Flight for Freedom

Flight for Freedom aka Stand to Die is a 1943 American drama film directed by Lothar Mendes and starring Rosalind Russell, Fred MacMurray and Herbert Marshall. Film historians and Earhart scholars consider Flight for Freedom an aclef version of the Amelia Earhart life story, concentrating on the sensational aspects of her disappearance during her 1937 world flight. The films ending speculated that the main characters disappearance was connected to a secret mission on behalf of the U.S. government.

Flight for Freedom was produced by RKO, whose CEO, Floyd Odlum, was married to Jacqueline Cochran, one of Earharts close friends and a renowned aviatrix in her own right. It was claimed to be based on a screenplay submitted by Amelia Earharts husband, George P. Putnam, Rosalind Russells characterization of the Earhartlike aviatrix shows Carter establishing a reputation as the Lady Lindbergh and setting numerous aviation records. Other characters are loosely drawn from real life, such as Earhart confidant and instructor Paul Mantz, as well as Fred Noonan, albeit in the role of pilot Randy Britton, played by Fred MacMurray, on loan from Paramount Pictures.As a propaganda film, the Japanese characters in Flight for Freedom were portrayed as devious and evil. Fred MacMurrays character joins the US Navy and attacks a Japanese base using the photographs taken of secret Japanese bases. Principal photography, under the working title Stand to Die, was completed from lateAugust to lateOctober 1942, with additional scenes shot in December, as the release was held back to coincide with the headline news surrounding the Battle of Midway. Newsreel footage was incorporated to show naval missions over the area that Tonie Carter was portrayed as having overflown. ........

Source: Wikipedia