''Sky High Saunders'' (aka ''Skyhigh Saunders'' and ''Sky-High Saunders'')is a 1927 American silent

action film The action film is a film genre that predominantly features chase sequences, fights, shootouts, explosions, and stunt work. The specifics of what constitutes an action film has been in scholarly debate since the 1980s. While some scholars such as D ...

directed by

Bruce M. Mitchell Bruce M. Mitchell (November 16, 1883 – September 26, 1952) was an American film director and writer active during the silent film era from 1914 to 1934. With the advent of sound films in the 1930s, Mitchell abandoned directing and became an a ...

. The film stars Al Wilson (playing both "Sky-High" Saunders and his twin brother, Michael Saunders), Elsie Tarron and Frank Rice. ''Sky High Saunders'' was one of a series of films that showcased the exploits of the stunt pilots in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

Plot

While searching for his twin brother, Michael Saunders ( Al Wilson), whom his family believes was killed in combat, "Sky-High" Saunders discovers a gang of aircraft smugglers. The leader, George Delatour (

Bud Osborne Leonard Miles "Bud" Osborne (July 20, 1884 – February 2, 1964) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 600 films and television programs between 1912 and 1963. Biography Osborne was born Miles Osborne in Knox County, Texas, ...

), is in love with schoolteacher Helen Leland (Elsie Tarron), whom Sky-High saves from the smuggler's unwelcome attentions, knocking him unconscious in a fight. Mistaking Sky-High for Michael, Delatour seeks to get even but is convinced that he has been "seeing things." On the trail of the smugglers, Sky-High shoots down his brother's aircraft; Michael dies in his arms. Sky-High keeps a rendezvous with the gang, disguised as his brother, and with aid from

Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...

aircraft he dynamites their mountain stronghold while dealing with Delatour on the wings of his aircraft. Sky-High even ends up with his brother's girlfriend.

Cast

* Al Wilson as "Sky-High"' Saunders / Michael Saunders * Elsie Tarron as Helen Leland * Frank Rice as "Whispering" Hicks *

as George Delatour * Billy "Red" Jones as Kid

Production

Al Wilson was not only the star of ''Sky High Saunders'' but also flew as a "stunt pilot" in the film. After Wilson became a flying instructor and a short period as manager of the

Mercury Aviation Company Mercury Aviation Company was one of the first commercial airline services founded in by Cecil B. DeMille. DeMille, Hollywood American film director and producer, was one of the first to see the aircraft's potential in commercial airline service. ...

, founded by one of his students,

Cecil B. DeMille Cecil Blount DeMille (; August 12, 1881January 21, 1959) was an American filmmaker and actor. Between 1914 and 1958, he made 70 features, both silent and sound films. He is acknowledged as a founding father of American cinema and the most co ...

, Wilson became more and more skilled in performing stunts, including wing-walking, and left the company to become a professional stunt pilot, specializing in

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 ...

films. Production started on ''Sky High Saunders'' in 1927 at the newly-established Wilson Aero Service at

Glendale Airport Glendale Regional Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located west of the central business district of Glendale, a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for ...

, California. Wilson had joined with his brother, Roy, another pilot, to create a fixed-base operation that not only worked on Hollywood films but also offered charter and passenger flights. Wilson worked together with stuntmen like Frank Clarke and Wally Timm and also for film companies, including

Universal Pictures Universal City Studios LLC, doing business as Universal Pictures (also known as Universal Studios or simply Universal), is an American filmmaking, film production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered at the 10 Universal Ci ...

. After numerous appearances in stunt roles, he started his career as an actor in 1923 with the serial ''

The Eagle's Talons ''The Eagle's Talons'' is a 1923 American film serial directed by Duke Worne. The film is considered to be lost. Cast * Fred Thomson Frederick Clifton Thomson (February 26, 1890 – December 25, 1928) was an American silent film cowbo ...

''.Wynne 1987, pp. 5–17. Wilson produced his own movies until 1927, when he went back to work with Universal.

Reception

Aviation film historian Stephen Pendo, in ''Aviation in the Cinema'' (1985) said ''Sky High Saunders'' was only one of a long list of aviation films that showcased Wilson's talents.Pendo 1985, p. 7. He alternately wrote, acted and flew in a career that "spanned more than 10 years, and he acted in more films than any other professional pilot."Pendo 1985, pp. 7–8, 11.

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

* Pendo, Stephen. ''Aviation in the Cinema''. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1985. . * Wynne, H. Hugh. ''The Motion Picture Stunt Pilots and Hollywood's Classic Aviation Movies''. Missoula, Montana: Pictorial Histories Publishing Co., 1987. .

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sky High Saunders 1927 films 1920s action films Silent American action films Films directed by Bruce M. Mitchell American silent feature films Associated Exhibitors films American black-and-white films 1920s English-language films 1920s American films English-language action films