IMDb > Sky Bandits (1940)

Sky Bandits (1940) More at IMDbPro »

Overview

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5.9/10   21 votes »
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Down 6% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Ralph Staub
Writers:
Edward Halperin (screenplay)
Laurie York Erskine (novel)
Contact:
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Release Date:
7 July 1940 (USA) See more »
Genre:
Action | Music | Sci-Fi | Western See more »
Tagline:
Renfrew Of The Royal Mounted Hunts The Mad Inventor Of A Mystery-Murder Machine! See more »
Plot:
Sgt. Renfrew and Constable Kelly go aloft to search for a plane missing with a shipment of gold from the Yukon Mine Company... See more » | Add synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
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User Reviews:
Well used plot is given new life and plenty of laughs as the Mounties battle gold hijackers See more (1 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (complete, awaiting verification)
James Newill ... Sgt. Renfrew
Louise Stanley ... Madeleine Lewis
Dewey Robinson ... Uncle Dinwiddie
William Pawley ... Morgan
Joe De Stefani ... Professor Burton Lewis (as Joseph Stefani)
Jim Farley ... Inspector Warner, RCMP

Dave O'Brien ... Constable Kelly
Karl Hackett ... Hawthorne
Ted Adams ... Henchman Gary

Dwight Frye ... Speavy
Jack Clifford ... Whispering Smith
Bob Terry ... Henchman Hutchins
Kenne Duncan ... Henchman Brownie (as Ken Duncan)
Eddie Fetherston ... Pilot Buzz Murphy (as Eddie Featherston)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Don Brodie ... Radio Operator (uncredited)
Earl Douglas ... Henchman Butch (uncredited)
Harry Harvey ... Mechanic Greaseball (uncredited)
'Snub' Pollard ... Pa, Man in Nightshirt (uncredited)
Marin Sais ... Ma (uncredited)
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Directed by
Ralph Staub 
 
Writing credits
Edward Halperin (screenplay)

Laurie York Erskine (novel "Renfrew Rides the Sky")

Produced by
Phil Goldstone .... producer
 
Cinematography by
Mack Stengler (photographed by)
 
Film Editing by
Martin G. Cohn  (as Martin Cohn)
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ben Chapman .... assistant director
 
Sound Department
Glen Glenn .... sound
 
Stunts
David Sharpe .... fight double: James Newill (uncredited)
Wally West .... stunts (uncredited)
 

Production CompaniesDistributors
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
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Runtime:
62 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Black and White
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
USA:Approved | USA:Passed (National Board of Review)
Company:
Criterion Pictures Corp.See more »

Did You Know?

Movie Connections:
Remake of Ghost Patrol (1936)See more »
Soundtrack:
Lady in the CloudsSee more »

FAQ

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User Reviews

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3 out of 3 people found the following review useful.
Well used plot is given new life and plenty of laughs as the Mounties battle gold hijackers, 28 November 2005
Author: dbborroughs from Glen Cove, New York

One of the last Renfrew of the Mounties films starring James Newill is a fun Mounties meet sci-fi mix.

The plot concerns a gang of hijackers shooting down gold planes in the great wilds of Canada. Renfrew and his buddy Constable Kelly have been assigned to try and find out what is happening to the planes which are disappearing with no trace. Renfrew's boss suspects that the pilots are stealing the shipments and flying them over the border. Renfrew thinks that something more sinister is transpiring. Renfrew is of course right and soon he has locked horns with the gang of bad guys who have moved from using bullets to bring the planes down, to using a ray that burns out the plane's engine.

This is grand Saturday afternoon style adventure. Nominally a western without the cowboys this film is an action packed romp from start to finish as horses are often used to get from place to place. Actually the western connection is even closer with this being the second remake of Tim McCoys Ghost Patrol (Its also far superior to that earlier film).

This is a great movie with many things going for it.I like that everyone in this film is a character of some sort and manages to make an impression on you as being an individual at some point in the film. The wise cracks are funny. The action is well done. Its also great to see Dwight Frye playing the extremely tightly wound inventor of the engine stopping ray.

If the film has any real flaw is that Renfrew bursts into song about three times too often. The songs actually aren't bad, they are good in a corny sort of way, they just stop the action from moving for the two or three minutes that they are sung. Keep the remote handy and you'll be okay.

Definitely worth a bag of popcorn and an hour of your time.

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