Overrated

Awesome Movie

A Masterpiece!

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Unbelievable drama of a love triangle between a pilot, a crook and a cheat. There's a bit of comedy but it doesn't do anything to advance the plot, only the running time. It only takes off into the wild blue yonder when hero Lloyd Hughes gets involved in an alleged scheme to rip off company payroll, with the other man no less! Shirley Grey may be pretty and perky, but I found no logical reason for her to be leading Hughes on. Character actor Berton Churchill does add some humor at the beginning, while in the last ten minutes, there is a genuine attempt to add some suspense as the villain attempts to make Hughes crash. I don't know what the payroll's destiny was supposed to be, but ultimately, it's more air headed than air eagles.

Would definitely not put this pot boiler alongside greats like "Hell's Angels" or "The Dawn Patrol" - my first thought was what a terrific title wasted on such a half baked movie!! It begins at a flea bitten carnival with the old "two guys in love with the same girl" refrain. The lucky one who has his affection returned is Otto (Norman Kerry) but it is clear he is a "no good nik"!! Eve (lovely Shirley Grey in one of her first movies, unfortunately she lacked that elusive star quality) is forced to hide their engagement and he introduces her to everyone as his cousin!! - that should ring alarm bells with her but it doesn't!! He and Bill are flyers from the war but he has taken the wrong road. It all comes out when the carnival plays Bill's home town, the three of them decide to stay and Bill finds there are jobs a plenty flying planes for the mines but when Otto sits for the test he realises his past won't bear close inspection. He then persuades Eve to "vamp" Bill's kid brother, Eddie, who has a huge crush on her and is all set to take a job in the mail flying corps. She wants him to take the dangerous mining job - Otto intends Eddie to land in a remote spot, then claim he has been robbed of the payroll. They will go 50-50 but it is clear Otto intends to kill Eddie and take off with it all. Eddie refuses backed up by Eve who has now fallen in love with Eddie.And where is the star Lloyd Hughes?? - as good guy Bill he has a role he could play in his sleep. He could easily be dispensed with - he doesn't even get a look in with the girl. Otto and Eddie (equally colourless Matty Kemp) are duking it out for those honours. The aerial shots make up probably about 10 minutes of the actual movie. Most interesting member of the cast is Norman Kerry who had a pretty healthy silent career - he was leading man in three Lon Chaney specials "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", "The Phantom of the Opera" and "The Unknown" but he didn't much survive the talkies and this was one of his last. In the 1930s he went to France and joined the Foreign Legion so maybe he had a mysterious past!!

This lumbering early sound film can be added to the roll call of aviation movies of the day - WINGS, DAWN PATROL, LAST FLIGHT, DEVIL'S SQUADRON, EAGLE AND THE HAWK. This time it's barnstorming airmen, making the film a curious comparison with THE GYPSY MOTHS. The cast combines the talents of silent movie leading men Hughes (Ella Cinders, Lost World) and Kerry (Hunchback of Notre Dame), John Ford's resident heavy Churchill and technicians who would later work in the serials. Neither the performances or the handling create much interest but it is curious to hear the leads' voices and the subject and it's small town USA setting deliver some interest.