Movies Like Flying Leathernecks (1951)

Flying Leathernecks is a 1951 action, drama, war film from Nicholas Ray with a MovieMagicScore of 5.8/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Wake Island and The Thin Red Line.

Action Drama War

Wake Island

1942

In late 1941, with no hope of relief or re-supply, a small band of United States Marines tries to keep the Japanese Navy from capturing their island base.

5.8

MagicScore

The Thin Red Line

1998

The story of a group of men, an Army Rifle company called C-for-Charlie, who change, suffer, and ultimately make essential discoveries about themselves during the fierce World War II battle of Guadalcanal. It follows their journey, from the surprise of an unopposed landing, through the bloody and exhausting battles that follow, to the ultimate departure of those who survived.

7.4

MagicScore

Red Tails

2012

The story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American pilots to fly in a combat squadron during World War II.

6.6

MagicScore

Hell in the Pacific

1968

During World War II, a shot-down American pilot and a marooned Japanese navy captain find themselves stranded on the same small uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean.

6.9

MagicScore

Warbirds

2008

In the midst of World War 2, a OSS officer leads a group of female pilots on a mission to deliver a secret weapon, only to crash land on an island in the Pacific after an encounter with a deadly storm. On the island, they must not only contend with a small band of Japanese soldiers but the native inhabitants of the island as well - vicious prehistoric Pterodons.

3.3

MagicScore

Flags of Our Fathers

2006

There were five Marines and one Navy Corpsman photographed raising the U.S. flag on Mt. Suribachi by Joe Rosenthal on February 23, 1945. This is the story of three of the six surviving servicemen - John 'Doc' Bradley, Pvt. Rene Gagnon and Pvt. Ira Hayes - who fought in the battle to take Iwo Jima from the Japanese.

6.9

MagicScore

Hacksaw Ridge

2016

WWII American Army Medic Desmond T. Doss, who served during the Battle of Okinawa, refuses to kill people and becomes the first Conscientious Objector in American history to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor.

8.2

MagicScore

Windtalkers

2002

Joe Enders is a gung-ho Marine assigned to protect a "windtalker" - one of several Navajo Indians who were used to relay messages during World War II because their spoken language was indecipherable to Japanese code breakers.

6.3

MagicScore

Too Late the Hero

1970

A WWII film set on a Pacific island. Japanese and allied forces occupy different parts of the island. When a group of British soldiers are sent on a mission behind enemy lines, things don't go exactly to plan. This film differs in that some of the 'heroes' are very reluctant, but they come good when they are pursued by the Japanese who are determined to prevent them returning to base.

6.4

MagicScore

#10

The Fighting Seabees

1944

Construction workers in World War II in the Pacific are needed to build military sites, but the work is dangerous and they doubt the ability of the Navy to protect them. After a series of attacks by the Japanese, something new is tried, Construction Battalions (CBs=Seabees). The new CBs have to both build and be ready to fight.

6.2

MagicScore

#11

Halls of Montezuma

1951

Richard Widmark leads an all star cast of marine leathernecks including Jack Palance, Robert Wagner, Karl Malden, Richard Boone and Jack Webb into battle on a heavily fortified island. This action-packed story follows the squad as they pick their way through enemy-infested jungles on a time sensitive mission to find the source of the enemy rockets. As the mission progresses, the squad and leader overcome many challenges as they are transformed into an effective and efficient fighting unit.

5.9

MagicScore

#12

Gung Ho!

1943

A true-life epic that revolves around an exclusive bataillon of the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II, "Carlson's Raiders," whose assignment is to take control of a South Pacific island once possessed by the United States but now under Japanese command.

5.2

MagicScore

#13

Flying Tigers

1942

Jim Gordon commands a unit of the famed Flying Tigers, the American Volunteer Group which fought the Japanese in China before America's entry into World War II. Gordon must send his outnumbered band of fighter pilots out against overwhelming odds while juggling the disparate personalities and problems of his fellow flyers.

6.2

MagicScore

#14

Hail the Conquering Hero

1944

Having been discharged from the Marines for a hayfever condition before ever seeing action, Woodrow Lafayette Pershing Truesmith delays the return to his hometown, feeling that he is a failure. While in a moment of melancholy, he meets up with a group of Marines who befriend him and encourage him to return home to his mother by fabricating a story that he was wounded in battle with honorable discharge.

7.0

MagicScore

#15

Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison

1957

A Roman Catholic nun and a hard-bitten US Marine are stranded together on a Japanese-occupied island in the South Pacific during World War II. Under constant threat of discovery by a ruthless enemy, they hide in a cave and forage for food together. Their forced companionship and the struggle for survival forge a powerful emotional bond between them.

6.9

MagicScore

#16

Twelve O'Clock High

1949

In the early days of daylight bombing raids over Germany, General Frank Savage must take command of a 'hard luck' bomber group. Much of the story deals with his struggle to whip his group into a disciplined fighting unit in spite of heavy losses, and withering attacks by German fighters over their targets.

7.1

MagicScore

#17

In Harm's Way

1965

A Naval officer, reprimanded after Pearl Harbor, is later promoted to Rear Admiral and gets a second chance to prove himself against the Japanese.

6.6

MagicScore

#18

Memphis Belle

1990

The "Memphis Belle" is a World War II bomber, piloted by a young crew on dangerous bombing raids into Europe. The crew only have to make one more bombing raid before they have finished their duty and can go home. In the briefing before their last flight, the crew discover that the target for the day is Bremen.

6.7

MagicScore

#19

Beach Red

1967

American troops storm ashore on a Japanese-held island and push inland while their enemies plan a counterattack in this look at warfare. Soldiers on both sides are haunted by memories of home and the horrifying, sickening images they find in combat.

6.3

MagicScore

#20

Air Force

1943

The crew of an Air Force bomber arrives in Pearl Harbor in the aftermath of the Japanese attack and is sent on to Manila to help with the defense of the Philippines.

6.5

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Flying Leathernecks?

The top films similar to Flying Leathernecks by MovieMagicScore are Wake Island (5.8), The Thin Red Line (7.4), Red Tails (6.6). Each shares action/drama/war themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Flying Leathernecks worth watching?

Flying Leathernecks holds a MovieMagicScore of 5.8/10 from 66 viewer ratings.

What kind of movie is Flying Leathernecks?

Flying Leathernecks (1951) is a action, drama, war film directed by Nicholas Ray, starring John Wayne, Robert Ryan, Don Taylor.

Where can I find more recommendations like Flying Leathernecks?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more action recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like Wake Island Movies like The Thin Red Line Movies like Red Tails Movies like Hell in the Pacific Movies like Warbirds Movies like Flags of Our Fathers

About movies like Flying Leathernecks

This ranked list pairs Flying Leathernecks (1951), a action and drama and war film from Nicholas Ray, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of John Wayne take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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