Fugitive in the Sky

In Los Angeles, a departing plane is headed for New York City and making a stop in Albuquerque. Reporter Terry Brewer (Warren Hull) is speaking to his stewardess girl Rita Moore (Jean Muir) when he spots federal agent Mike Phelan boarding the plane. He realizes that something is up and buys the last remaining seat. There are about a dozen passengers. Pilot Bob White (Gordon Oliver) is also pursuing Rita. While in the air after the stop, a dead body is found on the plane.

The cross-dressing is rather campy despite the crime mystery thriller. The tension is never that high. This is more a commuter jump than a transAtlantic flight. It is definitely a B-movie and it cannot climb any higher. The production is limited. This is functional but limited.

The setting; A 1930's airliner (a classic Ford Tri-Motor!) on a cross-country flight.

The weather grows worse, with a mid-west dust storm threatening to bring down the aircraft.

Suddenly, the situation becomes much worse with two further complications:

1) A passenger is stabbed to death--while all are sleeping! Whodunit?

2) A notorious gunman, "Killer Madsen" is in disguise on board and fleeing from the law!

The crew and passengers must keep their cool as the weather gets worse and the desperate gunman takes over the aircraft, threatening everyone!

The kicker; The hard-as-nails, gun-pointing 'Killer Madsen' claims that he is NOT the murderer of the passenger !

So the question remains; Who killed the passenger?... ....And Why??

A fast-paced little film with sly, slick and sharp dialogue, great atmosphere, and a LOT of Fun !

I recently had the opportunity to see this film via the TCM Cable Channel and found it enjoyable, but more as a comedy with dramatic overtones rather than a drama mystery. As a product of its time, 1936, I am sure it probably entertained viewers as a mystery, but time has sheered that veneer from it especially in light of these times. I agree with an earlier comment made about the dialogue, which is now somewhat comically outdated. As I listened to Howard Phillips go on as killer Madsen, I could not help but be reminded of current actor Bruce Campbell. I especially enjoyed the performances of Don Barclay as an inebriated passenger and John Kelly as a boxer, which I felt in many ways stole the movie from the leads, such as the lovely Jean Muir. I do give credit though to those who set the scene involving the dust storm segment and found it to be well done. With a little more work this movie had the potential to be a good thriller and I feel would be an excellent candidate to be redone today.

Fair action drama that although involves a death in the air cannot really be termed a mystery. The plot is more concerned with the attempt of "Killer" Madsen to evade the law and the romance of the two actors than with solving the murder. Good technical effects of dust storm but the interior of the aircraft is much larger than in real life. Shots of landing in Albuquerque, New Mexico were obviously filmed elsewhere. How the plane lands safely is something only Hollywood could invent. Some unusual twists to the plot and interesting exterior shots of old airplanes make this worth your time only if there is nothing else available. Oh yes, at the end the murder is solved.

A fugitive takes the passengers of a blimp captive, until it crashes and they are all left to wander through the windy desert.

This film is hilarious and suspenseful. A great piece of film making that demonstrates what a good team can do with a small B-movie. Unlike most B-films, the characters are quite memorable, and for their personalities, as opposed to one random funny line.

Definitely watch this film if you are a fan of classic movies. It's not very dramatic or beautiful, but it is a solid film that's definitely worth an hour of your time.