I'll give this film credit for one excellent aspect-the casting of Richard Barthelmess and Tom Brown as brothers. They really do seem like they are siblings, although Brown is obviously much younger. Barthelmess portrays an airline pilot who crashes in bad weather and is reduced to working in air shoes, injured after a weird accident when an out of control plane crashes into his. While he's recovering, the girl he loves (Saly Eilers) begins spending time with his brother, marries him, sending Barthelmess into a rage and a string of destructive actions.
This shocked me with a shot of Eilers and Brown in bed together, before they're revealed to be married. It's one of the few times even 8n pre-code where a couple is shown sleeping in each other's arms. Barthelmess is presented as sort of a reckless type, not the kind of a hero a younger brother looks up to. The first half is fine in spite of the bad special effects of the out of control plane, looking like something you'd see in a two reeler comedy. The second half is just bizarre. Some funny bits, particularly a bit by Louise Beavers in a hotel. John Wayne has a teeny bit as another pilot. An okay pre-code, but lacking the spark to make it a classic.
This shocked me with a shot of Eilers and Brown in bed together, before they're revealed to be married. It's one of the few times even 8n pre-code where a couple is shown sleeping in each other's arms. Barthelmess is presented as sort of a reckless type, not the kind of a hero a younger brother looks up to. The first half is fine in spite of the bad special effects of the out of control plane, looking like something you'd see in a two reeler comedy. The second half is just bizarre. Some funny bits, particularly a bit by Louise Beavers in a hotel. John Wayne has a teeny bit as another pilot. An okay pre-code, but lacking the spark to make it a classic.