Sunday, August 3, 2014

Can Love Really Take Flight in this Classic Aviation Movie from 1937?

I came across this old movie whilst browsing Amazon Prime movie selections. When I saw the words "champion aviatrix" and "flight records", I had to immediately watch it. This combines my love of aviation, women pilots, and classic black-and-white movies. It stars Bruce Cabot and Beatrice Roberts.

The plot:
She's a flight attendant who flies on the side. He's a hotshot airline pilot (American Airlines!) who keeps nattering about a flight from LA to Manila (quite a feat back then). She loves him. He doesn't realize she's alive. When she passes up an incredible opportunity to stay near him, her heart is broken when HE abandons her and their potential flight to pursue a career in Hollywood, with the latest starlet danging off his arm.

She then goes on to become the champion aviatrix mentioned above.

I liked this. It wasn't what I was hoping for, but I was entertained and I enjoyed seeing the old airplanes even though the picture is really quite awful at times--fuzzy and dark.

The heroine had some great retorts and holds her own most of the time, but in the end I was disappointed with her. She very quickly goes from champion aviatrix to relinquishing all control and becoming a mere flight attendant again. All the hero has to do is say, "Fetch me some coffee." I was VERY disappointed in this.

But let's keep in mind, this was 1937...and while I would have liked to have seen her have more backbone than that and accomplish the feat in question on HER own, without letting him take the reins...well, whatever.

I also wish they'd make the hero more likable, though he does something in the end that redeemed him in my eyes.

If you're like me and you can't resist a woman pilot movie, no matter just how much flying she does, this is a nice way to while away 70 minutes.


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