Only Angels Have Wings (1939)

Director:

Howard Hawks

Writer:

Jules Furthman (screen play)
(more)

Release Date:

15 May 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Powerful as a tropical storm!

Plot:

At a remote South American trading port, the manager of an air freight company is forced to risk his pilots' lives in order to win an important contract.

Plot Keywords:

Pilot | Port | Showgirl | Old Flame | Broken Arm

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Cary Grant	...	Geoff Carter
Jean Arthur	...	Bonnie Lee
Richard Barthelmess	...	Bat Mac Pherson
Rita Hayworth	...	Judy MacPherson
Thomas Mitchell	...	Kid Dabb
Allyn Joslyn	...	Les Peters
Sig Ruman	...	Dutchy (as Sig Rumann)
Victor Kilian	...	Sparks
John Carroll	...	Gent Shelton
Don 'Red' Barry	...	Tex (as Donald Barry)
Noah Beery Jr.	...	Joe Souther
Manuel Álvarez Maciste	...	The Singer (as Maciste)
Milisa Sierra	...	Lily (as Milissa Sierra)
Lucio Villegas	...	Doctor
Pat Flaherty	...	Mike
Pedro Regas	...	Pancho
Pat West	...	Baldy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Enrique Acosta	...	Tourist (uncredited)
Harry A. Bailey	...	Tourist (uncredited)
Wilson Benge	...	Assistant Purser (uncredited)
Dick Botiller	...	Tourist (uncredited)
Stanley Brown	...	Harkwright Jr. (uncredited)
Cecilia Callejo	...	Felice Torras - Geoff's Lady Friend (uncredited)
Candy Candido	...	Bass Player (uncredited)
Lew Davis	...	Shorty - Mechanic (uncredited)
Vernon Dent	...	Ship's Captain (uncredited)
Curley Dresden	...	Mechanic (uncredited)
Elena Durán	...	Elena Silva - Geoff's Lady Friend (uncredited)
Budd Fine	...	First Mate on the Ship's Bridge (uncredited)
Eddie Foster	...	Mechanic (uncredited)
Tex Higginson	...	Foreman #2 (uncredited)
Raúl Lechuga	...	Tourist (uncredited)
Jack Low	...	Banana Foreman (uncredited)
Francisco Marán	...	Plantation Overseer on Trolley (uncredited)
James Millican	...	Mechanic (uncredited)
Charles R. Moore	...	Charlie - Waiter (uncredited)
Forbes Murray	...	Mr. Harkwright - Mine Operator (uncredited)
Tessie Murray	...	Tourist (uncredited)
Aurora Navarro	...	Tourist (uncredited)
Inez Palange	...	Lily's Aunt (uncredited)
Ed Randolph	...	Mechanic (uncredited)
Al Rhein	...	Mechanic (uncredited)
Ky Robinson	...	Mechanic (uncredited)
Robert Sterling	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Rafael Storm	...	Rafael - Purser with the Scar (uncredited)
Sammee Tong	...	Sam the Cook (uncredited)
Victor Travers	...	Plantation Overseer (uncredited)
Bud Wolfe	...	Mechanic (uncredited)

Directed by
Howard Hawks

Writing credits
Jules Furthman		(screen play)
Eleanore Griffin		contributor to treatment (uncredited)
Howard Hawks		story "Plane from Barranca" (uncredited)
William Rankin		contributor to treatment (uncredited)

Produced by
Howard Hawks	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Dimitri Tiomkin

Cinematography by
Joseph Walker		(photography)

Film Editing by
Viola Lawrence

Art Direction by
Lionel Banks

Costume Design by
Robert Kalloch		(gowns) (as Kalloch)

Makeup Department
Robert J. Schiffer	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Arthur S. Black Jr.	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Sam Nelson	....	second unit director (uncredited)
Richard Rosson	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Chesley Bonestell	....	background paintings (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Roy Davidson	....	special effects
Edwin C. Hahn	....	special effects (uncredited)
Harry Redmond Jr.	....	special effects (uncredited)
Harry Redmond Sr.	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Paul Mantz	....	chief stunt pilot (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Elmer Dyer	....	aerial photographer

Music Department
Morris Stoloff	....	musical director (as M.W. Stoloff)
Howard Jackson	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Alfred Newman	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Ben Oakland	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
George Parrish	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Louis Silvers	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Paul Mantz	....	chief pilot
Paul Mantz	....	technical adviser

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (presents)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1939) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures of Argentina (1939) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Loet C. Barnstijn's Standaard Films (1939) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Action Gitanes (2002) (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Columbia Film-Verleih (1950) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia Films (194?) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures (1949) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2000) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"Howard Hawks' Only Angels Have Wings" - USA (complete title)

Runtime:

121 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | France:U (re-release) | USA:Approved (PCA #4942) | Germany:6 | Australia:G | UK:A (original rating) | UK:U (passed with cuts) (1951) | UK:U (video rating) (1992) | West Germany:12 (cut version) | West Germany:16 | Netherlands:14 (original rating) (1939) | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

For the role of Judy MacPherson, Howard Hawks screen-tested Dorothy Comingore, Rochelle Hudson and Rita Hayworth. He selected Hayworth because she had a face "that the camera likes."

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Joe's plane clips the tree and loses the right wing, the plane rolls to the left. In fact, asymmetric lift would roll the aircraft to the right due to greater remaining airfoil surface on the left side.

Quotes:

Kid Dabb:[watching Geoff try to land a damaged plane] He's gonna try to land!
Mike:He can't make it.
Les Peters:Not with that tail all smashed up. Not in a million years.
Kid Dabb:Get set for the crash, Mike!
Bonnie Lee:Why doesn't he jump?
Kid Dabb:Why? Why should he? He's made of rubber, he is. He wants to hit the ground to see how high he can bounce!

Movie Connections:

References The Last Flight (1931)

Soundtrack:

The Arkansas Traveler

Start of the winning streak!

Howard Hawks is one of our finest and most underrated directors. I believe it was Leonard Maltin who stated that Hawks is "the best director you've never heard of". Meaning that Hawks is commonly not mentioned with the likes of Ford, Hitchcock and Welles. This is probably because Hawks usually made "popular" films that focused on dialogue, character development, and speed (whether action or comedy) to set himself apart. Hawks had complete confidence that the audience liked what he liked.....and most of the time he was right! Beginning in 1939 Hawks began a streak of hits that would continue into the early 50's. After making Bringing Up Baby (something of a flop...now a classic) Hawks departed RKO after being replaced as director of Gunga Din (whose story he had a big hand in developing) and made this film at Columbia. Hawks intention was to make a film about the daredevil attitudes and experiences of pilots flying the mail in South America. The safety conditions for these pilots are non-existent and as a result they live each day as though it was their last.

More than most movies this film is often pointed to as a summation of the "Hawksian" style. A group of men working closely to accomplish a common goal who are united by the dangers involved. These men are not "family men" or people with long term aspirations. They live in the moment and find their meaning through their comraderie and understated support of each other. As with most Hawksian dialogue (Jules Furthman would become a regular Hawksian writer after this one) it is understated and never overly emotional. The fun begins in Hawks films when a woman arrives who is often more than a match for the man she's in love with! (this pattern prevailed in the comedies as well).

In this film Cary Grant, who is one of the greatest "Hawksian" actors, plays Geoff the head of the air mail airline who has sworn off women because they just don't seem to deal with his dangerous lifestyle. Therefore Geoff deals with women in a very cavalier way. Jean Arthur is American woman who arrives and turns his world upside down. But this film is not just a romance. There are multiple relationships between the characters that keep the viewer engrossed. Thomas Mitchell is most intriguing as the "buddy" who has been with Geoff for a long time and is quite subtle in his dedication toward his friend. Richard Barthlemess is outstanding in a late career role as the pilot with a checkered past who has to win over the trust of the other flyer's. (he's already won over the trust of Rita Hayworth, which is nothing to sneeze at!)

Only Angels Have Wings is one of Hawks best, and perhaps most personal stories. Hawks claimed that it was one of his most "true" films in that he had been a flyer in World War I and was very interested in the dynamics between the early daredevils of aviation. The film moves along at a crisp pace and contains many tense, gripping scenes that keep the viewer entertained despite the Hawksian emphasis of character/dialogue over plot.

Angels was a huge hit for Hawks and was the beginning of his most successful decade in Hollywood. In terms of influence Hawks would give ANY golden age director a run for his money. Directors such as Quentin Tarantino, John Carpenter, and Martin Scorcese would agree! Hawks films are worth studying and "Only Angels have Wings" is a textbook sample. I highly recommend it! 10 Stars!!!!!!!!