Lafayette Escadrille

The 1958 American war film directed by William A. Wellman follows Thad Walker (Tab Hunter), a spoiled young man from Boston who, facing legal troubles, flees to France during World War I and joins the Lafayette Escadrille—a unit of American volunteers fighting for France. In Paris, he falls in love with Renée Beaulieu (Etchika Choureau), a streetwalker who leaves her profession for him. After a conflict with a French officer, Thad is forced into hiding, working in a brothel while his friends continue their training and become pilots. Later, convincing an American general of his sincerity, Thad joins the American Air Service and becomes an outstanding pilot. The film also features an early appearance by Clint Eastwood as George Moseley. It was Wellman's final directorial work, based on his own experiences with the Lafayette Escadrille.