Legion of Lost Flyers

Last updated
Legion of Lost Flyers
Legion of Lost Flyers.jpg
Film poster
Directed by Christy Cabanne
Written byBen Pivar (original story)
Maurice Tombragel(screenplay)
Screenplay byMaurice Tombragel
Story byBen Pivar
Produced byBen Pivar
Starring Richard Arlen
Andy Devine
Anne Nagel
CinematographyJerome Ash
Edited byMaurice Wright
Music by H. J. Salter
Production
company
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • November 3, 1939 (1939-11-03)(US) [1]
Running time
63 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Legion of Lost Flyers (aka Legion of Lost Fliers) is a 1939 American B movie drama film directed by Christy Cabanne. [2] It stars Richard Arlen, Andy Devine, and Anne Nagel. [3] Legion of Lost Flyers was released by Universal Pictures on November 3, 1939. [4]

Contents

Plot

A group of pilots, because of unsavory or unearned reputations, establish an outpost of their own, running charter-flights and hauling supplies in the frozen wastelands of Alaska. Gene "Loop" Gillian (Richard Arlen), Gillian came to Alaska because he has been blamed for a crash where four men where killed. Bill Desert (Theodore Von Eltz), the head of the commercial airlines, refuses to hire him as a pilot, but at the request of aircraft mechanic "Beef" Brumley (Andy Devine), Desert hires Loop as a "grease jockey".

Brumley knows Gillian and does not believe the story about the deaths. Regarded as a coward by the other pilots, Ralph Perry (William Lundigan), Jake Halley (Guinn "Big Boy" Williams) and Smythe (Leon Ames), Gillian claims he is innocent of causing the deaths because it was really Perry who had taken the flight that night. Rumours continue to swirl about the incident.

Perry decides he has had enough and takes off in an stolen aircraft loaded with gold from a local mine. He ends up crashing in the wilderness in a remote canyon, with Gillian, the only one willing to fly to his rescue. After loading Perry on board, the take off ends in the aircraft suffering heavy damage.

On the return flight, the aircraft is falling to pieces. Perry panics and as Gillian nears the airfield, he forces Perry to confess on the radio about his involvement in the men's death. Gillian is reinstated as a pilot and falls in love with Paula (Anne Nagel) who had been the boss's sweetheart.

Cast

Production

Production dates for principal photography for Legion of Lost Flyers began on July 26, 1939. [5]

The aircraft used in Legion of Lost Flyers was:

Reception

Frank Nugent in his film review for The New York Times described the film as "You've seen all this before in your Class "C" dreams: Shacklike hangar, old crates to fly, mountainous terrain, handful of desperate crag-hoppers and so on. But this one has some new features which we'll wager you had never visualized as possibilities: for one, Richard Arlen wasn't the man who violated the code by bailing out of that big transport, leaving his passengers to perish, though how the guilty pilot was substituted in midair is not explained. For another, Mr. Arlen thrice performs the impossible: (1) lands his plane safely in a snow-clogged canyon, (2) takes off again without landing gear in spite of stumps, boulders and underbrush, and (3) after his plane has lost a wing and he himself has been concussively conked by his enemy, who does another bailout, what do you think becomes of Mr. Arlen? Well, sir, the broken plane crashes in a skidding, sickening heap on a convenient modern landing field, with streamlined ambulance service, and Mr. Arlen emerges from the wreckage with nothing worse than a bandage bound picturesquely around his brow." [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>Bright Eyes</i> (1934 film) 1934 film by David Butler

Bright Eyes is a 1934 American comedy drama film directed by David Butler. The screenplay by William Conselman is based on a story by David Butler and Edwin J. Burke.

Richard Arlen American actor (1899–1976)

Richard Arlen was an American actor of film and television.

<i>Tail Spin</i> 1939 film by Roy Del Ruth

Tail Spin is a 1939 aviation film. The screenplay was written by Frank Wead and directed by Roy Del Ruth. It was based on the book, "Women with Wings: A novel of the modern day aviatrix", authored by Genevieve Haugen, who was also an advisor and stunt pilot in the film. Tail Spin starred Alice Faye, Constance Bennett, Nancy Kelly, Joan Davis, Charles Farrell and Jane Wyman.

<i>Central Airport</i> (film) 1933 film

Central Airport is a 1933 American pre-Code aviation drama film directed by William A. Wellman, based on the John C. "Jack" Moffitt story, "Hawk's Mate". The film stars Richard Barthelmess and Sally Eilers. Central Airport was produced and released by Warner Bros., on April 15, 1933. John Wayne had an uncredited part in the film, playing a co-pilot, and this film features his first on-screen death.

<i>The Legion of the Condemned</i> 1928 film

The Legion of the Condemned is a 1928 American silent film directed by William A. Wellman and produced by Jesse L. Lasky, Wellman, and Adolph Zukor and distributed by Paramount Pictures. Written by former World War I flight instructor John Monk Saunders and Jean de Limur, with intertitles by George Marion, Jr., the film stars Fay Wray and Gary Cooper.

<i>Danger Flight</i> 1939 film by Howard Bretherton

Danger Flight is a 1939 American film directed by Howard Bretherton and starring John Trent as Tailspin Tommy Tompkins, Marjorie Reynolds, Milburn Stone and Jason Robards Sr. The film featured young aviation enthusiasts in a model club.

<i>Sky Patrol</i> 1939 American film

Sky Patrol is a 1939 American film directed by Howard Bretherton and starring John Trent, along with Marjorie Reynolds, Milburn Stone and Jason Robards Sr. The film also featured actor and comedian Jackie Coogan, who began his film career as a child actor in silent films.

<i>Death in the Air</i> 1936 film by Elmer Clifton

Death in the Air is a 1937 American film directed by Elmer Clifton and stars Lona Andre, John Carroll, Leon Ames and Henry Hall. The film is also known as Murder in the Air in the United Kingdom and as The Mysterious Bombardier. The film was Fanchon Royer's first production for her new company, Fanchon Royer Features, Inc. Film Daily reported that noted "G-Man" Melvin Purvis was offered a role in this film, but turned it down.

<i>Power Dive</i> 1941 film by James P. Hogan

Power Dive is a 1941 American film directed by James P. Hogan. The film stars Richard Arlen, Jean Parker and Helen Mack.

<i>Give Us Wings</i> 1940 film by Charles Lamont

Give Us Wings is a 1940 Universal comedic film starring the Dead End Kids and the Little Tough Guys. Several members of the casts of those series were also featured in "The East Side Kids" films.

Sabre Jet is a 1953 American Korean War war film drama directed by Louis King starring Robert Stack, Coleen Gray, Richard Arlen, Julie Bishop and Leon Ames. Shot in Cinecolor using United States Air Force footage. Sabre Jet was based on a story by the producer Carl Krueger with the screenplay written by the husband and wife playwright and screenwriting team of Dale Eunson and Katherine Albert. The opening credits state: "This picture is dedicated to the air force wives who shared their men with a world made desperate by the most brutal aggressor in history."

<i>International Squadron</i> (film) 1941 film by Lewis Seiler, Lothar Mendes

International Squadron is a 1941 American war film directed by Lewis Seiler and Lothar Mendes that starred Ronald Reagan, Olympe Bradna and in his final film, James Stephenson. The film is based on the Eagle Squadrons, American pilots who volunteered to fly for the Royal Air Force during World War II. International Squadron featured noted Hollywood pilot Paul Mantz who acted as the film's aerial coordinator and flew during the production.

<i>The Skywayman</i> 1920 film by James P. Hogan

The Skywayman was a 1920 American silent action drama film directed by James P. Hogan and produced and distributed by Fox Film Corporation. The film starred noted aerial stunt pilot Ormer Locklear and Louise Lovely. After having appeared in The Great Air Robbery (1919), a film that showcased his aerial talents, Locklear, considered the foremost "aviation stunt man in the world", was reluctant to return to the air show circuit. During the production, Locklear and his co-pilot Milton "Skeets" Elliot died after crashing during a night scene. The Skywayman was subsequently released shortly after, capitalizing on their deaths.

<i>Heartbreak</i> (1931 film) 1931 film

Heartbreak is a 1931 American Pre-Code war drama film directed by Alfred L. Werker and starring Charles Farrell, Madge Evans and Paul Cavanagh. The film was set primarily in Italy as an exotic locale but was actually filmed in California with the San Gabriel Mountains east of the Los Angeles Basin, standing in for the Italian Alps. The popularity of aviation films on World War I such as Heartbreak was still strong, but by 1934, was perceptibly waning.

"Aces of Action" was the informal nickname given to the movie teaming of Richard Arlen and Andy Devine. They made a number of low budget action films together for Universal.

<i>The Flying Mail</i> 1926 film

The Flying Mail is a 1926 American silent action film directed by Noel M. Smith. The film stars Al Wilson, Joseph W. Girard and Kathleen Myers. The Flying Mail was one of a series of films that showcased the exploits of the air mail service.

<i>Pirates of the Skies</i> Film directed by Joseph A. McDonough

Pirates of the Skies is a 1939 American action film directed by Joseph A. McDonough and written by Lester Cole and Ben Grauman Kohn. The film stars Kent Taylor, Rochelle Hudson, Regis Toomey, Marion Martin, Samuel S. Hinds, Ray Walker and Lucien Littlefield. Pirates of the Skies was released on February 3, 1939, by Universal Pictures.

<i>The Sky Skidder</i> 1929 film

The Sky Skidder is a 1929 American action film directed by Bruce M. Mitchell and written by Carl Krusada and Gardner Bradford. The film stars Al Wilson, Helen Foster, Wilbur McGaugh and Gilbert Holmes. The film was released on January 13, 1929, by Universal Pictures.

<i>Mystery Plane</i> 1939 American film

Mystery Plane is a 1939 American action film directed by George Waggner and written by Paul Schofield and George Waggner. The film is based on the comic strip Tailspin Tommy by Hal Forrest and Glenn Chaffin. The film stars John Trent, Marjorie Reynolds, Milburn Stone, Jason Robards Sr., George Lynn and Lucien Littlefield. Mystery Plane, the first of four "Tailspin Tommy" films made by Monogram Pictures, was released on March 8, 1939.

<i>Stunt Pilot</i> 1939 American film

Stunt Pilot is a 1939 American adventure film directed by George Waggner and written by Scott Darling and George Waggner. The film is based on the comic strip Tailspin Tommy by Hal Forrest and Glenn Chaffin. Stunt Pilot stars John Trent, Marjorie Reynolds, Milburn Stone, Jason Robards Sr., Pat O'Malley and George Meeker. Following the success of Mystery Plane (1939), Stunt Pilot, the second in the "Tailspin Tommy" series, was released on July 2, 1939, by Monogram Pictures.

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Using a miniature of the Douglas DC-2, the crash at the beginning of the film involves an impossible escape by the pilot from an upper hatch that did not exist on the airliner. [6]

Citations

  1. ↑ "Details: 'Legion of Lost Flyers'." American Film Institute, 2019. Retrieved: July 12, 2019.
  2. ↑ Farmer 1984, p. 316.
  3. ↑ Pendo 1985, p. 17.
  4. ↑ Wynne 1987, p. 173.
  5. ↑ "Original print information: 'Legion of Lost Flyers' (1939)." TCM, 2019. Retrieved: July 12, 2019.
  6. 1 2 Santoir, Christian. "Review: 'Legion of Lost Flyers' (1939)." Aeromovies, October 21, 2010. Retrieved: July 12, 2019.
  7. ↑ Nugent, Frank S. "The screen; Flying picture at the Rialto." The New York Times, October 30, 1939 Retrieved: July 12, 2019.

Bibliography

  • Farmer, James H. Celluloid Wings: The Impact of Movies on Aviation. Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania: Tab Books Inc., 1984. ISBN   978-0-83062-374-7.
  • Pendo, Stephen. Aviation in the Cinema. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1985. ISBN   0-8-1081-746-2.
  • Wynne, H. Hugh. The Motion Picture Stunt Pilots and Hollywood's Classic Aviation Movies. Missoula, Montana: Pictorial Histories Publishing Co., 1987. ISBN   0-933126-85-9.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.