mark.waltz
A plane crashing into electrical wires and falling into a barn. Another scene with the wing falling off and the struggle of the pilot to get out. Thrilling, yes, but excruciatingly dull otherwise. A veteran cast lead by Richard Dix, Edmund Lowe and Wendy Barrie tries to keep this moving, but unless you are interested in aviation, why would you want to know every detail about what it takes to make sure planes are safe how aircraft corporations are done. At least Barrie has things to do here other than just look pretty. Playing Dix's sister, she's instrumental in helping him get started in the aircraft business after being injured as a stunt pilot. I can see the parallels between this and the life of Hughes aircraft founder Howard Hughes (who ironically later bought RKO studios where this was made), but unlike "The Aviator", this never goes anywhere outside the plot of aircraft, a boring subject when it's nothing but. Whoever let this go in front of the camera without insisting on some diversions from the technical aspects of the plot must have had their head in the clouds.
wes-connors
After he gets flying drunk, daredevil aviator Richard Dix (as Phil Mercedes) gets his plane smashed. The once popular stunt-man loses his license and livelihood. Fortunately, his pretty sister Wendy Barrie (as Kay) knows the well-oiled Dix is a fine engineer. His designs could save the aircraft manufacturing company owned by Edmund Lowe (as Dan McLean). Chief engineer Kent Taylor (as Martin "Marty" Ames) works there, and he is Ms. Barrie's love interest. Some of the aviation footage is exciting, especially the opening crash, but "Men against the Sky" is otherwise quite dull. The leading man disappears for long stretches, gets no romantic interest, and participates in an odd stunt. The ending leaves Dix and the film up in the air.**** Men against the Sky (1940-09-06) Leslie Goodwins ~ Richard Dix, Kent Taylor, Wendy Barrie, Edmund Lowe
rmlm
I just saw Men Against the Sky on TCM. Has anyone ever commented on the use of the Hughes H-1 racer as the experimental plane in that picture? Hughes broke the land speed record with it in 1935, reaching the amazing, for that time, speed of 350+ mph. The movie was made in 1940. I assume the shots in the film were taken during the testing of the H-1 five years earlier. That plane is now in the Smithsonian. I was surprised that no mention of this use ever came out during the publicity for the Hughes Biopic, The Aviator. Men Against the Sky was an RKO picture, and I think Howard Hughes was connected the that studio. There was no mention of Hughes in the closing credits of the film. Paul Mantz, noted movie pilot was the aviation consultant on the film.
malcolmgsw
From the early thirties to the early forties there seems to have been a plethora of films about the development of aviation.The modest aims of this film and the fact that it only lasts 76 minutes seems to indicate that by the time this film was made the interest in these type of films was waning,about to be overtaken by war films.It had to be said that the model work in this film is all too obvious and looks as if it was made in the producers garage rather than by a major studio.The plot itself is routine and for the umpteenth time we have a hero redeem himself in the final reel.Richard Dix is one of those square jawed hero figures who no longer exist in films.He is the only real reason to watch this film.
AD
