Captains of the Clouds (1942)

Director:

Michael Curtiz

Writers:

Arthur T. Horman (story) and
Roland Gillett (story) ...

Release Date:

21 February 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | War

Plot:

Inspired by Churcill's Dunkirk speech, brash, undisciplined bush pilot Brian MacLean and three friends enlist in the RCAF but are deemed too old to be fliers.

Plot Keywords:

Bush Pilot | Speech | Canada | Hydroplane | Engagement

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

James Cagney	...	Brian MacLean (bush pilot)
Dennis Morgan	...	Johnny Dutton (bush pilot)
Brenda Marshall	...	Emily Foster
Alan Hale	...	Francis Patrick 'Tiny' Murphy (bush pilot)
George Tobias	...	Blimp Lebec (bush pilot)
Reginald Gardiner	...	Scrounger Harris (bush pilot)
Air Marshal W.A. Bishop	...	Himself
Reginald Denny	...	Commanding officer
Russell Arms	...	Louis 'Alabama' Prentiss
Paul Cavanagh	...	Group Captain
Clem Bevans	...	Sam 'Store-Teeth' Morrison
J.M. Kerrigan	...	Foster (storekeeper / Emily's father)
J. Farrell MacDonald	...	Dr. Neville (from Churchtown) (as J. Farrell Macdonald)
Patrick O'Moore	...	Fyffe
Morton Lowry	...	Carmichael

Runtime:

114 min | USA:113 min (Turner library print) | Argentina:113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #7627)

Filming Locations:

Canada

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Many scenes were filmed at the Chateau Laurier hotel in Ottawa, Ontario. The hotel, which still exists, was originally commissioned by Grand Trunk Railway chairman Melvin Hayes. Melvin Hayes and most of the new furniture for the Chateau Laurier were lost in the Titanic sinking which delayed the hotel opening in 1912 by several months.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the bombers are being ferried to England and MacLean spots the enemy aircraft high on the port side and flying against the group. A following shot shows the Messerschmidt on the starboard side and flying in the same direction as the group.

Quotes:

Francis Patrick 'Tiny' Murphy: You know MacLean?
Scrounger Harris: Yeah, I've met him, but I don't like him.
Blimp Lebec: You don't like him? You should know how I don't like him!
Brian MacLean: And why do you say that? You know, I've always been very happy to see you. Look at Tiny. He never used to like me. Now he hates me.
[to Willie]
Brian MacLean: Willie!
Willie: Hello! Happy landings!
Francis Patrick 'Tiny' Murphy: [to Blimp and Scrounger] Oh, come on and sit down. Come on, come on here.
[to Willie]
Francis Patrick 'Tiny' Murphy: Listen, Willie, we want four black coffees and some cake.
[...]

Soundtrack:

The Thin Red Line

Oh, Canada!

This is one of my favorite films, but not because of Cagney or Morgan. Brenda Marshall is the jewel in this picture's crown. She provides the blue-jean wearing, North Country beauty in the film and drives the fly-boys crazy. Marshall, who bears a resemblance to Madolyn Smith Osborne, wants to get to the big city regardless of how she gets there. The resulting competition among pilots keeps the story line from being completely aviation oriented. This is a good look at Canadian bush aviation in the 1930's and the cast is excellent. As with all films of this period, airplanes are shown doing things that are aerodynamically impossible, but it doesn't take away from the picture. There are even early aeromedical ideas about how G-forces affect the human body. Filmed entirely on location in Canada, much of the scenery is stunningly beautiful. Canadian politics are even slipped in during graduation ceremony when Air Marshal Bishop refers to pilots from "loyal Quebec." All in all a fun film.