The Dawn Patrol (1930)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

Howard Hawks

Writers:

John Monk Saunders (story)
Dan Totheroh (adaptation) ...

Release Date:

20 August 1930 (USA)

Genre:

War | Drama | Action

Tagline:

Greatest Air Epic Ever!

Plot Keywords:

Airplane Accident | Friendship | Motorcycle | Artillery | Revenge

Awards:

Won Oscar.

Cast

Richard Barthelmess	...	Dick Courtney
Douglas Fairbanks Jr.	...	Douglas 'Doug' Scott
Neil Hamilton	...	Major Brand
Frank McHugh	...	Flaherty
Clyde Cook	...	Bott
James Finlayson	...	Field Sergeant
Gardner James	...	Ralph Hollister
William Janney	...	Gordon 'Donny' Scott
Edmund Breon	...	Lieutenant Phipps

Also Known As:

Flight Commander (USA) (TV title)

Runtime:

108 min | USA:106 min (copyright length)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German | French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Vitaphone (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Metropolitan Airport - 6590 Hayvenhurst Avenue, Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

First National Pictures

Trivia:

In September 1928, Warner Bros. Pictures purchased a majority interest in First National Pictures and from that point on, all "First National" productions were actually made under Warner Bros. control, even though the two companies continued to retain separate identities until the mid-1930's, after which time "A Warner Bros.-First National Picture" was often used.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): William Janney's character name is credited as "Gordon" on screen, but he is called "Donny" throughout.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Warner at War (2008) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Plum and Apple

Note quite as pretty as the 1938 remake, but it's still a dandy film

It's obvious that this film didn't have the budget of some of its more famous contemporaries (HELL'S ANGELS and WINGS), as there were less aerial stunts and more of an emphasis on story. However, this wasn't really a bad thing, as the story itself did have more depth than the other two films--focusing on the pressure on WWI pilots and the fragility of their lives. In many ways, it reminded me of WWII films, COMMAND DECISION and 12 O'CLOCK HIGH because they, too, talk about the burden of leadership and responsibility of sending men to their deaths. So it's obvious that this is NOT your typical "war is fun" type film you so often see! As far as the film goes, it was quite dandy but unfortunately, the 1938 version really wasn't all that different. About the only noticeable difference was that more actors actually spoke with British accents in the remake. Because they are so very similar, I recommend you only see one unless you are a real purist. And, if I needed to say which one, I'd say the later version is slightly better--mostly because it is a bit more polished. The 1930 version lacks background music (something shared by most films in 1930), though otherwise they are neck and neck as far as which one is best. Interestingly, the 1930 version also features James Finlayson (of Laurel and Hardy movie fame) in a supporting role.