Only Angels Have Wings 1939

     This film is based on a story written by Howard Hawks.  His story is based on a number of real incidents he witnessed.  Also, based the films Air Mail 1932, Night Flight 1933, Ceiling Zero 1936, Flight from Glory 1937.  The ship San Luis makes a stop at the port of Barranca in the Andes Mountains to deliver mailbags and load bananas.  Cabaret singer Bonnie Lee leaves the boat to look around.  She meets a group of American flyers and they work for a Dutchman with warm heart.  He is the owner of a scruffy hotel and bar.  This location is also the headquarters of the Barranca Airways.  Geoff Carter is the leader of the pilots.  The only way to fly out of Barranca is through a deep pass at 14,000 feet above ground.  The weather is often stormy and foggy, the flights are extremely difficult and several flyers have been killed.  Joe Souther is killed soon after Bonnie arrives.  Bonnie thinks she’s in love with Geoff and she wants to stay for a while after the boat leaves.  Geoff is scared of being held down by a woman?

     I think this is the first film with Jean Arthur that I’ve watched?  She is very beautiful and a good actress.  This is the breakout film for Rita Hayworth.  I thought the men’s clothing in this film was funny!!  Their pants are a light color, baggy and their belts hike them up about 2” above their actual waist??  The men are rough and tough daredevils and the women must choose to accept it with trying to change them.  They can be here right now and gone tomorrow.  3* (This movie is OK)

    

121 min, Adventure, black and white directed by Howard Hawks with Cary Grant, Jean Arthur, Rita Hayworth, Richard Barthelmess, Thomas Mitchell, Allyn Joslyn, Sig Ruman, Victor Kilian, John Carroll, Don ‘Red’ Barry, Noah Beery Jr., Milisa Sierra.
 

Note:  Imdb 7.7 out of 10, Amazon 4.4* of 5* with 136 reviews, Slant Magazine 4* by Zach Campbell, Metacritic 86 out of 100 with 10 critics, The Guardian Peter Bradshaw 4* out of 5*

Special Note:  Filmed in North Hollywood, Los, Angeles, California.  The port of Barranca is fictional.  Richard Barthelmess in the role of Bat MacPherson had deep scars from an infection after plastic surgery.  Hawks convinced Richard not to wear heavy makeup but to let his scars tell his story.  Calling Baranca became a recurring line in LooneyToons/Merrie Melodies cartoons?  This film was supposed to be among 12 American titles selected for the first ever Cannes Film Festival.  It was scheduled for September 1, 1939 but the war delayed the festival by seven years.  Hawks was also inspired by a true story of a real-life couple he met while scouting Mexican locations for Viva Villa! of 1934.