Only Angels Have Wings
1939 Directed by Howard Hawks
Synopsis
Geoff Carter (Cary Grant) is the head of a crumbling air freight service in desperate need of a replacement pilot. He is forced to hire a descredited aviator (Richard Barthelmess) who arrives with his wife (Rita Hayworth), Carter's ex-lover. Meanwhile, traveler Bonnie Lee (Jean Arthur) tries to get close to the emotionally closed-off Carter. The film received two Academy Award nominations.
Cast
Popular reviews
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All you could want in a film.
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Taking place inside the headquarters of an air service in South America and based on Howard Hawks' own piloting experiences, ONLY ANGLES HAVE WINGS certainly shows the director's effort to give off an air of authenticity, as it boasts one of the finest examples of camaraderie and commitment amongst a group of characters I've seen in any film. This can be clearly seen in the beginning when we share Jean Arthur's character's confusion as to why the co-workers of a pilot that has just crashed his plane and died do not have the same level of emotional mourning that she does, responding only by getting a round of drinks at the accompanying bar and even eating the pilot's cooked food.…
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20 minutes in I thought I was watching something that approached CASABLANCA. An hour in I thought that comparing CASABLANCA to WINGS was an insult to WINGS. Some incredibly mild reservations about how Jean Arthur's character gets put in the back seat for a while and my slight antipathy to films that involve characters who love despite themselves may dissolve on a second viewing, but regardless are overwhelmed by the ludicrously large number of things this film gets right.
Also: watching this on a plane was not entirely recommended.
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Loved. Apparently the most Hawksian of all Hawks movies. I'll have to do some more Hawks watching to understand why.
But it was awesome.
THOMAS MITCHELL!
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"We owe God a death, if we pay it today, then we don't owe it tomorrow."
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(95 out of 100)
The first hour is simply perfect. It's everything: Funny, romantic, exciting, my heart actually leaps into my throat during this movie. It's endlessly entertaining and the pacing is beyond words, it's like stepping into another world. Something is happening every second, but it rolls along so leisurely. It sticks the landing, and the only thing I pause to embrace is Rita Hayworth. But I love it.
Recent reviews
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All you could want in a film.
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Probably my favorite Grant picture of all time. Where to begin. Grant is both cock sure and terribly uncertain at the same time. He is desperate to deliver the mail to get the contract which will ensure the enterprise will be a success for Dutchy. But nothing is certain in early aviation. Death is always in the frame in this one. Hawks made sure you could feel it, could never forget about it. And that is what makes Grant so good. If he can stand up to it, so can you.
The entire cast is fantastic. Every time I watch I am so delighted to spend some more time with Dutchy, Sparks, Les, Gent and the forever doomed Joe. But…
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Taking place inside the headquarters of an air service in South America and based on Howard Hawks' own piloting experiences, ONLY ANGLES HAVE WINGS certainly shows the director's effort to give off an air of authenticity, as it boasts one of the finest examples of camaraderie and commitment amongst a group of characters I've seen in any film. This can be clearly seen in the beginning when we share Jean Arthur's character's confusion as to why the co-workers of a pilot that has just crashed his plane and died do not have the same level of emotional mourning that she does, responding only by getting a round of drinks at the accompanying bar and even eating the pilot's cooked food.…
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Loved. Apparently the most Hawksian of all Hawks movies. I'll have to do some more Hawks watching to understand why.
But it was awesome.
THOMAS MITCHELL!
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Cary Grant is the manager of a small, struggling air service company near the Andes. Casualty rates are high and the atmosphere is tense. The large cast pulls their weight and Grant's presence does not overpower the movie. Jean Arthur plays against him well in an interesting role where she brings her screwball comedy style to an otherwise serious movie but doesn't actually lighten the mood. She fits well as the outsider character who doesn't understand a lot of the drama and reacts appropriately awkwardly.
The flying sequences are what the film is most known for, and they still look great. They are (mostly) crisp and really keep your eyes glued to the screen. Beyond that, Only Angels Have Wings…
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"We owe God a death, if we pay it today, then we don't owe it tomorrow."
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I can see my thoughts are echoed in existing reviews. To accentuate, the first hour is possibly the most captivating product of classic Hollywood. Then Rita Hayworth intrudes and everyone (understandably) gets distracted.
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20 minutes in I thought I was watching something that approached CASABLANCA. An hour in I thought that comparing CASABLANCA to WINGS was an insult to WINGS. Some incredibly mild reservations about how Jean Arthur's character gets put in the back seat for a while and my slight antipathy to films that involve characters who love despite themselves may dissolve on a second viewing, but regardless are overwhelmed by the ludicrously large number of things this film gets right.
Also: watching this on a plane was not entirely recommended.
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On my first viewing I was slightly disappointed since Hawks-Grant-Arthur sounded like a recipe for cinema heaven to me. The film proved to be different then I had expected. Less romance, more adventure. But this second viewing elevated it quite a lot in my estimation. Truly a great film and perhaps even one of Hawks's best films. Funny, thrilling, charming, moving and all the while Grant and Arthur, quite possibly my two favourite stars of the time, steal the show.