I'm only 32, but a huge Duke fan and have only heard of this one. Seems to me that this hasn't been on the tube for quite some time if at all. July 16th AMC is calling it the world premiere. Is this true? If so it seems amazing that a Duke film has not been released or seen in close to 50 years by anyone.
shareI only remember seeing it once and that was in the 60s or early 70s, and I'm 50
Great flick though The High and The Mighty same thing
"When next we meet, we shall be as golden clouds upon the sky"---The Raisuli
I saw it when I was 9, 40 years, almost 41 years ago.
shareI remember seeing this movie on the old Million Dollar Movie on channel 9. It would be on 6 days a week at 7:30 pm. I'm 52 years old And haven't seen it since the early 70's. I watched it tonight but it seems the remastered version has a different ending than I remembered. I seem to remember John Wayne climbing aboard the plane at the end with a blanket wrapped around him. It may also be that I don't remember much of the movie.
shareJust the ending I remember seeing James Arness look outside his window and seeing the branches spelling "Lovatt Dead" and shaking his head. I just saw the end of it. Maybe 25-30 years ago. "Million Dollar Movie" used the muscial theme for "The High and the Mighty" as it's theme.
I agree with other posters that it must have been cold where this was filmed but it hardly looks like it was 70 below. They would have died the first day.
It's perhaps John Wayne's best performance, his most vulnerable and human character.
Well said friend.
Just a cold tired guy trying, to keep himself and his men alive.
"WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY AND THEY IS US"
POGO
I recall seeing "Island in the Sky" in the theatres when I was about ten (1953 or so). It, and "High and the Mighty" are two of my favorite films. In later years these two great movies were on TV from time to time up until the 1970's and then they disappeared. I heard that the late son of John Wayne, Patrick Wayne, who ran Wayne-Fellows Productions, wouldn't release them for sale on video. I always found this odd seeing as how both of these films were popular in their day.
shareI've only seen ISLAND IN THE SKY once, and that was during a John Wayne series at the American Film Institute at the Kennedy Center. Roger Ebert made a rare mistake when he said THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY has never been on video. I bought it through a Canadian company a few years ago and it was a good print.
shareI can't remember when it was last televised but I know I was a young kid.
I'm now 55. It seems like maybe back in the 50's but not sure.
I mostly remember John Wayne looking as though he was going to lose it.
Great film
I'm sorry this is so late, but I feel that I must correct something.
The son of JW running Batjac (this was AFTER Wayne-Fellows) was Michael Wayne, not Patrick.
Michael was known to be a bit "hard-nosed" in "protecting" his father's legacy. He meant well, but he didn't always make (what most considered, at least) the right decision for the Wayne estate.
Michael died several yars ago from complications of Lupus, and that's when several of these "Lost Treasures" started to be released to the public.
Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway. John Wayne
I heard Michael's half-brother Ethan gave up acting to take his place as the head of Wayne Enterprises, after Michael's death in 2003. Maybe it was Ethan's decision to release these long lost movies.
sharepgharett -
Michael Wayne was the head of "Batjac Productiions," not Wayne Enterprises...
Michael's widow Gretchen took over at Batjac when Michael passed away in '03.
Ethan DID become head of Wayne Enterprises, but it is a COMPLETELY separate entity...Ethan (and the rest of the surviving kids, for that matter - daughter Toni passed away in 200, at the age of 64) would NEVER deny the viewing public a chance to see ANY of their father's movies...
I don't act...I react. John Wayne
Ethan (and the rest of the surviving kids, for that matter - daughter Toni passed away in 200, at the age of 64) would NEVER deny the viewing public a chance to see ANY of their father's movies...
pgharett -
No issues, my friend...*I* was just explaining the "real skinny" about what actually happened...
The "legal issues" were, by most everyone who knew what was going on, a red herring...Michael Wayne was SITTING on the films for reasons known only to him...
He kept claiming that the print were damaged, but no such proof was ever discovered.
Just a side note - Wikipedia is a lot like the trivia and "facts" section on IMDb...ANYONE can add information without having to verify it's truthfulness...
I don't act...I react. John Wayne
True about Wikipedia but i just did a quick google search.
Where did you get the "real skinny" on this? I'm not disputing your facts, but what's your source/sources?
***WARNING - this response is a tad long!***I lived in Los Angeles from 1995-2004, and worked in “the industry” in very specialized areas (vocal music and voice overs), and I was fortunate to meet A LOT of wonderful people who were connected in various ways to some of Hollywood’s all-time greats from the Golden Age to the present - I’m still in contact with most of them…
Through my “non-industry” musical activities, I was also blessed to be associated with 4 or 5 producers and directors - one of whom has been in movies/TV since the early 50’s (I’m not going to drop any names, but he directed a few long running Norman Lear shows) - and he knew JW for MANY years (as well as the family), and had many dealings with Batjac (JW’s production company) along the way.
He shared with me MANY stories of how Michael dealt with people (before and AFTER JW’s death - there was a marked difference in the two “eras”), and even though he was an INCREDIBLE and highly effective caretaker of JW’s image and movies (after JW passed), he ALSO could be VERY mercurial and petty about the tiniest things - even with family. Part of this has been well-documented through the years, BTW.
Before he passed in 1979, JW kept Michael on a VERY tight leash, and stressed the importance of dealing with people in a fair, level-headed manner (this is from an interview Michael did several years ago)...However; after Duke passed, Michael decided to do things HIS way ALL the time, and all too frequently, became involved with far to many confrontational situations - even with family.
This is an observation shared by the industry people *I’ve* known through the years, and it relates DIRECTLY to the issue we’re discussing within this thread currently.
When these films were FINALLY released to the public on DVD, there was MUCH discussion about why it had taken so long, and even though MW claimed there were “legal issues” preventing a more timely release, EVERYONE that I’ve spoken to - all either still working or having spent their careers in the industry - said that based on what THEY knew about the situation was Michael was holding back the films for reasons *seemingly* known ONLY to him, and as I stated previously, the so-called “legal issues” excuse was merely a diversion...
Side note - For several years, I’ve been a member of the “John Wayne Message Board” - a VERY good site loaded with everything a person would EVER need to know about JW, his movies, his family (not in a lurid, gossip-like fashion), and nearly every co-star he ever had - and during the time of the release of these films, the boards were alive with questions and well-informed responses regarding this issue, and ALL of those who had connections to the industry said the very same thing that I’ve stated regarding this. It was all about Michael, and his unfathomable desire NOT to release the films prior to that time.
One theory - put forth by SEVERAL in the industry - states that Michael had simply been waiting for (in his estimation, at least) the “right time” to release them, based on - again - factors known only to him…It’s well documented that JW is one of Hollywood’s biggest stars ever, and his popularity has actually GROWN in the soon to be 36 years since his death.
So...the theory HAS merit, and based on the way Michael has acted regarding other film releases, not entirely out of the realm of possibility.
Finally - lest anyone thinks this a hatchet job on Michael Wayne, it’s not intended to be so, but rather an explanation of how it actually was, and how he sometimes dealt with people in business and sadly, family...He was COMPLETELY dedicated to preserving and protecting all things John Wayne, but at times, he was a bit “overzealous,” and it affected him both professionally (i.e. Batjac), and personally (issues between siblings).
I know this was a long response, but I felt I needed to be thorough in my explanation, and I REALLY hope this helps...
I don't act...I react. John Wayne
I'm 45 and I never heard of this movie before until I saw the previews on TV. It kind of looks like "Flight of the Phoenix." Same premise I guess but with snow. It's on tonight so I'll check it out. Also, the previews said it hasn't been on the tube in more than 20 years.
shareYou bet 8:00 EST I'll be there, It's gonna be available on DVD in august.
"When next we meet, we shall be as golden clouds upon the sky"---The Raisuli
Yep, it's true - I'm watching it right now. Stay tuned same time tomorrow for the other remastered one The High and The Mighty. Again, has been lost for years.
shareI just watched it, and it was pretty good.
Wayne's role was very different from the generally one-dimensional characters he played after he became a star.
Dooley was a man who wasn't sure he would survive. He was afraid and showed it. And he showed unmeasured joy when he was sure of rescue at the end.
It's a shame Wayne did not make more movies like this.
Both Island in the Sky and The High and the Mighty was seen on AMC during the month of July 2005. This was the first time I saw both Movies. It was the John Wayne movies of the sky. I always like movies about aircraft and adding John Wayne makes both movies above average.
shareRight now on AMC i am watching Island in the Sky. BEing a child of the 80s this is my first time experiencing the rapture that is "Island in the Sky". It is like looking into the mouth of God and seeing him mouth the words "I love you and you are of my seed". I am so... so... happy
shareIt was on this morning on AMC from 3:35am-5:30am. AMC also shows another Duke classic that was in the vaults for awhile, The High and the Mighty. Great movie score.
Julius
Today is November 1, 2006 and I just saw it this morning (actually only last half) on AMC. I can't believe I never saw it before.
I hope it comes on again soon. I noticed how many good character actors are in it.
How long once they were spotted did they wait?
if the movie was made today I bet it would say at the end how they were rescued and what happened to each man once home...
Nina
It will be on again on AMC Fri., Nov. 17 at 8:30 AM
shareI just saw this. It will be on again this afternoon. I have seen a few John Wayne films (that actually means a LOT of them) and have never seen Wayne do as good a job of acting. Those 15 seconds of acting after he thinks they won't be rescued are the best of his career. This is (for the many actors and Wayne's role) a classic.
I was bothered by one thing. The mountains they were flying over on the first mission were obviously not found in Eastern Canada. Those must have been the Sierra-Nevada or Rocky Mountains. Too big for the mountains of East Canada.
I also noticed the filming location given for this picture was Donner Pass. What a strange place to film a survival movie.
Yes it is on right now on AMC. They are showing some John Wayne movies. "Jet Pilot" just finished showing and "Island in the Sky" just started. 2pm
shareJust finished watching it on AMC.. first time I've seen it.
Not gonna crack my top-10 list, but it was a good flick, and I'm glad I stayed up late to watch it. ;)