A nice film based on William Faulkner's 1930 novel ¨Pylon¨ Spectacular story about WWI fliers turned barnstorming aerial stunt pilots including superb flying sequences. The era the picture is set in is mostly the ¨Roaring Twenties¨, specifically the period is between 1926 and 1931, in which bitter pilots are reduced to defying death in air flying circus. Reporter Burke Devlin (Rock Hudson) is writing a story for the local New Orleans paper about a tormented trio of air circus barmstormers. As a disillusioned plane pilot named Roger Shumann (Robert Stack) who had missed flying in WWI takes up barnstorming in his quest for the glory he had missed. The former WWI ace, cares more about flying than he does his sizzing wife Laverne (Dorothy Malone), who's loved-from-afar by loyal mechanic Jiggs (Jack Carson). When Roger's plane cracks up, he uses his wife to obtain use of experimental aircraft in order to win a race and brings disaster crashing around them all. The Book They Said Could Never Be Filmed!. Based on "Pylon" by William Faulkner !. The exciting stars of 'Written on the Wind" !.
This attractive drama about flying results to be an elegiac homage to barmstorming fliers. It features impressive vintage aircraft flying sequences made by expert stunts and professional pilots . However, there are no studio takes in airplanes , all close-ups of actors being airborne were done for real. One of Sirk's great melodramas, here he makes one of the best adaptations made of a novel by Nobel Prize winner and Hollywood screenwriter William Faulkner. Set during the Time of the Great Depression and with Rock Hudson, actor Douglas Sirk's fetish, as starring, the film attempts to combine drama, romance, and aerial adventures.
Excellent black and white photography by cameraman Irving Glassberg with scenes of great spectacularity and wonderful acting works. In addition to star Hudson, appearing Dorothy Malone, Robert Stack, Jack Carson and in more secondary roles, Robert Middleton, Robert J. Wilke, Alan Reed, William Schallert, and a very young Troy Donahue. The motion picture was well directed by Douglas Sirk. He was a fundamental filmmaker who gave prestigious movies, usually collaborating with similar technicians as cameraman Russell Metty , Production Designer Alexander Golitzen, Producer Ross Hunter and writer George Zuckerman. Sirk directed a lot of classic melodramas such as : ¨Never say goobye , Interlude , Summerstorm , The first legion , The lady pays off , Tarnished Angels , A time to love a time to die , Magnificent obsession , All that heaven allows , Written in the Wind¨. But he also directed other genres as WWII : ¨Mystery submarine , Hitler's madmen¨ ; Thrillers and Film Noir : ¨Shockproof , Thunder on the hill , A scandal in Paris , Lured¨ ; Historical : ¨Attila¨ with Jack Palance ; Adventures : ¨Thunderbolt and Lightfoot¨ with Hudson and Barbara Rush ; and even a Western: ¨Taza¨ . Rating : 6.5/10 , better than average . Worthwhile watching.
Barnstorming was a form of entertainment in which stunt pilots performed tricks individually or in groups that were called flying circuses. Devised to "impress people with the skill of pilots and the sturdiness of planes," it became popular in the United States during the Roaring Twenties. The film belongs to Barnstormers subgenre, they were pilots who flew throughout the country to sell airplane rides and perform stunts. Charles Lindbergh first began flying as a barnstormer, barnstorming was the first major form of civil aviation in the history of aviation. Others films are: ¨The Gypsy Moths¨ (1969) by John Frankenheimer with Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr; ¨The Great Waldo Pepper¨ (1975) by George Roy Hill with Robert Redford, Susan Sarandon and ¨Cloud Dancer¨ (1980) by Barry Brown with David Carradine, Jennifer O'Neil .
This attractive drama about flying results to be an elegiac homage to barmstorming fliers. It features impressive vintage aircraft flying sequences made by expert stunts and professional pilots . However, there are no studio takes in airplanes , all close-ups of actors being airborne were done for real. One of Sirk's great melodramas, here he makes one of the best adaptations made of a novel by Nobel Prize winner and Hollywood screenwriter William Faulkner. Set during the Time of the Great Depression and with Rock Hudson, actor Douglas Sirk's fetish, as starring, the film attempts to combine drama, romance, and aerial adventures.
Excellent black and white photography by cameraman Irving Glassberg with scenes of great spectacularity and wonderful acting works. In addition to star Hudson, appearing Dorothy Malone, Robert Stack, Jack Carson and in more secondary roles, Robert Middleton, Robert J. Wilke, Alan Reed, William Schallert, and a very young Troy Donahue. The motion picture was well directed by Douglas Sirk. He was a fundamental filmmaker who gave prestigious movies, usually collaborating with similar technicians as cameraman Russell Metty , Production Designer Alexander Golitzen, Producer Ross Hunter and writer George Zuckerman. Sirk directed a lot of classic melodramas such as : ¨Never say goobye , Interlude , Summerstorm , The first legion , The lady pays off , Tarnished Angels , A time to love a time to die , Magnificent obsession , All that heaven allows , Written in the Wind¨. But he also directed other genres as WWII : ¨Mystery submarine , Hitler's madmen¨ ; Thrillers and Film Noir : ¨Shockproof , Thunder on the hill , A scandal in Paris , Lured¨ ; Historical : ¨Attila¨ with Jack Palance ; Adventures : ¨Thunderbolt and Lightfoot¨ with Hudson and Barbara Rush ; and even a Western: ¨Taza¨ . Rating : 6.5/10 , better than average . Worthwhile watching.
Barnstorming was a form of entertainment in which stunt pilots performed tricks individually or in groups that were called flying circuses. Devised to "impress people with the skill of pilots and the sturdiness of planes," it became popular in the United States during the Roaring Twenties. The film belongs to Barnstormers subgenre, they were pilots who flew throughout the country to sell airplane rides and perform stunts. Charles Lindbergh first began flying as a barnstormer, barnstorming was the first major form of civil aviation in the history of aviation. Others films are: ¨The Gypsy Moths¨ (1969) by John Frankenheimer with Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr; ¨The Great Waldo Pepper¨ (1975) by George Roy Hill with Robert Redford, Susan Sarandon and ¨Cloud Dancer¨ (1980) by Barry Brown with David Carradine, Jennifer O'Neil .