The Flying Marine

Last updated

The Flying Marine
The Flying Marine.jpg
Directed by Albert S. Rogell
Written by
Produced by Harry Cohn
Starring
Cinematography
Edited by William Hamilton
Production
company
Distributed byColumbia Pictures
Release date
  • June 5, 1929 (1929-06-05)
Running time
65 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguagesSound (Part-Talkie)
English Intertitles

The Flying Marine is a 1929 American sound part-talkie action film directed by Albert S. Rogell and starring Ben Lyon, Shirley Mason and Jason Robards Sr. [1] In addition to sequences with audible dialogue or talking sequences, the film features a synchronized musical score and sound effects along with English intertitles. The soundtrack was recorded using the Western Electric sound-on-film system. [2] [N 1]

Contents

The film centers around a tale of brothers romancing the same girl.

Plot

Mitch Moran (Jason Robards Sr.), a commercial pilot, takes his young brother, Steve (Ben Lyon) under his wing. Steve, a military aviator, has just been discharged from the Marines.

Both brothers fall in love with Sally (Shirley Mason), who is first attracted to the more dashing image of Steve but she soon discovers he is irresponsible and that it is actually Mitch she loves.

About to break her engagement, Sally receives word that Steve has been injured in an accident resulting from stunt work for a film. She and Mitch agree their relationship must be kept secret from Steve. The younger brother who had lost his hearing as a result of the injury, finds out that Mitch and Sally raised the money for an operation he needs.

Steve regains his hearing and goes back to stunt flying but to save his brother from a midair disaster, he sacrifices his own life.

Cast

Production

Aviation film historian Stephen Pendo, in Aviation in the Cinema (1985) characterized The Flying Marine as a typical early "talkie" with a heavy reliance on dialogue, with as much as 70 percent of the film taken up by conversations. [4]

Reception

Aviation film historian James M. Farmer in Celluloid Wings: The Impact of Movies on Aviation (1984), had a similar reaction, saying that The Flying Marine was "... long on talk. Short on air action, save the concluding sequence and earlier air crash." [5]

In a modern review in the TV Guide , The Flying Marine rated only one star out of five. The review stated: "Only the capable performances by the cast and some nifty airplane sequences keep this tepid tale of brothers romancing the same girl from being a total bore. ...Could have been better had more effort been applied to action sequences instead of the dull dramatics." [6]

See also

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>The Grim Game</i> 1919 film directed by Irvin Willat

The Grim Game is a 1919 American silent drama film directed by Irvin Willat and starring Harry Houdini and Ann Forrest. The basic plotline serves as a showcase for Houdini's talent as an escapologist, stunt performer and aviator. As the story unfolds, a series of Houdini's trademark set-piece stunts and escapes are performed. When his tormentors chain him up and imprison him on numerous occasions, Houdini escapes. The film concludes with a climactic mid-air collision following an aircraft pursuit. Following the collision, Houdini is reunited with his fiancée.

<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>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>Lilac Time</i> (film) 1928 film

Lilac Time is a 1928 American sound romantic war film directed by George Fitzmaurice and starring Colleen Moore and Gary Cooper.This film was released with a synchronized musical score with sound effects using the Vitaphone sound system. The film is about young American aviators fighting for Britain during World War I who are billeted in a field next to a farmhouse in France. The daughter who lives on the farm meets one of the new aviators who is attracted to her. As the flyers head off on a mission, the young aviator promises to return to her.

<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.

<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>The Air Legion</i> 1929 film by Bert Glennon

The Air Legion is a 1929 aviation silent film about airmail produced and distributed by Film Booking Offices of America(FBO) and was released just as FBO was being turned into RKO Pictures. In Canada, the film was distributed by the Alliance Communications Corporation. Aviation historian Michael Paris considered the film as "virtually the last silent film" on the topic of airmail flying.

<i>The Great Air Robbery</i> 1919 film by Jacques Jaccard

The Great Air Robbery is a six-reel silent 1919 American drama film directed by Jacques Jaccard and produced by Universal Pictures. The film stars Ormer Locklear, Allan Forrest and Ray Ripley. The Great Air Robbery is a film that showcases the talents of stunt pilot Locklear, considered the foremost "aviation stunt man in the world", and depicts pilots flying air mail, the first film to deal with the subject. There are no known archival holdings of the film, so it is presumably a lost film.

<i>The Flying Fool</i> (1929 film) 1929 film by Tay Garnett

The Flying Fool is a 1929 aviation-themed film produced and distributed by Pathé Exchange as both a silent film and sound film just as Hollywood was transitioning to filming with sound. Tay Garnett directed and William Boyd, Russell Gleason and Marie Prevost starred.

<i>Daredevils of the Clouds</i> 1948 film by George Blair

Daredevils of the Clouds is a 1948 American drama film directed by George Blair and produced by Republic Pictures. The film stars Robert Livingston, Mae Clarke and James Cardwell. Daredevils of the Clouds depicts bush pilot flying in northern Canada.

<i>The Lost Zeppelin</i> 1929 film

The Lost Zeppelin is a 1929 sound adventure film directed by Edward Sloman and produced and distributed by Tiffany-Stahl. The film stars Conway Tearle, Virginia Valli and Ricardo Cortez.

<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>Flying Romeos</i> 1928 film

Flying Romeos is a 1928 American comedy adventure directed by Mervyn LeRoy and written by John McDermott, Sidney Lazarus, Gene Towne and John W. Conway. The film stars the comedy team of Charles Murray and George Sidney, stars of Universal's popular "The Cohens and Kellys" comedies, moonlighting at First National Pictures. Other sidekicks included Fritzi Ridgeway, Lester Bernard, Duke Martin, James Bradbury Jr. and Belle Mitchell. Flying Romeos was released on February 26, 1928, by First National Pictures, typically a B movie studio.

<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>Devils Squadron</i> 1936 film by Erle C. Kenton

Devil's Squadron is a 1936 American drama film directed by Erle C. Kenton and starring Richard Dix, Karen Morley and Lloyd Nolan. The following written prologue appears after the opening credits: "This picture is dedicated to the test pilots....those men who knowingly face death every time they leave the ground in an untried airplane. We never hear of these men, yet on their courage depends the future of aviation."

<i>Flying Cadets</i> 1941 film directed by Erle C. Kenton

Flying Cadets is a 1941 American adventure film directed by Erle C. Kenton and written by George Waggner, Roy Chanslor and Stanley Rubin. The film stars William Gargan, Edmund Lowe, Peggy Moran, Frank Albertson, Frankie Thomas and Riley Hill. Flying Cadets was released on October 24, 1941, 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.

References

Notes

  1. The Flying Marine appeared as Hollywood was transitioning to filming with sound. [3]

Citations

  1. Munden 1997, p. 257.
  2. Wynne 1987, p. 85.
  3. Paris 1995, p. 65.
  4. Pendo 1985, p. 10.
  5. Farmer 1984, p. 309.
  6. Review:'The Flying Marine'." TV Guide, 2019. Retrieved: July 1, 2019.

Bibliography

  • Farmer, James H. Celluloid Wings: The Impact of Movies on Aviation (1st ed.). Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania: TAB Books 1984. ISBN   978-0-83062-374-7.
  • Munden, Kenneth White. The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States, Part 1. Berkeley, California: University of California Press, 1997. ISBN   978-0-52020-970-1.
  • Paris, Michael. From the Wright Brothers to Top gun: Aviation, Nationalism, and Popular Cinema. Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press, 1995. ISBN   978-0-7190-4074-0.
  • 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.