Mercy Plane

Last updated
Mercy Plane
Mercy Plane poster.jpg
Film poster
Directed by Richard Harlan
Written byWilliam Livley
Produced byBen Judell
Starring James Dunn
Frances Gifford
William Pawley
Matty Fain
Cinematography Jack Greenhalgh
Edited byHolbrook N. Todd
Music byDavid Chudnow
Production
company
Coast Pictures Corp.
Distributed by Producers Pictures Corporation
Release date
  • December 4, 1939 (1939-12-04)
Running time
72 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Mercy Plane is a 1939 American aviation crime drama film directed by Richard Harlan and starring James Dunn, Frances Gifford, William Pawley, and Matty Fain. The plot involves military aircraft being stolen by "hot plane" thieves, to be re-sold to new owners, with most of the world at war, presumably to war-torn countries. [1] With location filming done at Alhambra Airport, California, the film features numerous aircraft models, including the Lockheed Model 12 Electra Junior as the "Mercy Plane". Lead actor Dunn, a licensed pilot, did his flying in the film.

Contents

Plot

Speed Leslie is known as the best pilot on the air racing circuit, but he begins to lose to aviatrix Brenda Gordon when his plane keeps malfunctioning during races. Unbeknownst to Speed and Brenda, her older brother, Big Jim Gordon, is behind the sabotage efforts. Big Jim and his partner, Rocco Wolf, an ace pilot, are in the business of stealing aircraft, and purchasing the Criterion Aircraft factory as a front. Meanwhile, Speed, looking for extra cash to support his flying hobby, applies for a job as a test pilot at the Benson aircraft factory. Benson needs Speed to test his new, top-secret hospital aircraft model called the Mercy Plane, which is said to be able to "land on a dime". Returning to his hangar, Speed runs into Brenda again, who tries to flirt with him while he remains suspicious of her. Brenda gets Speed to take her out to eat at a hamburger joint. Rocco and his protege, Skid, follow them, and after Speed drops off Brenda at her house, they run Speed's jalopy off the road and report the accident as that of a drunk driver. The next day, Brenda comes to bail Speed out of jail, but he refuses to accept her help. Big Jim gives Curly, Speed's mechanic, the money to bail Speed out.

Meanwhile, at five o'clock that morning when Speed was due to test-drive the Mercy Plane, Rocco jumps into the cockpit instead and flies the plane off to a secret location. Speed is accused of the robbery and is stripped of his pilot's license. Determined to clear his name, Speed sneaks into Big Jim's office to search his sales records and also searches the factory premises at night, discovering boxes of aircraft parts waiting for shipment. Rocco and Skid find him there but he manages to outwit them and leaves the two bound and gagged.

Speed convinces Brenda to join him for a test drive and takes the plane far off-course, crashing it in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The two are unhurt, but Speed pretends that the radio has been damaged and continually cuts off communication with air traffic controllers attempting to pinpoint his location. Brenda wonders why Speed obviously planned the crash, having brought along plenty of food and blankets, and refuses to trust him. After five days during which all search efforts have failed and the pair is assumed dead, Speed finally tells her that his plan is to get her brother to bring the Mercy Plane out of hiding to rescue her. Brenda doesn't believe him, but indeed, Big Jim sends Rocco out to rescue his sister when Speed claims over the "broken" radio that she is badly injured. Big Jim, Rocco, and Skid all arrive at the crash site and land the Mercy Plane easily. When they find out Speed has tricked them, Rocco fatally shoots Big Jim and Big Jim fires back, wounding Rocco. Speed is the only one left who can fly the Mercy Plane back to Los Angeles, where he is removed from all suspicion and his pilot's license restored. After that, he and Brenda are off to get a new license at the marriage license bureau.

Cast

Production

The film stars James Dunn and his wife Frances Gifford, who had married in December 1937. [2] Dunn, a licensed pilot, [3] did his own flying in the film. [4]

Production on Mercy Plane began in mid-November 1939, with location photography taking place at Alhambra Airport, California. [5] Aircraft used in the production are: [5]

Newsreel footage from the National Air Races of 1933, 1934, and 1936 was used to portray Brenda's races in the film. [5]

Aeromovies notes that Mercy Plane appeared just two years after the disappearance of Amelia Earhart. Gifford's character, who hopes to make a round-the-world flight, remotely resembles that of the lost aviatrix. Aeromovies adds that the Mercy Plane itself, a Lockheed Model 12 Electra Junior, "looks very conventional, but nevertheless has some surprising flight characteristics: barely taken off, it climbs vertically like an F-15 or a Rafale, and lands like a Harrier". [5]

Release

The film was released in 1939. [5] A home video was issued in July 1995. [6]

Critical reception

The Boston Globe called Dunn's performance "a first rate portrayal of an ingratiating pilot who becomes involved, innocently of course, with a murderous gang who steal planes as other thieves steal automobiles..." [7] Miller called Gifford "stylishly attractive". [8] Hischak wrote that "the romantic scenes are as awkward as the plot but some of the aerial sequences are worth seeing". [9] Parish and Pitts said the film is "hampered by shoddy special effects". [10]

Related Research Articles

<i>Flying Wild</i> 1941 film

Flying Wild is a 1941 film directed by William Beaudine under the pseudonym "William West" as the fifth installment of the East Side Kids series which eventually totaled 22 films. The film is the team's first one in the spy film genre.

<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>The Phantom of the Air</i> 1933 American film

The Phantom of the Air is a 12-episode 1933 Pre-Code Universal film serial directed by Ray Taylor. The film stars Tom Tyler, who was cast most often in Westerns. Other actors include Gloria Shea, LeRoy Mason, Craig Reynolds and William Desmond.

<i>Going Wild</i> 1930 film

Going Wild is a 1930 Warner Brothers pre-Code comedy film based on the 1910 play The Aviator by James Montgomery and directed by William A. Seiter. The film stars many musical stars along with Joe E. Brown, Frank McHugh and Johnny Arthur.

<i>Love Affair</i> (1932 film) 1932 film by Thornton Freeland

Love Affair is a 1932 American pre-Code romance film based on Ursula Parrott's short story of the same name. The film is directed by Thornton Freeland and produced by Columbia Pictures. Love Affair follows an adventurous socialite, who is in love with an aviation designer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Garuda Indonesian Airways Flight 708</span> 1967 aviation accident

Garuda Indonesian Airways Flight 708 (GA708/GIA708) was a scheduled domestic passenger flight in Indonesia by Garuda Indonesian Airways from Jakarta to Manado, with stopovers in Surabaya and Makassar. On 16 February 1967, while operating the last segment of the flight from Makassar to Manado, the Lockheed L-188C Electra airliner crashed on landing at Mapanget Airport in Manado, killing 22 out of 84 passengers and eight crew on board.

<i>Flight Angels</i> 1940 American film

Flight Angels is a 1940 commercial aviation film from Warner Bros. Pictures, produced by Edmund Grainger and directed by Lewis Seiler, from an original story by Jerry Wald and Richard Macaulay. The film stars Virginia Bruce, Dennis Morgan, Wayne Morris, and Ralph Bellamy as airline employees, flying Douglas DST airliners.

<i>Sky Giant</i> 1938 film by Lew Landers

Sky Giant, also known as Ground Crew and Northern Flight, is a 1938 drama film directed by Lew Landers. The film stars Richard Dix, Chester Morris and Joan Fontaine. The plot revolves around a love triangle with two pilots in love with the same woman.

<i>Johnny Comes Flying Home</i> 1946 film by Benjamin Stoloff

Johnny Comes Flying Home is a 1946 American adventure film directed by Benjamin Stoloff and starring Richard Crane and Faye Marlowe; the supporting cast features Harry Morgan. The plot involves postwar pilots starting a small aviation company.

<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>Arctic Flight</i> 1952 drama film directed by Lew Landers

Arctic Flight is a 1952 drama film directed by Lew Landers and starring Wayne Morris, Alan Hale Jr. and Lola Albright. It was produced by Monogram Pictures. Arctic Flight depicts bush pilot flying in the Arctic on the edge of the International Date Line, involving Soviet intrigue.

<i>Border Flight</i> 1936 film by Otho Lovering

Border Flight is a 1936 American aviation drama film directed by Otho Lovering and written by Stuart Anthony, Arthur J. Beckhard and Ewing Scott. The film stars Frances Farmer, John Howard, Roscoe Karns, Robert Cummings, Grant Withers and Samuel S. Hinds. Border flight was based on the exploits of the US Coast Guard pilots, based in San Diego. In Aviation in the Cinema (1985), aviation film historian Stephen Pendo considered Border Flight, a drama that "detailed the aerial activities of the United States Coast Guard fighting a gang of smugglers."

<i>Forced Landing</i> (1935 film) 1935 film by Melville W. Brown

Forced Landing is a 1935 American mystery film directed by Melville W. Brown and written by William Scott Darling. The film stars Esther Ralston, Onslow Stevens, Sidney Blackmer, Toby Wing, Edward Nugent and Barbara Pepper. Forced Landing was released on November 2, 1935, by Republic Pictures.

<i>Flight at Midnight</i> 1939 film by Sidney Salkow

Flight at Midnight is a 1939 American action film directed by Sidney Salkow and written by Eliot Gibbons. The film stars Phil Regan, Jean Parker, Roscoe Turner, Robert Armstrong, Noah Beery Jr. and Harlan Briggs. Flight at Midnight was released on August 28, 1939, by Republic Pictures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air Manila Flight 702</span> 1976 aviation accident

Air Manila Flight 702 was an unscheduled passenger flight from Naval Air Station Agana in Guam to Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, carrying 33 passengers and 12 crew members; most of whom were personnel from the base. The Lockheed L-188A Electra attempted takeoff from runway 6L but crashed near a residential area; the crash was caused by retracting the flaps at an altitude too low to clear the terrain after the propeller of engine number three feathered. All 45 people on board and one person on the ground perished in the crash. The investigation concluded that the pilot should have followed company policy by aborting takeoff in the event of an engine failure before reaching VR (takeoff) speed.

<i>Flight Into Nowhere</i> 1938 film directed by Lewis D. Collins

Flight Into Nowhere is a 1938 American adventure film directed by Lewis D. Collins, and produced by Larry Darmour for Columbia Pictures. The film stars Jack Holt, Jacqueline Wells and Dick Purcell. 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.

<i>Legion of Lost Flyers</i> 1939 film directed by Christy Cabanne

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

<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>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>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

  1. ↑ Pendo 1985, p. 19.
  2. ↑ "Film Actors Fly to Yuma For Christmas Marriage". The San Bernardino Sun . Associated Press. December 26, 1937. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  3. ↑ "None Of That Love For TV's James Dunn". The Miami Herald . June 3, 1956. p. 150 – via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  4. ↑ "The Lyric". Republic and Herald. December 6, 1940. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Santoir, Christian (August 13, 2012). "Mercy Plane" (in French). Aeromovies. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
  6. ↑ Bowker's Complete Video Directory 2001. Bowker. 2001. ISBN   9780835244220.
  7. ↑ "RKO Boston Theatre". The Boston Globe . March 8, 1940. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  8. ↑ Miller 1973, p. 202.
  9. ↑ Hischak 2017, p. 319.
  10. ↑ Parish & Pitts 1986, p. 210.

Sources

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.