''Flight Into Nowhere'' is a 1938 American

adventure film An adventure film is a form of adventure fiction, and is a genre of film. Subgenres of adventure films include swashbuckler films, pirate films, and survival films. Adventure films may also be combined with other film genres such as action, a ...

directed by Lewis D. Collins, and produced by

Larry Darmour Lawrence J. Darmour (1895–1942) was an American film producer, operator of Larry Darmour Productions from 1927, and a significant figure in Hollywood's Poverty Row. Career Darmour was born in Flushing, Queens. In September 1927 he released th ...

for

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the multi ...

. The film stars Jack Holt, Jacqueline Wells and

Dick Purcell Richard Gerold Purcell Jr. (August 6, 1905 – April 10, 1944) was an American actor best known for playing Marvel Comics' Captain America in the 1943 film serial, co-starring with Lorna Gray and Lionel Atwill. Purcell also appeared in fil ...

. In the low-budget action film, the locale of South America jungles provides an exciting venue for "flyboy" Jack Holt, who is trying to establish a new route for an American airline.

Plot

Headstrong pilot Bill Kellogg (

), despite landing safely, flew his airliner into a storm, and is fired. When, his boss at Trans Continental Airways, Jim Horne ( Jack Holt), finds out Bill has secretly wed Joan Hammond ( Jacqueline Wells), the daughter of the airline's owner, he relents and allows Bill to keep his job. Fellow pilot, Ike Matthews ( James Burke), is assigned to a proving flight over the western coast of the South American jungle to photograph potential landing fields. Bill is jealous of the publicity that the first flight will achieve and steals the

aircraft An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air. It counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines. ...

to do the job himself. Flying in the same irresponsible way that made him dangerous, Bill pushes on, even when he is radioed that there is insufficient fuel on board. In running out of gas, Bill chooses to crash-land near an Indian village. Only an Indian woman, L-ana ( Karen Sorrell) helps Bill, as the villagers refuse to help him get back to civilization. Bill tries but is unable to get the radio working to send out an emergency message. Jim and Ike fly over the South American jungle, but a storm prevents them from spotting the village. They continue on to Rio Vista where the pilots meet Joan and for her sake, Jim organizes a rescue mission. Led by natives, the rescuers finds a village holding Dr. Butler ( Robert Fiske) captive. After a fierce battle, the doctor is freed but meanwhile, Bill, despondent over his fate, has taken on the native ways by marrying L-ana. Jim's expedition finally locates the tribe, but when he sees Bill's new life and native marriage, the two men cannot reconcile what has happened. Knowing he is now able to get back home, Bill leaves without L-ana, but her brother (

Fritz Leiber Fritz Reuter Leiber Jr. ( ; December 24, 1910 – September 5, 1992) was an American writer of fantasy, horror, and science fiction. He was also a poet, actor in theater and films, playwright, and chess expert. With writers such as Robert ...

) is enraged at this affront, and kills him. After returning to Rio Vista, Jim tells Joan that Bill died in the accident, sacrificing himself to avoid landing in a field full of women and children. Bill is able to allow Joan to accept that her husband still loved her and died courageously.

Cast

* Jack Holt as Jim Horne * Jacqueline Wells as Joan Hammond *

as Bill Kellogg * James Burke as Ike Matthews * Karen Sorrell as L-ana *

as Ti-ana *

Howard Hickman Howard Charles Hickman (February 9, 1880 – December 31, 1949) was an American actor, director and writer. He was an accomplished stage leading man, who entered films through the auspices of producer Thomas H. Ince. Career In 1900, Hickman ...

as Howard Hammond * Robert Fiske as Dr. Butler *

Hector Sarno Hector V. Sarno (April 24,1880 – December 16, 1953) was an American film actor who began in the silent film, silent era. He appeared in more than 180 films between 1912 and 1948. He was born in Naples, Italy and died in Pasadena, Californi ...

as Vincente * Agostino Borgato as Cannibal

Production

Principal photography on ''Flight Into Nowhere'', took place from January 20 to February 8, 1938, at the United Airport, Burbank (Los Angeles). The aircraft used in ''Flight Into Nowhere'' were: *

Douglas DC-3 The Douglas DC-3 is a propeller-driven airliner manufactured by Douglas Aircraft Company, which had a lasting effect on the airline industry in the 1930s to 1940s and World War II. It was developed as a larger, improved 14-bed sleeper versi ...

A-197 c/n 1929, NC16090 *

Northrop Gamma The Northrop Gamma was a single-engine all-metal monoplane cargo aircraft used in the 1930s. Towards the end of its service life, it was developed into the A-17 light bomber. Design and development The Gamma was a further development of the su ...

2D2 c/n 12, NC2111 * Lockheed Model 12A Super Electra c/n 1220, NC17376 *

Douglas O-38 The Douglas O-38 was an observation airplane used by the United States Army Air Corps. Between 1931 and 1934, Douglas built 156 O-38s for the Air Corps, eight of which were O-38Fs. Some were still in service at the time of the Pearl Harbor Attac ...

B *

Ryan ST The Ryan STs were a series of two seat, low-wing monoplane aircraft built in the United States by the Ryan Aeronautical Company. They were used as sport aircraft, as well as trainers by flying schools and the militaries of several countries ...

A c/n 128, NC16039 *

Fairchild 24 The Fairchild Model 24, also called the Fairchild Model 24 Argus and UC-61 Forwarder, is a four-seat, single-engine monoplane light transport aircraft designed by the Fairchild Aviation Corporation in the 1930s. It was adopted by the United Sta ...

C-8C c/n 2689, NC15346 *

Boeing 247 The Boeing Model 247 is an early United States airliner, and one of the first such aircraft to incorporate advances such as all-metal ( anodized aluminum) semimonocoque construction, a fully cantilevered wing, and retractable landing gear.

D c/n 1682, NC13301 *

Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing The Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing is an American biplane with an atypical negative wing stagger (the lower wing is farther forward than the upper wing). It first flew in 1932. Development At the height of the Great Depression, aircraf ...

NC1440 *

Lockheed Vega The Lockheed Vega is an American five- to seven-seat high-wing monoplane airliner built by the Lockheed Corporation starting in 1927. It became famous for its use by a number of record-breaking pilots who were attracted to the rugged and very l ...

c/n 11, NC7044

Reception

Aviation film historian James H. Farmer in ''Celluloid Wings: The Impact of Movies on Aviation'' (1984) described ''Flight Into Nowhere'' as "fast-paced formula fare".Farmer 1984, p. 306.

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

* Farmer, James H. ''Celluloid Wings: The Impact of Movies on Aviation''. Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania: Tab Books Inc., 1984. . * Paris, Michael. ''From the Wright Brothers to Top Gun: Aviation, Nationalism, and Popular Cinema''. Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press, 1995. . * Pendo, Stephen. ''Aviation in the Cinema''. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1985. .

External links

* * * * {{Lewis D. Collins 1938 films American aviation films 1930s English-language films American adventure films American black-and-white films 1938 adventure films Films directed by Lewis D. Collins 1930s American films