116 minutes
12/27/1940
A rookie flyer, Ens. Alan Drake, joins the famous Hellcats Squadron right out of flight school in Pensacola. He doesn't make a great first impression when he is forced to ditch his airplane and parachute to safety when he arrives at the base but is unable to land due to heavy fog. On his first day on the job, his poor shooting skills results in the Hellcats losing an air combat competition. His fellow pilots accept him anyways but they think he's crossed the line when they erroneously conclude that while their CO Billy Gray is away, Drake has an affair with his wife Lorna. Drake is now an outcast and is prepared to resign from the Navy but his extreme heroism in saving Billy Gray's life turns things around.
Robert Taylor
as Ens. Alan Drake
Ruth Hussey
as Lorna Gray
Walter Pidgeon
as Squadron Commander Billy Gary
Paul Kelly
as Lieut. Cmdr. 'Dusty' Rhodes
Shepperd Strudwick
as Lieut. Jerry Banning
Red Skelton
as Lieut. 'Mugger' Martin
Nat Pendleton
as C.P.O. 'Spike' Knowles
Dick Purcell
as Lieut. 'Stichy' Payne
William Tannen
as Lieut. Freddy Townsend
William Stelling
as Lieut. Bush
Stanley Smith
as Lieut. Frost
Addison Richards
as Vice Admiral
Donald Douglas
as 1st Duty Officer
Pat Flaherty
as 2nd Duty Officer
Forbes Murray
as Captain
Marsha Hunt
as Claire
Cliff Danielson
as Hell Cat
Bob Davis
as Hell Cat
Lee Tung Foo
as Jung, Gary's Servant
Reed Hadley
as Admiral's Aide
John Hamilton
as Pensacola Commander
Otto Han
as Gogo, Officer's Club Attendant
Hal Le Sueur
as Hell Cat
Jack Luden
as Hell Cat
James Millican
as North Island Tower Operator (voice)
Alberto Morin
as Waiter
Tom Neal
as Hell Cat
George Offerman, Jr.
as Small Sailor on Downed Seaplane
Claire Owen
as Mrs. Frost
Steve Pendleton
as North Island Tower Operator
John Raitt
as Hell Cat
Walter Sande
as Officer on Downed Seaplane
James Seay
as Officer on Downed Seaplane
John Sheehan
as Friendly Mechanic
Dick Wessel
as Big Sailor on Downed Seaplane
Gayne Whitman
as Doctor
Gilbert Wilson
as Hell Cat
Bruce Edwards
as Hell Cat
Howard Wilson
as Hell Cat