomb destined for the Battersea Waterworks on a German gun battery aimed at Dover England knocking it out of commission. All this happens without a single Lufwaffe plane or German anti-aircraft artillery battery in sight to stop the dynamic trios escape!Within sight of the White Cliffs of Dover and freedom Flight Lt. Forbes radios in that he's looking forward to go to Australia, his home, and get a crack at the "Japs". If the "Japs" are anywhere as helpless and buffoonish as their German allies in the movie "Desperate Journey" it will be nothing more then a walk in the park, and not at all desperate, for Forbes to deal with them.

Okay, this script was obviously NOT written by great intellects and will never be known as one of Errol Flynn's best films. This much is very obvious very soon into the movie. Yet despite a pretty stupid script, stupid dialog and a jingoism that is practically unmatched by any other film, it IS worth seeing because of the almost non-stop action and suspense--almost like a movie serial condensed into full-length movie form. That's because the four escaped prisoners (Flynn, Ronald Reagan, Alan Hale and Arthur Kennedy) make a monkey out of the entire German war machine and outwit millions of Nazis and they do it in a very fun and light-hearted way. Sure, it isn't deep and it's all a lot of twaddle, but you can't help but suspend disbelief and just enjoy the hokeyness of the whole thing. Plus, it's a good chance to see Reagan actually play in a watchable film! My advice is see it and don't think. Watch it and enjoy it on a totally brainless level or you're bound to be disappointed.