Flight Angels
Flight Angels | |
---|---|
Wayne Morris Ralph Bellamy | |
Cinematography | L. William O'Connell |
Edited by | James Gibbon |
Music by | Heinz Roemheld (uncredited) |
Distributed by | Warner Bros./First National Picture |
Release date |
|
Running time | 74 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Flight Angels is a 1940
The basic premise of the film follows the operational conditions of a commercial airline, while also following its stewardesses and pilots as they go through their daily routines, punctuated with the details of their personal lives.[Note 1]
Plot
"Ace" commercial airline pilot Chick Faber (Dennis Morgan) is grounded by Flight Superintendent Bill Graves (Ralph Bellamy) when a flight physical reveals that his eyesight is failing. Aided by stewardess Mary Norvell (Virginia Bruce) and her friend, Nan Hudson (Jane Wyman), Graves persuades Chick to take a job as teacher in the school for stewardesses. While he remains at the airline, along with engineer, Artie Dixon (Wayne Morris), he continues work on the design of a secret research aircraft, he calls the "stratosphere ship" that will revolutionize commercial aviation by flying faster and higher than any current type.
After Farber and Norvell get married, he finds that teaching is too restrictive and yearns to get back to his secret project. When he learns that the
Angrily giving up his pilot's license, he decides to leave his wife and join the newly formed Chinese mercenary air force fighting against Japan.[Note 2] Air Corps officers intercept him in San Francisco and call him back to active duty in the military to keep the secret of the "stratosphere ship" in US hands. Graves rearranges Mary's flight schedule, sending her to San Antonio, where she is met by newly promoted Capt. Farber, now a flight instructor at Randolph Field. The reunited couple are finally at peace, knowing that everything will turn out all right.
Cast
As appearing in screen credits (main roles identified):[1]
- Virginia Bruce as Mary Norvell
- Dennis Morgan as Chick Farber
- Wayne Morrisas Artie Dixon
- Ralph Bellamy as Bill Graves
- Jane Wyman as Nan Hudson
- John Litel as Dr. Barclay
- Margot Stevenson as Rita
- Dorothea Kent as Mabel
- John Ridgely as Lt. Parsons
- Lucile Fairbanks as Thelma
- Maris Wrixon as Bonnie
- Jan Clayton as Jane Morrow
- Lynn Merrick as Marilyn (as Marilyn Merrick)
- Phyllis Hamilton as Phyllis
- Carol Hughes as "Texas"
Production
The use of American Airlines Douglas Sleeper Transport, the initial variant of the ubiquitous Douglas DC-3 airliner, that had accommodations for 24 passengers during day and fitted out with 16 sleeper berths in the cabin for night, gave an air of authenticity to the film.[2]
Principal photography consisting of aerial shots and exteriors took place at
The cast was made up of a large group of both rising and falling stars who were not typical of a lesser film. While filming Flight Angels in 1940, Wayne Morris became interested in flying and became a
Aircraft
The film featured:
- Boeing 247 airliner (under the title credits, bearing the United Air Lines logo)
- Douglas DC-3/DST airliners (in American Airlines "Flagship" livery)
- Lockheed Model 12A Electra Junior subbing for the "stratosphere ship." Lockheed 12A, registration number NC17342, was owned by Lang Transportation, Las Vegas, Nevada, and was also used in the 1937 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film Rosalie, Happy Landing (1938) and Secret Service of the Air (1938).[3] [Note 4]
Reception
Considered only a "B" film, Flight Angels has been decried in contemporary reviews as demeaning to women and stereotypical in its treatment of pilots and aviators.[5]
References
Notes
- ^ Real-life events such as the development of US commercial aviation in pre-WWII war years are featured but the underlying story of US military aviation preparation is also evident.
- ^ The formation of the Flying Tigers is only hinted at
- ^ While in wartime service, Morris was awarded four Distinguished Flying Crosses and two Air Medals.
- ^ NC17342, also known as X17342, became CF-BRK, served as RCAF 7653, before going back to American registry as NC17342, later N83U and N505.[4]
Citations
- ^ "Credits: 'Flight Angels' (1940)." IMDb. Retrieved: August 15, 2011.
- ^ "Sleeping Car of the Air Has Sixteen Sleeping Berths." Popular Mechanics, January 1936.
- ^ Nagl, Roy. "Lockheed Model 12A Electra Junior." Archived 2012-03-24 at the Wayback Machine Ancient Airliners. Retrieved: August 15, 2011.
- ^ "Civil Aircraft Register: United States." Archived 2011-09-20 at the Wayback Machine goldenyears.ukf.net. Retrieved: August 15, 2011.
- ^ "Flight Angels (1940)." Classic Film Guide, 2011. Retrieved: August 15, 2011.
Bibliography
- Dolan, Edward F. Jr. Hollywood Goes to War. London: Bison Books, 1985. ISBN 0-86124-229-7.
- Evans, Alun. Brassey's Guide to War Films. Dulles, Virginia: Potomac Books, 2000. ISBN 1-57488-263-5.
- Hardwick, Jack and Ed Schnepf. "A Buff's Guide to Aviation Movies". Air Progress Aviation Vol. 7, No. 1, Spring 1983.
- O'Leary, Michael. "Junior Bomber." Air Classics, December 2001.
- O'Leary, Michael. "Shining Stars (Part Two)." Air Classics, December 2001 Another detailed history of the Lockheed 12. (Note: The online article has combined it with the subarticle: "Junior Bomber".)
- Orriss, Bruce. When Hollywood Ruled the Skies: The Aviation Film Classics of World War II. Hawthorne, California: Aero Associates Inc., 1984. ISBN 0-9613088-0-X.
External links
- Flight Angels at IMDb
- Flight Angels at the TCM Movie Database
- Flight Angels at AllMovie
- Flight Angels at the American Film Institute Catalog