Die fliegende Flotte

Because this film came out in 1929 and studios were hurriedly switching to sound pictures, sound effects and music was added to this otherwise silent film. For this time period, it's a very good film--featuring excellent footage of naval aircraft and a good, though a tad predictable story about six friends who went to the Naval Academy and wanted to earn their pilot's wings. Little by little, the original group is now whittled down to two pilots who actually are able to complete the program--Ramon Novarro and Ralph Graves (who, incidentally, made many military-oriented films in the late 20s and early 1930s set on subs, derigibles and aircraft). Unfortunately, while they are best of friends, they also want the same girl (cute Anita Page) and the story is a combination of serious drama about the training and life of a navy pilot as well as a contest to see who gets the girl.

For the time period this was made, this is a much better than average film with excellent production values and an interesting story--particularly to nuts like me that love old aircraft. Also, for those aviation and history lovers out there, it's a good opportunity to see the USS Langley in action (this was America's first aircraft carrier).

This film, by the way, was created from a story idea from Frank Wead--a retired navy pilot who, after suffering a serious spinal injury, changed careers and became a Hollywood screenwriter and consultant--mostly (but not exclusively) for aviation films. His life was recreated in the film WINGS OF EAGLES--giving it all the usual John Ford sentimentality and gloss.

The Flying Fleet (1929)

*** (out of 4)

Good, if rather routine and predictable, drama about buddies Tommy (Ramon Novarro) and Steve (Ralph Graves) who are trying to earn their wings in the Navy but along the way they fall in love with the same woman (Anita Page) and it starts to ruin their friendship. Screenwriter Frank Wead was well known off the camera and most people remember him today for being played by John Wayne in THE WINGS OF EAGLES but he'd also write several screenplays including the one for THEY WERE EXPENDABLE. This here was his first screen writing job and while it's very routine and contains no shocks it does remain entertaining as it really comes off like a documentary. It really does seem as if Wead wanted to give people a good idea of what it was like being in the Navy in regards to what you have to go through, the comradery between men and of course their views on women. There's a funny bit where the men see Page in her bathing suit and say that's a great bit of seafood. What really makes this film work so well are the wonderful aerial shots including a couple terrific crashes. It seems all of these movies back in the silent era were trying to top each other in regards to their stunts and this one here is mighty impressive and just goes to show that CGI isn't needed. The ending is one people will see coming from miles away but the crash is quite tense as is the scenes in the water. Another plus are the three leads who are all in fine form. Both Novarro and Graves come across as real friends and their chemistry really jumps off the screen. Page is as beautiful as ever and comes across extremely charming. The three have no problems mixing it up and the supporting players are just as good. The one problem is that by even 1929 standards the love triangle is just too predictable and it really starts to drag the rest of the film down at times. With that said, THE FLYING FLEET is still worth checking out for the stars and stunts.

MGM was one of the last studios to convert to sound, and this is one of their late silents. By 1929, studios could easily add synchronized sound effects and music scores to films. It was synchronized speech by identifiable individual persons that so grounded the camera and caused so many problems.

This late silent, written by one of the founders of naval aviation, has a good if somewhat predictable story with some sound effects to accompany the flight and naval action scenes. The story opens on six graduating seniors at the Naval Academy on the eve of their graduation. The six have been the best of friends for four years, and all six want wings, but only two will make it all the way through. The other four don't make it for a whole number of reasons from being expelled on the eve of graduation, to something as simple and unpreventable as bad eyesight. The last two not only get their wings, they are competing for the affection of a young lady (Anita Page) who lives in San Diego.

It's got plenty of action and moves along nicely and absolutely could not have been shot as a sound film for at least a couple of more years when sound technology could finally go outdoors - and in the air - with ease. It's ironic that one of the first of these sound films, 1931's "Dirigible", also stars Ralph Graves playing the same kind of swaggering character that he does here.

As a native San Diegan I must admit my high rating is mostly for the nostalgia invoked by the incredible record this film creates of my hometown and its Navy traditions. USS Langley- check; aerial photography of San Diego and Coronado-check; more photography of the Hotel del Coronado than "Some Like It Hot"-check. The actors are beautiful and handsome, but for me, the star of the show is San Diego.

Ramon Navarro and Ralph Graves are two young Navy flyers vying for lovely Anita Page. They are also training for carrier landings and competing for the honor of piloting a large flying boat to Honolulu.

The story is pedestrian at best, puerile at worst, with a few moments of high drama. What makes this film truly memorable is the awesome aireal photography of cinematographer Charles A. Marshall. It's amazing that work of such quality was done at this time. There's also very good footage of the USS Langley, the Navy's first aircraft carrier, not to mention all the first generation naval aircraft. This lends great historical importance to this otherwise trivial film.

George W. Hill directed, and seems to have taken elements of this film and grafted them onto his later (1932) 'Hell Divers.'