O Avião Misterioso (1939)

A pilot invents a revolutionary new bomb-targeting system. However, just before he is to deliver it to the Army Air Corps, he is kidnapped by a criminal gang who want to give the system to ... See full summary »

Director:

George Waggner (as george waGGner)

Writers:

Paul Schofield (screenplay: Sky Pilot), George Waggner (screenplay: Sky Pilot) (as Joseph West)

Stars:

John Trent, Marjorie Reynolds, Milburn Stone

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Trent	...	Tailspin Tommy Tompkins
Marjorie Reynolds	...	Betty Lou Barnes
Milburn Stone	...	'Skeeter' Milligan
Jason Robards Sr.	...	Paul Smith (as Jason Robards)
George Lynn	...	'Brandy' Rand (as Peter George Lynn)
Lucien Littlefield	...	Winslow
Polly Ann Young	...	Anita
Tommy Bupp	...	Tommy - as a Young Boy
Betsy Gay	...	Betty Lou - as a Young Girl
William P. Carleton	...	Navy Commander (as William Carlton)
John Elliott	...	Army Colonel
John S. Peters	...	Carl - Henchman (as John Peters)
Sayre Dearing	...	Fred - Henchman
Bruce Mitchell	...	Detective Capt. Walker
Mickey Martin	...	Young Boy

Storyline

A pilot invents a revolutionary new bomb-targeting system. However, just before he is to deliver it to the Army Air Corps, he is kidnapped by a criminal gang who want to give the system to a foreign power, and threaten to kill his girlfriend unless he gives them the plans.

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Plot Keywords:

b movie | poverty row film | double feature film | damsel in distress | held at gunpoint | 

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Taglines:

AMERICA'S FAVORITE COMIC STRIP IS ON THE SCREEN! (original one-sheet poster)

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Crime | Romance

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 May 1944 (Portugal)

Also Known As:

O Avião Misterioso

Company Credits

Production Co:

Monogram Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film received its initial USA telecast Saturday 7 February 1942 on New York City's pioneer television station WNBT (Channel 1). Post-WWII television audiences got their first look at it Saturday 25 March 1950 on WPIX (Channel 11).

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Connections

Followed by Danger Flight (1939)

User Reviews

Glacial

Monogram made a lot of movies, but some are just plain slow. This one seems to take longer than Titanic.

In the beginning, we see a young Tommy rescuing an aviator he idolized who'd landed in a lake after a barnstorming parachute jump. He brings the aviator, "Brandy" Rand, home, and shows him a crude aviation simulator, which "Brandy" "flies." From this, "Brandy" somehow determines that young Tommy might make a good pilot.

Flash forward. Tommy is a pilot, with friends, and he's developed a new bombing mechanism, which he's trying to interest the Government in. But he needs $300 to finish the project. Fortunately, a lady decides to take flying lessons, and that, plus some other "stashed away" money, and they're ready to demonstrate their gadget.

A protracted demonstration flight takes place, with the monoplane modified as a bomber drops its load at 30,000 feet. Given the extreme height, the bombing device astonishingly works, but both pilots in the aircraft lose their oxygen supply and are unconscious when the bombs let go. They recover in time to pull the aircraft out of a spin, and everybody's happy.

But the test is being observed by others, who want the invention to sell on the international market. One member of this group is the lady who signed up to take flying lessons. Another is "Brandy"! By a ruse that wouldn't fool a ten-year-old, they capture Tommy, his pilot buddy, and his girlfriend. They use threat of harm to the girl to force Tommy to replicate the blueprints for his invention.

While doing so, he and his friends overpower their guards and make a break for it! In a better film, all the above might take 45 minutes, but this film drags. I cannot recommend it, unless you just want to look at a few old aircraft, or to puzzle out why the film has the title it does.