If you wish to see "Task Force" as a historical account of the U.S. Navy's use of aircraft carriers, the film does a reputable job. Plenty of archival footage is used, so an air of authenticity pervades the battle scenes.
The primary character is Jonathan L. Scott (Gary Cooper), a career naval aviator who later commands a flattop in the Pacific theater of WWII, where carriers became an important part of the Navy's campaign. Scott is portrayed as something of a troublemaker, always willing to promote his ideas of naval strategy, regardless of the consequences. He is an ardent spokesman for carriers. This rings true, as there are always men of vision in (every branch of)the military who are ignored and even persecuted for their beliefs--usually by members of Congress and career officers who either wish to feather their own beds or who equate bigger and more powerful as more effective (especially in aircraft design).
I do think there are many other actors who could have played the part of Scott with more animation and/or passion. Cooper is most effective when playing characters with little social savvy (e.g. "Sergeant York" or "Friendly Persuasion"). One could argue that Scott might be such a man, but a more effective commander would be a man who had command presence and the ability to inspire. A more passionate relationship between Scott and his wife might also have made the counterpoint of their personal lives more touching.
The primary character is Jonathan L. Scott (Gary Cooper), a career naval aviator who later commands a flattop in the Pacific theater of WWII, where carriers became an important part of the Navy's campaign. Scott is portrayed as something of a troublemaker, always willing to promote his ideas of naval strategy, regardless of the consequences. He is an ardent spokesman for carriers. This rings true, as there are always men of vision in (every branch of)the military who are ignored and even persecuted for their beliefs--usually by members of Congress and career officers who either wish to feather their own beds or who equate bigger and more powerful as more effective (especially in aircraft design).
I do think there are many other actors who could have played the part of Scott with more animation and/or passion. Cooper is most effective when playing characters with little social savvy (e.g. "Sergeant York" or "Friendly Persuasion"). One could argue that Scott might be such a man, but a more effective commander would be a man who had command presence and the ability to inspire. A more passionate relationship between Scott and his wife might also have made the counterpoint of their personal lives more touching.