YouHeart I gave it a 7.5 out of 10

Doomtomylo a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

Kien Navarro Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Stephanie There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

AaronCapenBanner William Wellman directs this realistic survival tale, as John Wayne plays pilot Dooley, who is forced to land his C-47 Corsair transport plane in the frozen wastes of Labrador, where he and his men must find a way to survive until they can expect an air rescue(piloted by frequent Wayne costar Andy Devine), which is suffering from the same bad weather that forced them down, making locating them difficult. Can Dooley and his men find appropriate shelter, food, and warmth, or will they perish in the harsh climate? Exciting and well filmed story of survival and patience amid the most trying of circumstances is a good change of pace for Wayne. Was unavailable for years because of rights issues, but can be enjoyed now on DVD.

JoeytheBrit This is a typically adequate John Wayne mid-50s, mid-career action film which will probably last in the memory for just two reasons: a haunting death scene in the snowy wastelands of Canada, and the sight of Andy Devine in swimming trunks. Thankfully, Speedos weren't around in 1953, but it's still certainly a sight to see.John Wayne plays Captain Dooley, pilot of a transport plane who is forced to land in the vast snowy tundra. To make matters worse, the plane's battery is quickly fading, and bad weather is closing in… This kind of plot is such a bulk-standard commodity of 50s Hollywood that it's to the film's credit that it manages top hold the viewer's attention without ever becoming dull. Perhaps the film's biggest drawback is its use of studio sets that look unconvincing, especially when contrasted with the location shots. John Wayne broods and rages against the elements and hides his anxiety from the usual united-nations crew. A young James Arness plays one of the team of pilots searching for Wayne's downed plane and he looks like a kind of John Wayne-lite. Director Wellman, who would work on another Ernest K. Gann story, The High and the Mighty, with Wayne in 1954, manages to manufacture a reasonable level of suspense despite the failure to generate any life-in-peril sense of desperation amongst the stranded crew.

Michael_Elliott Island in the Sky (1953) *** (out of 4) William A. Wellman directed this suspenseful disaster film about a pilot (John Wayne) who must keep his crews spirits up after their plane crash lands in the Canadian arctic. This is certainly one of the better disaster films out there due to the director bringing a lot of suspense and a screenplay, which is a lot smarter than what we normally see in this type of film. The film's one big flaw is some humor, which really isn't needed but other than that this film is near the top of the genre. The performances are all terrific and a lot of fun due to the terrific supporting cast, which includes Lloyd Nolan, James Arnest, Harry Carey, Jr., Sean McClory, Wally Cassell and Robert Keys. Andy Devine nearly steals the film as the big guy in the search group. Then there's John Wayne who people will debate on how good of an actor he really was. I think he's always great playing that John Wayne persona but there are a few cases where he breaks out of that and really brings a truly great performance and I think that's the case here. It was great seeing Wayne play emotions like desperation, fear and his crying scene was highly moving. I think this is one of his better performances as he showed several emotions, which were a real stretch from what we normally see. Even the simple scenes of him saying a prayer pack a real punch due to the heart and feeling in his voice. The most impressive thing Wellman brings as a director is how realistic everything seems. The opening scene with the plane falling apart as ice builds up was brilliantly done and the way the director makes you feel the cold that the characters are going through really nails the coffin down.

wes-connors During World War II, in an ice storm, Captain John Wayne (as Dooley) and his small crew crash land their airplane over unpopulated, freezing North America. Can friends and colleagues like Walter Abel (as Fuller), Lloyd Nolan (as Stutz), James Arness (as McMullen), and Andy Devine (as Willie Moon) locate the downed crew before they succumb to the cold winter's wrath? "Island in the Sky" is a survival story which spends far too much of its time concentrating on the various rescuers, and not enough time on the struggling crew. Moreover, the time spent on the downed crew isn't satisfying. Although the temperature is said to be forty or seventy degrees below zero (at Fahrenheit, no less), the crash survivors seldom look really cold or uncomfortable. At times, it's painfully obvious they are "acting cold" while a wind machine blows "snow" at the camera. Mr. Wayne performs some William A. Wellman-directed scenes very well, however; especially during a missed rescue attempt. Mike Connors, Darryl Hickman, Fess Parker, and Alfalfa Switzer lend some occasional support. Also look for Mr. Devine in a poolside bathing suit, with what must be Wellman's children, Michael and Tim. *** Island in the Sky (9/3/53) William A. Wellman ~ John Wayne, James Arness, Andy Devine