Murder in the Clouds

The plot of this film revolves around "3 Star" a show-offy pilot at an airport. 3 Star likes to drink and likes to gamble as well as show off. Even though he's been grounded because of his stunts, 3 Star is brought in to fly a very important scientist to deliver his new explosive to the government. 3 Star is waylaid before the flight and another pilot is substituted by the bad guys. When the plane explodes in mid air its a race to find the wreckage and the cylinder containing the explosive before the bad guys do.

This is a breezy 60 minutes thats more than likely to keep you interested to the end. Although the plot may sound clichéd the characters and their interactions are not. Every character is quirky, but in a non-clichéd sort of way. 3 Star's gambling is atypical Hollywood, I don't know when I ever saw a character who said that he had been locked up for two days for gambling. The romance is decidedly off center, though it is very real. There seems to be more going on than just witty repartee between Judy and 3 Star, and they seem to have a long history before the film started that you can feel (which is something I rarely sense even in better movies).

I liked this movie a great deal.Granted its not the best movie ever made, but as a breezy hour long thriller its worth taking the time out to try.

Quicky 'B' picture (61") featuring now 2nd tier Stars of WARNER BROTHERS (W.B.). Lyle Talbot and Ann Dvorak were first rate Stars in the early days of the Sound-Era at the W.B. By 1934 they had fallen out of favor with Jack Warner, head of production at the Studio. Mr. Talbot because of his involvement with the Actors Labor movement. Ms. Dvorak because She felt over-used in trite material, complained too much and would not play casting-couch politics.

MURDER IN THE CLOUDS (1934) is another of those Aerial Adventures all the studios cranked out, with RKO leading the pack. This time a new 'secret explosive' must be shipped by air too our Government. What is needed is crack pilot 'Three-Star' Lyle Talbot. '3'Star is waylaid by enemy agents, the explosive stolen and Judy Wagner's (Dvorak) Brother is killed along with the Government Agents. Have no fear, with the help of Wings Mahoney (George Cooper) taking time off from 'comedy relief' both the explosive and Judy are rescued. The Villains meeting their just rewards.

Talbot's '3'Star is the typical overbearing ASS that was passed off as a 'hero' in that era. All of his irresponsible actions are forgotten and glossed over in the last reel. Dvorak only needs to look good and hit her mark, which She has no problem in doing. The Villains, Gordon 'Weasel' Westcott and ever dependable Russell Hicks are particularly ruthless. The murder of the Agents and Judy's Brother is merciless and as cold-blooded as you can imagine, told in flash-back. The film shows up on TCM and can be picked up either through www.oldies.com or at your local flee-market. Where I got my copy.

This is a 7 if compared with other hour-long B features of the day, not when compared with the A features of the same time period. There are plot holes big enough for ace pilot 3-star (Lyle Talbot) to fly his plane through, but that's OK, because the pace is brisk and the film is full of action. I won't list all of the questions that the characters - not to mention the screenplay writer - should have been asking, because I'd give too much away.

Suffice it to say that pilot Bob 'Three Star' Halsey gets himself grounded for hot-shotting in the air near the airport where he is based. His boss would love to fire him, but both the boss and Three Star know he's too good a pilot for him to lose him to another airline. Of course Halsey has a girl, Judy Wagner (Ann Dvorak), and Judy has a brother who is also a pilot based out of the airport. Up to now Judy has been having to share Bob with his love of the air, but along comes an espionage plot centering around an important invention needed by the military that is to be transported by the airline that soon changes everything.

There are some great aerial scenes here, and although the laws of reason - and sometimes physics as well as the limitations of human eyesight - are being violated left and right, it turns out to be fun although somewhat formulaic without being corny.

Daredevil pilot Bob Halsey (Lyle Talbot) is in love with stewardess Judy Wagner (Ann Dvorak), both working in Trans-America Airlines. Her brother Tom is also a pilot. Clement Williams had invented a new explosive and needs to transport it to DC. Federal agent Brownell arranges the secret flight with the company head, but the assistant overhears the conversation and passes it onto his spy contact.

The plot is convoluted. The characters have trouble keeping up and the audience is the same. The flying does save it for me. I really like the real flying sequences. I care less about the convoluted spy thriller story.

Some pretty big names in this plain little story. Lyle talbot and ann dvorak in their prime. When a hotdogger pilot gets in a fight, his friends try to fill in for him by taking his plane route. But the boss is on to them. And when tragedy strikes, now they need to figure out who-dunnit. The pilot and his sister are caught up in something huge. It's all pretty bland and straight forward. No big mystery, no real detective work. There is some stunt work in the airplanes, so that was interesting. Directed by ross lederman. Odd.. as of today, his imdb entry shows his spouse was doris warner, but wikipedia dot org says his wife was june. Dvorak had been around since the silent films as a toddler, but she really hit her stride in the 1930s, with "three on a match", and "merrily we live".