CEILING ZERO

US, 1935, 95 minutes, Black and white.
James Cagney, Pat O'Brien, June Travis, Stuart Erwin, Henry Wadsworth, Isabel Jewell, Barton Maclane
Directed by Howard Hawks.

Ceiling Zero was directed by Howard Hawks and takes up his theme of American buddies and his theme of the pioneering of aviation in the United States. Other films include the 1930 Dawn Patrol, his classic Only Angels Have Wings and his war epic Air Force.

The film was written by Frank Weed, based on his play. Wead was a World War One air ace and went into screenwriting - his own story being told in John Ford's Wings of Eagles. The film stars James Cagney and Pat O'Brien, who worked together often - especially in their Warner Bros rapid-fire dialogue style. O'Brien is in charge, Cagney the irresponsible pilot. However, Cagney has to pay for his irresponsibility and dies at the end trying to help the pioneers understand the effect of snow and ice on wings and planes. The film seems rather dated now, but shows the type of popular action in the mid-'30s and also the developments in aviation in the first couple of decades of the 20th century.

1.Entertaining drama? Aviation pioneers? The development of the industry? The buddy film?

2.Howard Hawks and his interests and direction? Swift action? Buddies? Black and white photography? The cast, the musical score?

3.The title, the initial explanation, the need for the aviation industry to understand the effect of cold, snow and ice on planes?

4.Jake Lee and his career in the war, building up an aviation company? The flying of the mail? The initial flight, the supervision, radio contact, the maps? Dangers, the weather, the mountains? Pilots and their control, fear, bailing out? The pressures of the bankers? His decision to take on Dizzy Davis with Davis's reputation? Tommy and her interest in flying? Texas and his experience, his relationship with his dominating wife? The camaraderie around the headquarters in New Jersey? Jake and his welcoming Dizzy, trying to control him? Jake and his marriage, love for Mary - and the threat of memories from the past? Dizzy and his irresponsibility, flirting with Tommy, changing his flight? Texas and his flight, the danger, the crash? His death? The Washington officials and their wanting to disbar Davis? Jake's defence of him? The changes in the '30s from pioneers to industry? Davis's final flight, the information he gave? Jake's friendship and tribute to him?

5.Dizzy, the flirt, the daredevil, the war? His lack of control? Compromising situations with women? Flying in, the resentment of authorities? Jake and his friendship? Dizzy and the pressure on Texas to stay with him, flirting with Tommy, clash with her boyfriend? The meal out, the bet, the relationship with Tommy? Changing his flight, giving her the lesson? His remorse with Texas's danger? The clash with Texas's wife and her telling him the truth? His being refused the renewal of his licence? His wanting to know what to do - and the decision about the Ceiling Zero experiment, knocking out the pilot, flying and giving the radio information? His death - dramatically presented as atonement for his irresponsibility?

6.Texas, his experience in flying, dominated by his wife? The night out on the town, drinking, the meal? His taking the flight for Dizzy, the dangers, loss of radio contact, the crash, his injuries and death? His wife and her grief? Speaking plainly to Davis?

7.Tommy, youthfulness, wanting to be a pilot, her flirtation with Dizzy, the meal? The aftermath? Her future?

8.The bankers and their wanting to take over the business? The development of air mail during the '20s and '30s? Washington and its supervision of the pilots?

9.A period action drama - interesting in its presentation of popular styles of the '30s as well as insights into the development of aviation?