Air Mail

John Ford: Air Mail (US 1932) with Slim Summerville (Slim McCune), Gloria Stuart (Ruth Barnes) and Ralph Bellamy (Mike Miller).

14.30 Cinema Arlecchino, Bologna, 30 June 2010

AIRMAIL / Erämaan lentäjät (L'aeroporto del deserto, USA/1932). PC: Universal. R.: John Ford. SC: Frank W. Wead, Dale Van Every. DP: Karl Freund. With: Pat O'Brien (Duke Talbot), Ralph Bellamy (Mike Miller), Gloria Stuart (Ruth Barnes), Lillian Bond (Irene Wilkins), Russell Hopton (Dizzy Wilkins), Slim Summerville (Slim McCune). 85 min. From: LoC - preserved in 1980 from original nitrate negatives in the AFI (Universal Collection).
E-subtitles in Italian by Sub-Ti.

It is interesting to witness the John Ford touch in a story that might as well have been filmed by William Wellman (who directed 11 aviation pictures, including An Island in the Sky which has a similar major situation) or Howard Hawks (who directed four aviation films, of which Only Angels Have Wings has affinities with Airmail).

"Two Flew Together": Pat O'Brien plays the seemingly cynical daredevil and Ralph Bellamy the earnest and responsible chief of pilots. Yet the daredevil makes the greatest sacrifice to save the chief.

Great cinematography by Karl Freund, fine print.