"Captains of the Clouds" is an interesting story about Canadian bush pilots who become ferry pilots that deliver bombers across the Atlantic to England early in WW II. The movie was released on February 12, 1942, so it had been in the works and filmed since before the U. S. entered the war after the Dec. 7, 1941, Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor.
The story centers around some guys who are bush pilots in Canada. Initially, three of them are after the fourth guy, a newcomer, who has been stealing business from them right under their noses. That's Brian MacLean, played by James Cagney. In time though they become friends - except for MacLean and Johnny Dutton (played by Dennis Morgan). Dutton gets his nose out of joint when MacLean makes a play for his fiancé, Emily Foster (played by Brenda Marshall). Then, when MacLean finds out she's more of a gold-digger than a lass in love with the handsome Dutton, he sweeps here away to the city and marries her. Only later does Dutton find out that MacLean did that to keep her from ruining his life and plans.
Dutton goes off and joins the Canadian Royal Air Force, and soon after that MacLean and some others try to join up to do their part in the war. All have designs on being fighter pilots. But they're all too old and instead are trained to be trainers, to use their thousands of hours of flight time to train young pilots. Well, things go wrong for them when Alan Hale's Tiny Murphy can't pass the tests to get in the service, and other problems develop.
The end of the film gives Cagney a chance to once again prove his heroism. This is a good film that was obviously a nice propaganda film for the war effort in Canada. And, it has a fine cast of well-known actors of the day.
An historical note about this film will be of interest to veterans, pilots, Canadians and others. W. A. "Billy" Bishop appears in the film in his real role as Air Marshall of the RCAF for recruiting. The famous WW I ace, who downed more than 70 German planes in that war, had been commissioned to head the recruiting effort for Canadian pilots in WW II. Bishop has a nice scene presenting their wings to graduates of the flying school.
When L. A. C. Grove steps forward to receive his wings, Bishops asks, "Where are you form, Grove?" Grove says, "Texas, sir." Bishop says, "One of our most helpful provinces." Grove replies, "We think so, sir." Bishop says, "Well, I think so too." And Grove replies, "Thank you." The air marshal concludes, "And we thank you for coming up here and helping us."
This is a good film, in color, that those who are interested in everything around WW II especially should enjoy. Besides some good scenes of bush flying, it has some good scenes flying scenes of military aircraft of the period.
Here are some other lines from the film.
Popcorn Kearns, "Don't try to fly through the clouds - fly over 'em."
Superintendent Nolan, "I, uh, brought the money for the season's work, then. That make you feel better?" Brian MacLean, "Oh, yes. When a man is missing in a storm, it looks like his time is up, the sight of money always makes me feel good."
Commanding Officer (Ellis Irving, uncredited), "No, gentlemen - modern air fighting is a young man's game."
The story centers around some guys who are bush pilots in Canada. Initially, three of them are after the fourth guy, a newcomer, who has been stealing business from them right under their noses. That's Brian MacLean, played by James Cagney. In time though they become friends - except for MacLean and Johnny Dutton (played by Dennis Morgan). Dutton gets his nose out of joint when MacLean makes a play for his fiancé, Emily Foster (played by Brenda Marshall). Then, when MacLean finds out she's more of a gold-digger than a lass in love with the handsome Dutton, he sweeps here away to the city and marries her. Only later does Dutton find out that MacLean did that to keep her from ruining his life and plans.
Dutton goes off and joins the Canadian Royal Air Force, and soon after that MacLean and some others try to join up to do their part in the war. All have designs on being fighter pilots. But they're all too old and instead are trained to be trainers, to use their thousands of hours of flight time to train young pilots. Well, things go wrong for them when Alan Hale's Tiny Murphy can't pass the tests to get in the service, and other problems develop.
The end of the film gives Cagney a chance to once again prove his heroism. This is a good film that was obviously a nice propaganda film for the war effort in Canada. And, it has a fine cast of well-known actors of the day.
An historical note about this film will be of interest to veterans, pilots, Canadians and others. W. A. "Billy" Bishop appears in the film in his real role as Air Marshall of the RCAF for recruiting. The famous WW I ace, who downed more than 70 German planes in that war, had been commissioned to head the recruiting effort for Canadian pilots in WW II. Bishop has a nice scene presenting their wings to graduates of the flying school.
When L. A. C. Grove steps forward to receive his wings, Bishops asks, "Where are you form, Grove?" Grove says, "Texas, sir." Bishop says, "One of our most helpful provinces." Grove replies, "We think so, sir." Bishop says, "Well, I think so too." And Grove replies, "Thank you." The air marshal concludes, "And we thank you for coming up here and helping us."
This is a good film, in color, that those who are interested in everything around WW II especially should enjoy. Besides some good scenes of bush flying, it has some good scenes flying scenes of military aircraft of the period.
Here are some other lines from the film.
Popcorn Kearns, "Don't try to fly through the clouds - fly over 'em."
Superintendent Nolan, "I, uh, brought the money for the season's work, then. That make you feel better?" Brian MacLean, "Oh, yes. When a man is missing in a storm, it looks like his time is up, the sight of money always makes me feel good."
Commanding Officer (Ellis Irving, uncredited), "No, gentlemen - modern air fighting is a young man's game."