L'ultima squadriglia

THE LOST SQUADRON (RKO Radio, 1932), directed by George Archainbaud, is not exactly a full-fledged war story dealing with ace pilots captured by the enemy or one about a military search for a lost patrol. It's one about veteran war pilots who become stunt pilots in aviation movies. Richard Dix, a leading man for the studio, highly popular due to his Academy Award winning epic western CIMARRON (1931), heads the cast playing the captain who risks everything for those under his command, the very same men who happen to be his closest friends in both squadron and civilian life.

Taken from the story by pilot/author, Dick Grace (who also appears in the movie as one of the pilots), the story focuses on ace pilots stationed in France shooting enemies followed by crash landings in air battle during the World War. A treaty has been signed naming November 11, 1918, as Armistice Day. With the war over, Christopher Gibson (Richard Dix), a captain in charge of his command, gathers together with pals Lieutenant "Woody Curwood (Robert Armstrong), 'Red" (Joel McCrea) and airplane mechanic, Fritz (Hugh Herbert) for one last drink of liquor before heading out for civilian life. Back in the states, the men return to find life they had known is not the same: Red returns to Sharkley and Company to inquire about his old job, only to refuse his position when it means an employer friend of his with a baby on the way will have to be let go; Woody discovers he is now broke when his business partner embezzles his funds; and Gibson returns to Follette Marsh (Mary Astor), a stage actress and the girl he loves, only to find she has another suitor (William B. Davidson) and learning they now have nothing in common. The four men gather together with a clause to simply stick together. Through the passage of time, with newspaper headlines reading about war veterans victims of the Depression when seen on bread lines, Gibson, Red and Fritz, now hobos, bum a freight train ride to Los Angeles to locate Woody. They find him in Hollywood escorted by two ladies attending a premiere of "Sky Heroes," an independent aviation war movie directed by Arthur Von Furst (Erich Von Stroheim), starring his wife, Follette Marsh. With Woody doing well in the movie business, he unionizes his war buddies employment working with him as stunt pilots for the upcoming aviation movie under Von Furst's direction. Problems arise when the insanely jealous director discovers his actress wife's past romance with 'Gibby," leading to his "accidental" airplane crackups and dangerous aerial scenes intended for Gibson to put him out of the way. Others in the cast include Dorothy Jordan (Woody's sister, alias "The Pest"); Ralph Ince (Jettick of the Homicide Squad); Marjorie Peterson (The Stenographer); and Ralph Lewis.

THE LOST SQUADRON has the distinction of having three separate stories for one motion picture. It starts off like a war drama, becomes a movie within a movie, and finishing off as a murder mystery. Of the co-stars, the sixth billed Erich Von Stroheim, a former actor/director himself of the silent screen, notably for GREED (1923), gives a notable performance doing a parody of himself of a tyrant director with unlikable personality. Von Stroheim's sarcasms with critical outbursts toward his staff simply earn him that distinction of "The Man You Love to Hate." Mary Astor gives a fine performance as the woman with acting ambition. Sadly her character disappears long before the movie's finish. Robert Armstrong, a pilot with his love for flying and boozing, is routinely played. Joel McCrea, early in his career, is satisfactory as the handsome young pilot pal while Hugh Herbert, famous for his befuddled characters in comedies for Warner Brothers and Universal, offers a rare treat in a straight role with some doses of comic touches early in the story. Let's not overlook Richard Dix, the hero in both war and civilian life, who gathers enough attention and likability during its 79 minutes.

Distributed on video cassette in the 1980s, and later on DVD decades later, THE LOST SQUADRON had the rare distinction of being one of the true vintage RKO movies (prior to 1933) to continue its New York City broadcasts on WOR, Channel 9 (home of the RKO Radio film library) well into 1974, It was also broadcast around the same time with its dubbed Spanish prints for the Spanish TV station of WNJU, Channel 47 (Newark, New Jersey). Once shown regularly on cable television's American Movie Classics prior to 2001, THE LOST SQUADRON, along with similar theme drama about movie stunt pilots, LUCKY DEVILS (RKO, 1933) starring William Boyd, can both be shown occasionally on Turner Classic Movies. (***)

Never forgetting THE LOST SQUADRON of the Great War days, three former flying aces stick together and become Hollywood stunt pilots.

RKO produced this little Pre-Code adventure drama--now nearly forgotten--and filled it with good acting and fine production values. The aerial scenes are exciting and the story keeps the viewer's interest right to the end. Important names from Hollywood's future loaned their talents behind the camera, with David O. Selznick as executive producer, additional dialogue by Herman J. Mankiewiez and the score composed by Max Steiner.

Refreshingly, the four buddies in this film (the three pilots and their mechanic sergeant) remain so through every difficulty, sparing the audience from much unnecessary screen angst, anger & animosity. These are indeed friends forever.

As leader of the group, firm-jawed Richard Dix adds another fine performance to his portrait gallery. Decent, charismatic & implacably faithful to his buddies, Dix makes a good hero, even if his final act goes perhaps a step too far. Not quite yet a major star, Joel McCrea plays his character as impetuous and romantic. Robert Armstrong, his adventures with KONG still a year away, is the alcoholic pilot who takes too many risks. Rounding out the quartet is the whimsical Hugh Herbert, his gentle, quirky humor a nice balance to the film's serious tone.

Beautiful Mary Astor lends elegance to the role of the movie actress who rejects love to advance her career. Dorothy Jordan plays Armstrong's lively sister, a real pal to the pilots.

In a wonderful piece of casting, the legendary Erich von Stroheim portrays the vile film director employing the pilots. Obviously playing a parody of himself, von Stroheim seems to relish the villainous role, strutting about like a slightly maniacal martinet, consumed with jealousy & rage, inflicting pain both psychic & physical on those under his control. His eventual fate is deliciously deserved.

I found this pre-code movie a tad predictable but still enjoyable on several levels. I thought the behind-the-scenes look at the making of a World War I movie in 1930's Hollywood were quite fascinating. Erich Von Stroheim's autocratic director was both menacing and acerbically funny at the same time, although bordering on the campy. Richard Dix as 'Gibby' was only adequate as the central character, but Joel McCrea's naturalism shone through as 'Red'. I found it interesting too, that one of the central themes of this movie was the inadequacy the flyers suffered in civilian life, becoming tramps before riding the rails to Hollywood. They were trained to fly in war, and they end up flying in war movies...the difficulty of adjusting to peacetime was an issue not touched upon much in Hollywood until "The Best Years of Our Lives", almost 15 years later. Finally, to the delight of those of us who love pre-code movies, we are treated to Robert Armstrong giving Dix the bird as Dix tries to coax Armstrong into landing his sabotaged plane!

By now, everyone knows that this film is significant to anyone writing a dissertation on obscenity in popular culture because of the flipping of the bird. However, this is not the film's only claim to modernity. The collaboration of many skilled film makers at the beginning of the talkie era, it has several imaginatively crafted scenes, with one (you will know which one I mean) being positively Jarmuschesque. The sound track in particular is brilliant. I can't get the song of the wind out of my head.

Plus, if you love Erich von Stroheim, and who doesn't, his character is based on him, or his reputation. Of course you love von Stroheim, who doesn't love Max from Sunset Boulevard? Here, he gets to show his directorial style, while giving the sort of all out performance he was trying to get out of his actors. If you like this, try "The Great Flamarion".

I am not surprised to read that the ending was re-shot. My husband and I were both mystified the first time we saw it. Some of the plot is hackneyed, but the acting and production values transcend.

You should probably know that I love airplane films--particularly one with vintage planes. So, I have a bias towards this sort of film and some may NOT be excited in seeing the biplanes flying about during the movie (even though many are post-WWI planes when they are supposed to be WWI aircraft).

Richard Dix, Robert Armstrong and Joel McCrea play three buddies who served in the Air Corps during the war. However, now that about a decade has passed, they are forced to make a living working stunt flying for a sadistic film director (Eric Von Stroheim). Eventually, just how evil the director is and the depths of his evil come to light and this leads to a dandy, though grisly, conclusion.

Interestingly, of the three pilots, the least famous and important was McCrea, as he was not yet an established star. The other two (Dix and Armstrong) were big names, though only a short time later they were relegated to "has-been" status. All did a decent job and the film, though a bit tough to believe, was entertaining and was more than just a time-passer.