The Cloud Dodger

Last updated

The Cloud Dodger
The Cloud Dodger.jpg
Lobby card
Directed by Bruce M. Mitchell
Written by William B. Lester (story, adaptation)
Gardner Bradford (intertitles)
Produced by Carl Laemmle
Starring Al Wilson
Gloria Grey
Cinematography William S. Adams
Edited byJack Bruggy
Production
company
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • September 30, 1928 (1928-09-30)
Running time
5 reels; 45 minutes (per AFI)
CountryUnited States
Language Silent (English intertitles)

The Cloud Dodger is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by Bruce M. Mitchell and starring real life aviator Al Wilson. [1] The action film was produced and distributed by Universal Pictures. [2]

Contents

Joe O'Brien shown above was a Hollywood actor for 9 years, this being one of his first films before he became a director. Joe O'brien.jpg
Joe O'Brien shown above was a Hollywood actor for 9 years, this being one of his first films before he became a director.

Like many actors in the silent film era, Wilson did not survive the transition to "talkies", with The Cloud Dodger being one of his last films. [3] [4]

Plot

As described in a film magazine, [5] Al Williams, a thrill-mad member of the younger generation, is out riding with his sweetheart Sylvia Le Moyne when he steps on the gas and is pursued by a motorcycle police officer. He drives at full speed to the flying field where his plane is in readiness and with Sylvia takes into the air. The officer however, calls the aerial police and, after a strenuous chase in the clouds, the police plane is wrecked and Al is taken prisoner. Sylvia refuses to marry him on account of his wildness. However, her aunt Myrtle insists that she marry at once so she is forced to accept the proposal of the wealthy Stanton Stevens. Al learns of this and goes to his apartment quite down-hearted where he later dozes off. He dreams that he is fifty years back in history, in the west of the 1870s. Stevens is a renegade white who leads the Indians in revolt and they capture Sylvia. Stevens is about to marry her when Al comes along in his plane and drops in using a parachute in time to break up the wedding. Al awakes and sits up. The dream gives Al an idea and he rushes to Sylvia’s house in time to stop the real wedding. Stevens knocks Al out and kidnaps Sylvia in his plane but is pursued by Al. After a terrific battle on the wing of Stevens’ plane, Al takes Sylvia to his plane using a rope ladder. Since his plane is fully equipped with a minister and witness, the couple are married in the air after Al promises to settle down.

Cast

Production

Al Wilson was not only the star of The Cloud Dodger but also flew as a "stunt pilot" in the film. After becoming a flying instructor and a short period as manager of the Mercury Aviation Company, founded by one of his students, Cecil B. DeMille, Wilson became more and more skilled in performing stunts, including wing-walking, and left the company to become a professional stunt pilot, specializing in Hollywood aviation films. [6]

Wilson worked together with stuntmen like Frank Clarke and Wally Timm and also for film companies, including Universal Pictures. After numerous appearances in stunt roles, he started his career as an actor in 1923 with the serial The Eagle's Talons . [7] Wilson produced his own movies until 1927, when he went back to work with Universal. [N 1]

Reception

Aviation film historian Stephen Pendo, in Aviation in the Cinema (1985) said The Cloud Dodger was only one of a long list of aviation films that showcased Wilson's talents. 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." In The Cloud Dodger, Pendo noted the aerial stunts featured an "elopement and fight in the air" with a pick-up of the heroine from another aircraft by the hero on a ladder hanging from his own aircraft. [3]

Preservation

Prints of The Cloud Dodger are held by George Eastman Museum and the Library of Congress. [9] [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ormer Locklear</span> American aviator (1891–1920)

Ormer Leslie "Lock" Locklear was an American daredevil stunt pilot and film actor.

<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>Won in the Clouds</i> 1928 film by Bruce M. Mitchell

Won in the Clouds is a 1928 American silent film directed by Bruce M. Mitchell and starring Al Wilson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al Wilson (pilot)</span> American film actor, producer, and stunt pilot (1895-1932)

Albert Peter Wilson was an American film actor, producer and stunt pilot. Wilson died in Cleveland, Ohio, in an air crash while doing flying stunts at the 1932 Cleveland Air Races show.

<i>Across the Atlantic</i> 1928 film

Across the Atlantic is a 1928 lost American synchronized sound romantic drama produced and distributed by Warner Bros. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized musical score with sound effects using the sound-on-disc Vitaphone process. Influenced by the "Lindy craze", generated by Charles Lindbergh's famous ocean crossing flight, Across the Atlantic was rushed into production.

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

The Skywayman is 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>A Hero for a Night</i> 1927 film by William James Craft

A Hero for a Night is a 1927 American silent comedy film directed by William James Craft and produced and distributed by Universal Pictures, cashing in on the "Lindy craze", generated by Charles Lindbergh's famous ocean crossing flight. The film stars Glenn Tryon, Patsy Ruth Miller and Burr McIntosh.

<i>The Cloud Rider</i> 1925 film by Bruce M. Mitchell

The Cloud Rider is a 1925 American silent action adventure aviation film directed by Bruce M. Mitchell and starring Al Wilson and Virginia Lee Corbin. It was distributed by Film Booking Offices of America.The Cloud Rider was one of a series of films that showcased the exploits of the stunt pilots in Hollywood.

<i>The Phantom Flyer</i> 1928 film

The Phantom Flyer is a 1928 American silent Western and aviation film directed by Bruce M. Mitchell and starring Al Wilson, Lillian Gilmore and Buck Connors. The film was produced and distributed by the Universal Pictures. The Phantom Flyer was one of a series of films that showcased the exploits of the stunt pilots in Hollywood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Clarke (pilot)</span> Hollywood stunt pilot, actor, and military officer

Frank Clarke was a Hollywood stunt pilot, actor, and military officer. His most prominent role was as Leutnant von Bruen in the 1930 production Hell's Angels, but he flew for the camera and performed stunts in more than a dozen films in the 1930s and 1940s. Clarke was killed in an aircraft crash near Isabella, California, in 1948.

<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>The Lone Eagle</i> 1927 film

The Lone Eagle is a 1927 American silent melodrama directed by Emory Johnson, based on the story by Emilie Johnson, and starring Raymond Keane, Barbara Kent and Nigel Barrie. It was released by Universal Pictures on September 18, 1927.

<i>The Air Patrol</i> 1928 film

The Air Patrol is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by Bruce M. Mitchell and written by William Berke and Gardner Bradford from a story by Al Wilson, the film's star. The film stars Al Wilson, Elsa Benham, Jack Mower, Frank Tomick, Monte Montague, and Taylor N. Duncan. The film was released on January 1, 1928, by Universal Pictures. The Air Patrol was one of a series of films that showcased the exploits of the stunt pilots in Hollywood.

<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.

The Sky Raider is a 1925 American silent drama film directed by T. Hayes Hunter and starring Charles Nungesser, Jacqueline Logan and Gladys Walton. With the interest in the aviators of World War I, producer Gilbert E. Gable and Arcadia Productions, were able to showcase the talents of Nungesser, a genuine hero, who had 43 aerial victories, as the third-highest French ace. The Sky Raider was based on the short story, "The Great Air Mail Robbery" by Jack Lait.

<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.

<i>The Air Hawk</i> 1923 film

The Air Hawk is a 1924 American silent action adventure film directed by Bruce M. Mitchell and starring real life aviator Al Wilson. The aviation film was produced and distributed by Universal Pictures.

<i>Three Miles Up</i> 1927 film

Three Miles Up is a 1927 American silent action film directed by Bruce M. Mitchell. The film stars Al Wilson, William Malan and Ethlyne Clair. Three Miles Up was one of a series of films that showcased the exploits of the stunt pilots in Hollywood.

<i>Sky High Saunders</i> 1927 film

Sky High Saunders is a 1927 American silent action film directed by Bruce M. Mitchell. The film stars Al Wilson, 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.

Flyin' Thru is a 1925 American silent Western and aviation film directed by Bruce M. Mitchell and starring Al Wilson, Elinor Fair, and George B. French. The film was written and produced by Al Wilson. Flyin' Thru was one of a series of films that showcased the exploits of the stunt pilots in Hollywood.

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Wilson was one of the pilots flying in Hell's Angels (1930) and during filming, he was involved in an accident where the mechanic Phil Jones died. This episode marked the end of his career as stunt pilot in Hollywood. [8]

Citations

  1. ↑ Wynne 1987, p. 171.
  2. ↑ Progressive Silent Film List: The Cloud Dodger at silentera.com, 2019. Retrieved: June 16, 2019.
  3. 1 2 Pendo 1985, p. 7.
  4. ↑ "Title: 'The Cloud Dodger'." Catalog.afi.com, 2019. Retrieved: June 17, 2019.
  5. ↑ "Western and Thrill Features for 1928-29". Universal Weekly. New York City: Motion Picture Weekly Publishing Company. 27 (16): 19. May 26, 1928. Retrieved February 6, 2024.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
  6. ↑ Wynne 1987, pp. 16–17.
  7. ↑ Wynne 1987, pp. 5–17.
  8. ↑ "Stunt Pilots." Silents are Golden. Retrieved: June 17, 2019.
  9. ↑ The Library of Congress / FIAF American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: The Cloud Dodger. Library of Congress, 2019. Retrieved: June 17, 2019.
  10. ↑ Catalog of Holdings The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artists Collection at The Library of Congress, 1978, p. 135.

Bibliography

  • Catalog of Holdings, The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artists Collection at The Library of Congress. Los Angeles, California: American Film Institute, 1978. ISBN   978-0-8018-5315-9.
  • 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   978-0-93312-685-5.
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.