When it comes to biopics, Hollywood has a long, long history of playing fast and loose with the facts. Too often, instead of history lessons about great people, the movies are a mixture of fact, fantasy and outright lies. And, as an ex-history teacher, I find it hard to enjoy most of these pictures. "Gallant Journey" is another one of these films that pretty much ignores details and doesn't mind painting a picture of a person who is as much fiction as real life hero. The real life John Montgomery was an interesting man and a biopic of his life would have worked well. Too bad, as Hollywood didn't trust his real life to be interesting enough for a movie.
The real John Montgomery was famous beacuse he was an early inventor of gliders and flew the first one in the Americas. His work led to later inventions, such as the Wright Brothers' plane. Unfortunately, Montgomery was ultimately killed during one of his flights...though the movie gets the details of all this wrong and tacks on a super-sickeningly sweet ending.
As far as the acting goes, Glenn Ford does his best in the lead and the director, William Wellman, was also very good. But the facts were all wrong and Montgomery is hardly recognizable in this movie.
The real John Montgomery was famous beacuse he was an early inventor of gliders and flew the first one in the Americas. His work led to later inventions, such as the Wright Brothers' plane. Unfortunately, Montgomery was ultimately killed during one of his flights...though the movie gets the details of all this wrong and tacks on a super-sickeningly sweet ending.
As far as the acting goes, Glenn Ford does his best in the lead and the director, William Wellman, was also very good. But the facts were all wrong and Montgomery is hardly recognizable in this movie.