Men Against the Sky

I just saw Men Against the Sky on TCM. Has anyone ever commented on the use of the Hughes H-1 racer as the experimental plane in that picture? Hughes broke the land speed record with it in 1935, reaching the amazing, for that time, speed of 350+ mph. The movie was made in 1940. I assume the shots in the film were taken during the testing of the H-1 five years earlier. That plane is now in the Smithsonian. I was surprised that no mention of this use ever came out during the publicity for the Hughes Biopic, The Aviator. Men Against the Sky was an RKO picture, and I think Howard Hughes was connected the that studio. There was no mention of Hughes in the closing credits of the film. Paul Mantz, noted movie pilot was the aviation consultant on the film.

From the early thirties to the early forties there seems to have been a plethora of films about the development of aviation.The modest aims of this film and the fact that it only lasts 76 minutes seems to indicate that by the time this film was made the interest in these type of films was waning,about to be overtaken by war films.It had to be said that the model work in this film is all too obvious and looks as if it was made in the producers garage rather than by a major studio.The plot itself is routine and for the umpteenth time we have a hero redeem himself in the final reel.Richard Dix is one of those square jawed hero figures who no longer exist in films.He is the only real reason to watch this film.

Hard to believe the progress of flight in the 20th century. From 1903 to 1940, the technological advance was as profound as the internet.

But in 1940,guys still built planes in their garages.

The planes were tested with fingers crossed.

A single guy would design a plane, build it and test it.

Some crashed, some died, some succeeded. This picture is all these stories,plus a little romance. Very entertaining.

This is the true story of Mc Lean Air Corp ( later acquired by Hughes himself).

Classic line: He shouldn't be allowed to go up in an elevator.

Famous flyer Phil Mercedes (Richard Dix) is battling the bottle and crashes his plane. His sister Kay (Wendy Barrie) ends up supporting him. With Europe at war, McLean Aircraft is struggling to build a new fighter plane for a competition. Kay shows chief engineer Martin Ames (Kent Taylor) a plane design by her brother. It intrigues Ames.

It's a B-movie with a plane. The actors are fine. The story is fine if a bit flat. I don't care that much about the business side. I would like more of the real plane and flying. The miniatures are only going so far. It needs some real flying but that probably costs money. This is still very much a B-movie.

After he gets flying drunk, daredevil aviator Richard Dix (as Phil Mercedes) gets his plane smashed. The once popular stunt-man loses his license and livelihood. Fortunately, his pretty sister Wendy Barrie (as Kay) knows the well-oiled Dix is a fine engineer. His designs could save the aircraft manufacturing company owned by Edmund Lowe (as Dan McLean). Chief engineer Kent Taylor (as Martin "Marty" Ames) works there, and he is Ms. Barrie's love interest. Some of the aviation footage is exciting, especially the opening crash, but "Men against the Sky" is otherwise quite dull. The leading man disappears for long stretches, gets no romantic interest, and participates in an odd stunt. The ending leaves Dix and the film up in the air.

**** Men against the Sky (1940-09-06) Leslie Goodwins ~ Richard Dix, Kent Taylor, Wendy Barrie, Edmund Lowe