Flight Angels

This film is far better than the usual kind of fluff aviation film made during the late 1930's and into the late 1940's. I expected a light romantic comedy--"not that there is anything wrong with that!"--and was surprised that it is quite interesting on other levels. The plot involved all the predictable vicissitudes of a pilot trying to come to grips with losing his flight qualification due to failing eyesight, and the film does have its share of predictable situations and character foibles. But what is most interesting is how it accurately reflects the state of aviation at the time: the concern over furnishing more reliable and safe all-weather commercial aviation, the challenge and opportunity of developing long-range high-altitude "stratosphere" airplanes, and the behind-the-scenes concern of national security, namely the expectation that we might be eventually involved in the war in China (and of course we were, a year after this film came out, following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor). The airplane star of the show is the relatively new Douglas DC-3 (then just 4 years in airline service), a 21 passenger airliner, but there are also very good in-flight visuals of the Lockheed Model 10 Electra, the "stratosphere ship" of the movie. Finally, the acting is better than one might expect--minimal histrionics, some genuine chuckles, and a dialogue that includes some interesting lines. Virginia Bruce is coolly luscious, Denny Morgan and Wayne Morris do a credible job as airmen, and Ralph Bellamy is appropriately "heavy" as their boss. (Incidentally, in the "real world," Morris was inspired by his role in this film to become a Navy pilot, flying Grumman Hellcats in the Pacific and shooting down 7 Japanese planes). A very enjoyable movie, particularly for anyone interested in aviation in the heyday of the propeller-driven airplane!

Lewis Seiler spent most of his career at Warner Brothers and this one is not one of his most important ones. It is fun, fast paced, cool to watch; the Warner Bros trademark, and the movies about airplanes were galore in the thirties and forties. This film is just common, but rather rare for movie goers, that's all. Action, romance, comedy and that's it. You have been warned. I am tired of this after forty years of oldies watching. I guess this film is easily available thanks to the public domain rights. For airplanes movies lovers only, and I suppose there are many of them. Entertaining light hearted drama.

Chick and Art (dennis morgan, wayne morris) are pilots, working on some big, secret project. Ralph bellamy is the ground dispatcher. Mary and Nan (virginia bruce, jane wyman) are the flight attentdants, dealing with the flirtatious pilots and the demanding passengers. Dick Elliot (the mayor, on andy griffith) is the always laughing passenger. When the pilots have setbacks of all types, they have to deal with them on their own terms. It's pretty bland, a warner brothers shortie. Some big names though... bellamy and bruce were pretty huge by now. Morgan was just getting big with kitty foyle and later. Imdb says the airport scenes were filmed at burbank arrrrport. Directed by Lew Seiler. I guess in those days, since not many people flew around in planes, it was probably pretty exciting.

The Flight Angels are the stewardesses of American Airlines, here shown flying hither and yon from their airport base where they spend a lot of time gossiping and applying makeup. Virginia Bruce and Jane Wyman are the Angels we care about, but this being the 1940s, the action involves pilots Dennis Morgan and Wayne Morris, who are involved in the development of a super secret aircraft when they're not busy flying passengers from Point A to Point B. Flight Angels is nicely shot by cinematographer L. William O'Connell and features a vaguely provocative screenplay (one of the stewardesses actually gets away with saying the words 'sex appeal'), but ultimately doesn't rise above its second feature aspirations. Not bad, but predictable.

FLIGHT ANGELS is one of the scripts Olivia de Havilland turned down and was put on suspension for refusing to do after her success in GWTW. It's easy to see why. De Havilland was to play the VIRGINIA BRUCE role of the stewardess pursued by DENNIS MORGAN, as bland a role as Bruce ever had. Her career was on the downswing at this time.

It's really no more than a competent programmer designed to give exposure to Morgan and JANE WYMAN who were the studio's busiest contract stars and one can easily see that Olivia deserved better material than this. Wyman has her usual role as the heroine's brassy best friend and Morgan simply dispenses his usual Irish charm with WAYNE MORRIS as co-pilot.

From the very start, it's a compilation of tired clichés, unbelievably vapid dialogue, sexist depiction of females with nothing on their empty minds but fighting over men, and, in general, runs downhill when we're subjected to a lot of silly shenanigans by Jane Wyman, angry with her boyfriend Wayne Morris.

On the serious side, JOHN LITEL gives DENNIS MORGAN an eye exam that shows he shouldn't be flying planes and the rest of the predictable plot deals with Morgan's dilemma. At least the dramatic moments are easier to take than the ill advised attempts at comedy.

Summing up: This one was grounded from the start with a worthless script.