Flight (1929 Film)
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''Flight'' is a 1929 American
pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was an era in the Cinema of the United States, American film industry that occurred between the widespread adoption of sound in film in the late 1920s and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorship gui ...
adventure An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme spo ...
and
aviation Aviation includes the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. ''Aircraft'' include fixed-wing and rotary-wing types, morphable wings, wing-less lifting bodies, as well as lighter-than-air aircraft such as h ...
film directed by
Frank Capra Frank Russell Capra (born Francesco Rosario Capra; May 18, 1897 – September 3, 1991) was an Italian-American film director, producer, and screenwriter who was the creative force behind Frank Capra filmography#Films that won Academy Award ...
. The film stars Jack Holt,
Lila Lee Lila Lee (born Augusta Wilhelmena Fredericka Appel; July 25, 1905 – November 13, 1973) was a prominent screen actress, primarily a leading lady, of the silent film and early sound film eras. Early life The daughter of Augusta Fredericka App ...
and
Ralph Graves Ralph Graves (born Ralph Horsburgh; January 23, 1900 – February 18, 1977) was an American screenwriter, film director and actor who appeared in more than 90 films between 1918 and 1949. Biography Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Graves had already ...
, who also came up with the story, for which Capra wrote the dialogue. Dedicated to the
United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...
, the production was greatly aided by their full cooperation.


Plot

College football player Lefty Phelps (
Ralph Graves Ralph Graves (born Ralph Horsburgh; January 23, 1900 – February 18, 1977) was an American screenwriter, film director and actor who appeared in more than 90 films between 1918 and 1949. Biography Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Graves had already ...
) causes his school to lose the big game when he gets disoriented after a tackle and runs the wrong way. After being treated decently by gruff U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant "Panama" Williams ( Jack Holt), a spectator, Phelps decides to enlist in the Marines himself. He is selected to attend pilot training school at
Naval Air Station Pensacola Naval Air Station Pensacola or NAS Pensacola (formerly NAS/KNAS until changed circa 1970 to allow Nassau International Airport, now Lynden Pindling International Airport, to have IATA code NAS), "The Cradle of Naval Aviation", is a United Sta ...
, where Williams is a flying instructor. When Williams finally recognizes Lefty, he befriends him and takes him under his wing. On his first attempt at solo flight, however, Lefty is taunted about the football game by fellow recruit Steve Roberts ( Harold Goodwin), and cannot take off, resulting in a crash. Panama rescues Lefty from the burning aircraft, suffering burns to his hands. Lefty is "washed out" by his squadron commander, Major Rowell ( Alan Roscoe). Lefty is taken to the base hospital, where he falls for Navy nurse Elinor Murray (
Lila Lee Lila Lee (born Augusta Wilhelmena Fredericka Appel; July 25, 1905 – November 13, 1973) was a prominent screen actress, primarily a leading lady, of the silent film and early sound film eras. Early life The daughter of Augusta Fredericka App ...
). When the "Flying Devils" squadron is sent to quell bandit attacks by the notorious General Lobo in
Nicaragua Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-most populous country in Central America aft ...
, Panama arranges for Lefty to accompany him as his mechanic. Panama shows Lefty a photograph of Elinor, the love of his life, not knowing Lefty is in love with her too. When Elinor is sent to Nicaragua, she does not understand the guilt-stricken Lefty's cool reception. When the girl-shy Panama asks Lefty to propose to Elinor on his behalf, Elinor confesses her love for him instead, after which Panama accuses Lefty of betrayal. An urgent call for help by a Marine outpost under bandit attack stops any confrontation. Lefty flies as gunner for Steve Roberts, who makes fun of him about shooting in the right direction. During the mission, their aircraft is shot down in a swamp. Unwilling to join in the rescue, Panama reports in sick, but once Elinor convinces him that Lefty never betrayed him, he flies his own solo rescue mission. At the crash site, Roberts dies of his injuries and is cremated by Lefty using their aircraft as a funeral pyre. Panama finds Lefty but is wounded by bandits led by General Lobo, after his landing. Lefty kills the attacking bandits, takes off, and brings the pair back, putting on an impressive flying display over the base that includes safely landing the aircraft after it loses a wheel. Sometime later, Lefty has won his wings and is now an instructor at the school, married to Elinor. When his wife arrives in their new car, Lefty accidentally pulls away in reverse.


Cast

* Jack Holt as Gunnery Sergeant "Panama" Williams *
Lila Lee Lila Lee (born Augusta Wilhelmena Fredericka Appel; July 25, 1905 – November 13, 1973) was a prominent screen actress, primarily a leading lady, of the silent film and early sound film eras. Early life The daughter of Augusta Fredericka App ...
as Elinor Murray *
Ralph Graves Ralph Graves (born Ralph Horsburgh; January 23, 1900 – February 18, 1977) was an American screenwriter, film director and actor who appeared in more than 90 films between 1918 and 1949. Biography Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Graves had already ...
as Corporal "Lefty" Phelps * Eddy Chandler* as Marine Sergeant, Panama's buddy * Edgar Dearing* as Football Coach *Jimmy De La Cruze* as "Lobo" Sandino, the bandit leader * Harold Goodwin* as Corporal Steve Roberts * George Irving* as Marine Colonel in Nicaragua * Alan Roscoe* as Major James D. Rowell * ''uncredited''


Production

At the time of production, Jack Holt's career with Columbia Pictures was as a leading man. Capra specifically asked for him to star as the laconic pilot and with the acquiescence of studio head
Harry Cohn Harry Cohn (July 23, 1891 – February 27, 1958) was a co-founder, president, and production director of Columbia Pictures, Columbia Pictures Corporation. Life and career Cohn was born to a working-class Jewish family in New York City. His fath ...
, his role in Flight was emblematic of the studio's reliance on the popular and profitable action film. Receiving full cooperation from the Marine Corps, including the use of facilities and personnel at
Naval Base San Diego Naval Base San Diego is a United States Navy base in San Diego, California. It is the world's second largest surface ship naval base. Naval Base San Diego is the principal homeport of the United States Pacific Fleet, consisting of over 50 ships ...
and NAS North Island, provided the authentic settings Capra required.Capra 1971, pp. 108–109. The initial flying sequence depicts the landing and taxi of an FB-1 fighter, with Holt stepping from the cockpit. { The flight training sequences were staged using Consolidated NY-1B trainers based at San Diego. Nine Marine Corps Curtiss OC-2 aircraft from Marine Attack Squadron 231 (VMA-231) were featured in the aerial combat sequences. The squadron, along with VO-10M (Marine Observation Squadron 10), also prominently appeared in ''
Devil Dogs of the Air ''Devil Dogs of the Air'' (a.k.a. ''Flying Marines'') is a 1935 Warner Bros. film, directed by Lloyd Bacon and starring James Cagney and Pat O'Brien, playing similar roles as close friends after making their debut as a "buddy team" in '' Here Co ...
'' (1935).McBride 1992, p. 205. A total of 28 aircraft were at Capra's disposal and with the benefit of using actual aircraft, Capra did not have to rely on "process shots" or special effects which was the standard of the day, although dangerous crash scenes and a mass night takeoff were staged using studio miniatures. Along with principal aerial photographer, Elmer Dyer, who filmed from a camera-equipped aircraft, Capra flew alongside in a director's aircraft to coordinate the aerial scenes. Jack Holt who was an accomplished pilot, flew in the film but crashed during one scene. Capra pushed for aerial close-ups and in one scene, wanted Holt to stand up in the cockpit but his parachute had deployed, and he remained seated, causing the scene to be abandoned. Noted Marine Corps exhibition pilots Lts. Bill Williams and Jerry Jerome were also involved in the production.Capra 1971, p. 109.


Historical accuracy

Capra also shot on location in La Mesa and Fallbrook, California, used for the Nicaragua scenes. Although a fictional treatment, the military action depicted in Nicaragua was based on the Battle of Ocotal on July 16, 1927 when the Marines battled hundreds of
Sandinista The Sandinista National Liberation Front (, FSLN) is a socialist political party in Nicaragua. Its members are called Sandinistas () in both English and Spanish. The party is named after Augusto César Sandino, who led the Nicaraguan resistan ...
rebels. Importing
fire ant Fire ants are several species of ants in the genus ''Solenopsis'', which includes over 200 species. ''Solenopsis'' are stinging ants, and most of their common names reflect this, for example, ginger ants and tropical fire ants. Many of the nam ...
s for the swamp scene became controversial as the ants were capable of biting through the actors' clothing. The opening scene where the football star takes off in the wrong direction was based on Capra's recalling a notable incident he witnessed, along with Columbia studio boss Harry Cohn, during the 1929 Rose Bowl when
Roy Riegels Roy Riegels (April 4, 1908 – March 26, 1993) was an American college football center who played for the California Golden Bears from 1927 to 1929. Riegels was nicknamed "Wrong Way" due to his infamous wrong-way run in the 1929 Rose Bowl, wh ...
was tackled by his own team after picking up a fumble and running toward his own goal line. Footage from the actual game is used.


Reception

''Flight'' garnered a lukewarm response from critics and did well at the box office. Typical of the reviews was the one appearing in ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'': "During those all too brief moments when the producer skips away from melodramatic flubdub, tedious romantic passages and slapstick comedy and turns to scenes of airplanes in formation and flying stunts, 'Flight,' a talking film presented last night by Columbia Pictures Corporation at the George M. Cohan and dedicated to the United States Marines, is well worth watching."Hall, Mordaunt
"Review: Flight."
''The New York Times,'' September 14, 1929.
In a later day review, Alun Evans lumped the film in with similar
propaganda film A propaganda film is a film that involves some form of propaganda. Propaganda films spread and promote certain ideas that are usually religious, political, or cultural in nature. A propaganda film is made with the intent that the viewer will ad ...
s of the silent era that depicted US involvement in Mexican and Latin American conflicts.Evans 2000, p. 71. Largely forgotten today, ''Flight'' is representative of Capra's early period and fits in well with the silent ''
Submarine A submarine (often shortened to sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. (It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability.) The term "submarine" is also sometimes used historically or infor ...
'' (1928) and later ''
Dirigible An airship, dirigible balloon or dirigible is a type of aerostat ( lighter-than-air) aircraft that can navigate through the air flying under its own power. Aerostats use buoyancy from a lifting gas that is less dense than the surrounding ...
'' (1931) as a trio of military-themed productions. Now available in home video, the film is rarely broadcast as it is considered a minor work in the Capra filmology.


See also

*
List of early sound feature films (1926–1929) This is a list of early pre-recorded sound and part or full talking feature films made in the United States and Europe during the transition from silent film to sound film, sound, between 1926 and 1929. During this time a variety of recording syst ...


References


Notes


Citations


Bibliography

* Blottner, Gene. ''Columbia Pictures Movie Series, 1926-1955: The Harry Cohn Years''. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, 2011. . * Capra, Frank. ''Frank Capra, The Name Above the Title: An Autobiography''. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1971. . * Dick, Bernard F. ''Columbia Pictures: Portrait of a Studio''. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky, 1992. I. * Dolan Edward F. Jr. ''Hollywood Goes to War''. London: Bison Books, 1985. . * Evans, Alun. ''Brassey's Guide to War Films.'' Dulles, Virginia: Potomac Books, 2000. . * Harwick, Jack and Ed Schnepf. "A Viewer's Guide to Aviation Movies". ''The Making of the Great Aviation Films,'' General Aviation Series, Volume 2, 1989. * McBride, Joseph. ''Frank Capra: The Catastrophe of Success''. New York: Touchstone Books, 1992. . * Scherle, Victor and William Levy. ''The Films of Frank Capra''. Secaucus, New Jersey: The Citadel Press, 1977. .


External links

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''Flight''
at Virtual History {{Frank Capra 1929 films 1929 adventure films American aviation films American black-and-white films Columbia Pictures films Films directed by Frank Capra Films about the United States Marine Corps American adventure films 1920s English-language films 1920s American films English-language adventure films