ONLY ANGELS HAVE WINGS
US, 1939, 121 minutes, Black and white.
Cary Grant, Jean Arthur, Richard Barthelmess, Rita Hayworth, Thomas Mitchell, Noah Beery Jr, Sig Ruman, Allyn Joslyn, John Carroll.
Directed by Howard Hawks.
Only Angels Have Wings is a very enjoyable aviation drama – with some romance tossed in. It comes from 1939, a year which is celebrated for top Hollywood production from Gone With The Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Stage Coach, Dark Victory and many other significant films.
The film was based on a story by Howard Hawks and the screenplay written by Jules Furthman who was to write a number of screenplays for Hawks films including The Big Sleep, To Have And Have Not and his final film, the John Wayne vehicle, Rio Bravo.
Commentators have said that John Wayne would have been at home in the central role. It is something of a surprise to find Cary Grant (who had worked at this time with Howard Hawks in comedy with Bringing Up Baby).
The setting is South America, the focus on the aviators who delivered the mail in very difficult circumstances over that continent. There also seem to be a lot Americans in South America. Cary Grant is the pilot in charge, a touch of the devil-may-care attitude. When a chorus girl, played by Jean Arthur, stays there she falls for him. However, things are complicated when a disgraced pilot (Richard Barthelmess) arrives with his wife (Rita Hayworth) who used to be in love with Grant. There is a complication because Barthelmess had been responsible for the death of Thomas Mitchell.
However, the film is strong with its aerial photography and special effects – and was nominated for an Oscar for best black and white photography as well as effects.
There is often a very macho feel about many of Howard Hawks’s films. He made quite a number with John Wayne including Red River and Rio Bravo. However, Hawks also had a lighter touch for example with musicals like Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
There have been a number of aviation films. Aviator Howard Hughes was particularly interested in the 1930s and made Hell’s Angels. There was an IMAX short feature made by Jean -Jacques Annaud in 1993 which traced the history and drama of this kind of danger for aviation in the Andes, Wings of Courage.
1. The film is considered a classic of its kind. Why? The various ingredients of the director's style, his outlook on masculinity, self-respect and responsibility? The strong heroine? Adventurer challenge, easy dialogue and flow between characters and mutual influence?
2. The film as representing an achievement in film-making of the thirties? Black and white photography, acting, stock characters transformed into something more?
3. The introduction to Barrenca: the night, the ship, the nature of the place? The portrait of Dutch's Place, the planes, their destinations and dangers? A limited world and the film being confined within Barrenca, within Dutchy's Place? The establishing of the place and its way, giving the standards of behaviour, the code for all the characters? Behaviour within this code, loyalties? How convincing a portrait of a particular world? an optimistic outlook despite dangers, challenge, death?
4. How did the screenplay help the audience enter this world via Bonnie? An attractive heroine, her type, presence? Jean Arthur's style, swagger, talk, femininity? Curiosity, a wanderer, her explanation of her background? The implausibility of her being there as well as the audience watching this unknown world? Bonnie's values, particularly American? The encounter with the singers, with the pilots and her pro-American statements? Her easy way with the flyers, the rough encounter with Geoff Carter and her fascination? Curiosity? How did the audience watch the rest of the film through Bonnie's eyes and understand and judge the men and their work?
5. The dramatic effect of the initial crisis? The glib manner of the two pilots, their chasing Bonnie, the meal together? The irony of Joe's wanting to come back for his meal yet going on the flight? The background of the weather changes and the lookout, Tex and his role at the lookout? Bonnie wondering about the dangers, listening over the radio? The importance of Joe's return, being guided in by voice? Joe's rash decision to try again when warned against it? The tension of all those watching, the lights, the fog, the silence, the crash? Audience involvement and reaction at this stage?
6. Bonnie's response to the men's reaction to Joe's death? Their lack of regard, drinks, steak, the question of who was Joe? Her inability to accept this? Geoff's explanation and answers? Her sorrow, talking to Kid and the realization of how everybody felt? The code of death and the inability to reverse it? Her acceptance of this, her return to the piano, her professional playing and Geoff's singing peanuts? The end of the evening and her symbolic giving a relic of Joe to his girl friend? The build-up of Bonnie's and Joe's bonds with each other? Geoff flying out and her decision to stay? How well had they accepted each other at this stage, rubbed against each other?
7. Cary Grant portraying Geoff? An appropriate choice for the role, his handling of the role with his personal style and yet fitting into the atmosphere of Barrenca and his work? His skill with his job? His relationship with The Kid and The Kid's loyalty and the audience able to see Joe's good points via The Kid? The bond between himself and Dutchy and the need for getting the contract? The other pilots and Geoff's commanding manner with them? drinks, horseplay, friendship, even firing them? The significance of his judgments on Joe and the question of blame, and Joe not being good enough? His background, his story about his relationship with Judy and the disillusionment? His wariness with Bonnie and not asking a woman to enter this world? His skill as a pilot, the demonstration sequence where he was knocked unconscious? his work on the radio, his decisions? The importance of the arrival of Bat? His change of name and Geoff handling of the situation and the tensions especially with Kid? The decision about sending him on very difficult missions, helping him to be accepted? The growing relationship with Bonnie? Such sequences as the testing of Kid's work? How rounded a portrait of a man?
8. The strong character of Bonnie? An engaging heroine for this film? Her fascination with Geoff and love for him, Kid's warning, her decision and hanging around, her continued talk, watching the demonstrations, realizing her fear, not wanting to possess Geoff? The humour of the bath sequence and the encounter with Judith? Her decision to leave, her wanting to be asked to stay and the humour of the ending? A credible and attractive heroine?
9. The importance of the portrait of Bat and the fact that he had married Judy? His arrival, the preparations for it, suspicions, the men's immediate hostile reaction? His standing his ground, with the Kid? The bond between himself and Judy and their mutual secret&? The importance of his flight and the growing successes? The challenge to his final flying, with the Kid, his skill and staying with him and bringing the plane down? His being invited to drink with the men and Judy's presence? Geoff and the influence he had in rehabilitating and redeeming Bat?
10. Judy and her presence in Barrenca, the early Rita Hayworth? Her past, her marriage, happiness and unhappiness, drinking, being helped by Geoff to accept herself and her marriage?
11. The importance of Kid as an adoring friend, the veteran, the support? The importance of his eyes? his advice? The challenge with Bat? His flight, the pathos of his death and his final words and everybody going away, to die alone?
12. The portrait of Joe, Les and the others? Sparks and his presence and advice to Bonnie? Tex and the humour of his being at the lookout?
13. Dutchy and his background, friendship with Geoff, the contracts, his fear?
14. A portrait of deaths? The meaning of deaths in this kind of world?
15. Men's work, ethos, heroism and responsibility, self-respect and codes? The place of men and of women in this world? Love and support?
16. The work of the actors with one another, the dialogue and its ordinariness, humour? A fresh and exhilarating look at a particular world?
