West Point of the Air (1935)

Director:

Richard Rosson

Writers:

James Kevin McGuinness (story), John Monk Saunders (story),

Stars:

Wallace Beery, Robert Young, Lewis Stone

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Wallace Beery	...	Sgt. 'Big Mike' Stone
Robert Young	...	Little Mike Stone
Lewis Stone	...	Gen. Carter
Maureen O'Sullivan	...	'Skip' Carter
Russell Hardie	...	Phil Carter
Rosalind Russell	...	Mrs. Dare Marshall
James Gleason	...	Joe 'Bags'
Henry Wadsworth	...	Lt. Pettis
Robert Taylor	...	'Jasky' Jaskarelli
Robert Livingston	...	'Pip' Pippinger
Frank Conroy	...	Capt. Cannon
G. Pat Collins	...	Lt. Jimmy Kelly
Bobby Caldwell	...	Phil, as a Boy (as Bobbie Caldwell)
Ronnie Cosby	...	Little Mike, as a Boy
Marilyn Spinner	...	'Skip', as a Girl

Storyline

---

Plot Keywords:

mechanic | american football | airplane accident | instructor | nurse | 

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 August 1935 (Finland)

Also Known As:

Helden von heute

Filming Locations:

McQueeney, Texas, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Filmed on an around Randolph Army Air Field (now Randolph Air Force Base) in San Antonio, TX. Most of the buildings are still in use, but have been remodeled into offices. Flying training is still conducted on the base.

---

Goofs

When the initial flying training ensues, the clips of two-seat trainers landing clearly have some two-seaters landing with only a pilot in the back seat and an empty front seat, although they are supposed to be training flights with both an instructor and a student pilot aboard.

---

Soundtracks

"The Stars and Stripes Forever"
(1896) (uncredited)
Written by John Philip Sousa
Played during the opening credits
Played as background music for the ceremony at the end

User Reviews

Cliché-ridden service drama of the men in the flying machines...

Every aviation drama you've ever seen must have stemmed from films like WEST POINT OF THE AIR which has Robert Young declaring many times, "I'll never fly again!" after seeing his comrades crash their planes.

His father is a rough talking' U.S. Army Sgt. played in gruff and sentimental style by WALLACE BEERY, who keeps reminding his son that he's got to be a man and get back in that plane again before he loses his nerve.

From the sidelines, MAUREEN O'SULLIVAN and ROSALIND RUSSELL watch nervously as various young men appear to be losing the controls while flying those dangerous machines--and there are plenty of aerial scenes, all well staged, to keep viewers watching the painfully predictable story unfold. Before the final reel is over, Young saves his father from a crash scene by diving under water and dragging him to the surface. After that brave deed, he returns to the arms of Maureen O'Sullivan for a final clinch.

Have you seen this before? You 'betcha! But it's all done up in patriotic style with an Army band playing brassy marching tunes until the fadeout.

Trivia note: Young ROBERT TAYLOR looks handsome in uniform but has what amounts to a bit part, listed low in the credits, during a year when he went on to bigger roles almost immediately.