Secret Service of the Air (1939)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Noel M. Smith

Writers:

W.H. Moran (material source)
Raymond L. Schrock (original screenplay "Murder in the Air")

Release Date:

4 March 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

INTERNATIONAL SPIES! BEWARE! No one will learn important government air secrets as long as Uncle Sam's daring secret service men are here! (original poster)

Plot:

Illegal aliens are being flown in from Mexico by small plane. When a Secret Service agent finds out...

Plot Keywords:

Smuggling | Secret Service | Gang Member | Series | Illegal Alien

Cast

Ronald Reagan	...	Lieutenant 'Brass' Bancroft
John Litel	...	Tom Saxby
Ila Rhodes	...	Pamela Schuyler
James Stephenson	...	Jim Cameron
Eddie Foy Jr.	...	Gabby Watters
Rosella Towne	...	Zelma Warren
Larry Williams	...	Dick Wayne
John Ridgely	...	Joe LeRoy
Anthony Averill	...	Hafer
Bernard Nedell	...	Earl 'Ace' Hemrich
Frank M. Thomas	...	Doc
Joe Cunningham	...	Agent Dawson
Morgan Conway	...	Edward V. Powell
John Harron	...	Agent Cliff Durell
Herbert Rawlinson	...	Admiral A.C. Schuyler

Runtime:

61 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Finland:(Banned) (1939) | USA:Approved (PCA #4706)

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Valley Airport in Glendale is actually Grand Central Air Terminal.

Quotes:

Gabby Watters: I'll bet their going to be married.
Tom Saxby: I'm afraid you’re right.
Gabby Watters: Well, that finishes him as a secret service man.
Tom Saxby: What, Why?
Gabby Watters: Well, he won't be unable to keep a secret now.

Movie Connections:

Followed by Code of the Secret Service (1939)

Soundtrack:

Shuffle Off to Buffalo

Enjoyable

Secret Service of the Air (1939)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Warner "B" flick about a pilot (Ronald Reagan) who joins the Secret Service so that he can take down some smugglers. I wasn't expecting too much out of this film but like Warner's gangster pictures, this film contains just about everything you could possibly fit into a 61-minute movie. You get a prison break, car chases, shootouts, bar fights, a silly love story, brawls, various plane chases and much more. I wouldn't exactly say Reagan gives a good performance but he is fun to watch. The film eventually runs out of steam and never gets too deep but overall this is a pretty entertaining movie.