Flying Padre: An RKO-Pathe Screenliner (1951)

Two days in the life of priest Father Fred Stadtmuller whose New Mexico parish is so large he can only spread goodness and light among his flock with the aid of a mono-plane. The priestly ... See full summary »

Director:

Stanley Kubrick

Stars:

Bob Hite, Fred Stadmueller

Cast

Cast overview:
Bob Hite	...	Narrator (voice)
Fred Stadmueller	...	Himself

Storyline

Two days in the life of priest Father Fred Stadtmuller whose New Mexico parish is so large he can only spread goodness and light among his flock with the aid of a mono-plane. The priestly pilot is seen dashing from one province to the next at the helm of his trusty Piper Club administering guidance (his plane, the Flying Padre) to unruly children, sermonizing at funerals and flying a sickly child and its mother to a hospital.

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Plot Keywords:

priest | funeral | pilot | horse | illness | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Short

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

February 2005 (Germany)

Also Known As:

Flying Padre

Filming Locations:

Gallegos, New Mexico, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Pathé Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

9 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Did You Know?

Trivia

Stanley Kubrick's directorial debut.

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Quotes

Narrator: There's no brass band here, no cheering crowds, no newspaper men clamoring for a headline - just an ambulance driver, an anxious mother, a sick baby and their priest.

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Crazy Credits

The narrator identifies Father Stadmueller.

User Reviews

Only a several years before THE KILLING, PATHS OF GLORY, SPARTACUS

One of the first short films made by Stanley Kubrick, made years before he stepped up to feature films. This cheerful little film, about a padre/pilot who works well beyond his normal call of duty, has such a Middle American tone, a wholesomeness not found in the dark worlds of Kubrick's later films. Like FEAR AND DESIRE, the shooting is mostly textbook ordinary. The shot compositions are mostly learned thru one of those "Kodak's tips for better picture taking." I saw this via a very runny video copy. One wishes Kubrick was more at ease at having these early films shown.