Mercy Plane (1939)

User Rating:

(awaiting 5 votes)

Director:

Richard Harlan

Writer:

William Lively (screenplay)

Release Date:

4 December 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Romance | Sport

Tagline:

LOVE and ADVENTURE in the PORT of MISSING AIRSHIPS! (original ad)

Plot:

In this Producers Pictures Corporation production, distributed by Producers Distributing Corporation...

Plot Keywords:

Gangster | Gang Member | Spy | Gunfire | Ambulance Driver

Cast

James Dunn	...	'Speed' Leslie
Frances Gifford	...	Brenda Gordon
Matty Fain	...	Rocco Wolf
William Pawley	...	James J. 'Big Jim' Gordon
Harry Harvey	...	Curly
Forbes Murray	...	Benson
Edwin Miller	...	Skid
Duke York	...	Joe

Also Known As:

Wonder Plane (UK)

Runtime:

72 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Approved | USA:Passed

Company:

Sigmund Neufeld Productions

Fair film concerning plane thieves. Amazingly the heroine always looks spectacular, even after a plane crash

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

James Dunn plays a hot shot flier who makes his money from air races and test piloting. He is having his pride hurt because of late he's losing his races to a hot shot female pilot. Dunn takes a job as a test pilot in order to help test a new "Mercy" plane, designed to aide in rescues in difficult places. Unfortunately the plane is stolen and Dunn is framed by a gang of thieves specializing in plane theft, and headed by the owner of rival plane manufacturer. The head of the bad guys is also the brother of the female ace, who is unaware of her brother's evil ways. Will Dunn clear his good name? Will the fliers fall in love? Will the female flier's hair ever look bad? (The answer is yes to two of the proceeding questions.) Okay but rambling tale of fliers, robbers and romance. The film seems to he heading in several directions all at the same time and occasionally seems not to be too sure where its going. Certainly the film has little connection to reality since everyone always looks spectacular, especially our heroine who's hair looks beauty parlor perfect after taking off her flying cap or not the slight bit wrinkled after being in a crashed plane. Dunn, a solid supporting actor, is in the lead and as is his norm, he seems to feel a bit out of sorts carrying the whole film. The over all effect of the uneasy elements is for a curiously muted film. Its not bad, but you get the sense that had a little bit of thought been put into it this might have been a great little film instead of an okay one. Worth a try if you run across it but not worth searching out.