''The Man Who Found Himself'', also known as ''Wings of Mercy'', is a 1937 American aviation film based on the unpublished story "Wings of Mercy" by Alice F. Curtis. The film marked the first starring role for 19-year-old

Joan Fontaine Joan de Beauvoir de Havilland (October 22, 1917 – December 15, 2013), known professionally as Joan Fontaine, was a British-American actress who is best known for her starring roles in Hollywood films during the "Golden Age". Fontaine appeared ...

, who was billed as the "new RKO screen personality", highlighted following the end of the film by a special "on screen" introduction. Unlike many of the period films that appeared to glorify aviation, it is a complex film, examining the motivations of both doctors and pilots.

Plot

Young doctor Jim Stanton has two passionate interests in conflict with each other. He is first a conscientious surgeon, but in his spare time, pursues his love of flying, a dangerous hobby that his well-intentioned father abhors. His father is a well-regarded doctor who does his best to curtail his son's flying. When Jim crashes, his passenger, a married woman is killed. The resulting scandal prompts the hospital to put him on probation. Believing that he is innocent and wronged, Jim becomes a hobo and is arrested for vagrancy and put to work on a road crew in Los Angeles. He runs into an old pal, Dick Miller, who persuades him to take a job as a mechanic for Roberts Aviation. On an emergency flight that turns out to be less than routine, nurse Doris King becomes suspicious of the new employee who not only can handle the controls of an aircraft, but also knows what to do in a medical emergency. Doris finds out the truth about Jim from an inquisitive newspaper reporter, "Nosey" Watson. She persuaded the company's boss to make Jim the pilot of the "aerial ambulance" airplane. Jim reaches a train crash ahead of other doctors, to find his injured father (a passenger, along with Doris) operating on a patient. Jim steps in to help out.

Cast

* John Beal as Dr. James Stanton Jr. *

as Nurse Doris King * Phillip Huston as Richard "Dick" Miller * Jane Walsh as Barbara Reed * George Irving as Dr. James Stanton Sr. *

Jimmy Conlin Jimmy Conlin (October 14, 1884 – May 7, 1962) was an American character actor who appeared in almost 150 films in his 32-year career. Career Conlin was born in Camden, New Jersey in 1884, and his acting career started out in vaudeville, ...

as "Nosey" Watson * Frank M. Thomas as Mr. Roberts *

Diana Gibson Diana Gibson (March 21, 1915 – October 12, 1991) was an American film actress. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. M. E. LaBie, Gibson was born Rosemary LaBie in Chicago, Illinois. Her name was changed when she signed a contract with Universal ...

as Helen Richards *

Dwight Frye Dwight Iliff Frye (born Fry; February 22, 1899 – November 7, 1943) was an American character actor of stage and screen. He is best known for his portrayals of neurotic, murderous villains in several classic Universal horror films, such as R ...

as Hysterical patient *

Billy Gilbert William Gilbert Barron (September 12, 1894 – September 23, 1971), known professionally as Billy Gilbert, was an American actor and comedian. He was known for his comic sneeze routines. He appeared in over 200 feature films, short subjects ...

as Hobo

Production

Although Joan Fontaine, on contract with RKO, had already made her screen appearance in ''

No More Ladies ''No More Ladies'' is a 1935 American romantic comedy film directed by Edward H. Griffith. The film stars Joan Crawford and Robert Montgomery, and co-stars Charlie Ruggles, Franchot Tone, and Edna May Oliver. The screenplay credited to Donald ...

'' (1935), ''

A Million to One "A Million to One" is a song written by Phil Medley and first recorded by Jimmy Charles and the Revellettes. Chart history The single, released by Promo Records (P-1002), peaked at number five on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 singles chart. ...

'' (1937) and '' Quality Street'' (1937), opposite

Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress in film, stage, and television. Her career as a Hollywood leading lady spanned over 60 years. She was known for her headstrong independence, spirited perso ...

, the studio considered her a rising star, and touted ''The Man Who Found Himself'' as her first starring role.Fristoe, Roger
"Articles: The Man Who Found Himself."
''Turner Classic Movies''. Retrieved: October 11, 2012. A unique "photo-play"-style introduction was placed after the end credit. ''The Man Who Found Himself'' featured a number of

Lockheed Model 10 Electra The Lockheed Model 10 Electra is an American twin-engined, all-metal monoplane airliner developed by the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation in the 1930s to compete with the Boeing 247 and Douglas DC-2. The type gained considerable fame as one was f ...

s, a

Ford Trimotor The Ford Trimotor (also called the "Tri-Motor", and nicknamed the "Tin Goose") is an American three-engined transport aircraft. Production started in 1925 by the companies of Henry Ford and ended on June 7, 1933, after 199 had been made. It ...

, and other aircraft, while a Waco also served as a camera plane for the aerial sequences. Prolific director

Lew Landers Lew Landers (born Louis Friedlander, January 2, 1901 – December 16, 1962) was an American independent film and television director. Biography Born as Louis Friedlander in New York City, Lew Landers began his movie career as an actor. In 1914, ...

, who had gained a reputation for bringing projects in on time and budget, began the production January 12, 1937 and wrapped up principal photography by February 1937. In 1937 alone, Landers also completed ''Danger Patrol'', ''

Living on Love ''Living on Love'' (1937) is an American romantic comedy film released by RKO Radio Pictures. Directed by Lew Landers, it stars James Dunn, Whitney Bourne, and Joan Woodbury. The film is a remake of the RKO film ''Rafter Romance'' (1933). It is ...

'', '' Border Cafe'', '' You Can't Buy Luck'', ''They Wanted to Marry'' and '' Flight from Glory'' (another aviation-oriented film).

Reception

''The Man Who Found Himself'' received mixed reviews ranging from a caustic comment in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' – "The only thing the industry could possibly do now ... is to administer anesthetic to the audience" – to flattering mentions of the rising new star, Joan Fontaine.Beeman 1994, p. 9. Kate Cameron's comment in the New York '' Daily News'' was that "Miss Fontaine is as blonde as Miss

livia Livia Drusilla (30 January 59 BC – 28 September AD 29) was a Roman empress from 27 BC to AD 14 as the wife of Emperor Augustus Caesar. She was known as Julia Augusta after her formal adoption into the Julian family in AD 14. Livia was the ...

de Havilland is dark, but she has the same charm and poise which makes her sister one of the most promising younger actresses in Hollywood."

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

* Beeman, Marsha Lynn. ''Joan Fontaine: A Bio-Bibliography.'' Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood, 1994. . * Farmer, James H. ''Broken Wings: Hollywood's Air Crashes.'' Missoula, Montana: Pictorial Histories Pub Co., 1984. . * Fontaine, Joan. ''No Bed of Roses: An Autobiography.'' New York: William Morrow and Company, 1978. . * Wynne, H. Hugh. ''The Motion Picture Stunt Pilots and Hollywood's Classic Aviation Movies''. Missoula, Montana: Pictorial Histories Publishing Co., 1987. .

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Man Who Found Himself 1937 films American aviation films American black-and-white films Films directed by Lew Landers Films produced by Cliff Reid RKO Pictures films American drama films 1937 drama films Films set in Los Angeles 1930s English-language films 1930s American films