Devil Dogs of the Air
Encyclopedia
Devil Dogs of the Air is a 1935 Warner Bros.
propaganda film
, directed by Lloyd Bacon and starring James Cagney
and Pat O'Brien
, reprising their earlier roles as buddies after making their debut as a "buddy team" in Here Comes the Navy
. Devil Dogs of the Air was the second of nine features that Pat O'Brien and James Cagney made together. The film's storyline was adapted from a novel by John Monk Saunders
.
The film has a Warner Bros. tribute to the Navy Department, to the officers and men of the Marine Corps and the fleet for their invaluable co-operation.
, which were soon redesignated OC-1s and OC-2s. Equipped with Vought O3U-6 Corsairs, the squadron continued to operate from San Diego and participated in the annual Fleet Problems, operating from the carriers , , and at different times. Shortly after receiving the F8C/OCs, the squadron, along with VO-10M took part in the filming of the 1929 movie Flight and later, prominently appeared in the Devil Dogs of the Air.
The rare U.S. Marine Corps Curtiss RC-1
air ambulance, A-8864, made an appearance in the film. Other unusual types that appear in the film include:
Maneuvers (wargames) by the United States Navy and the USMC are the actual "stars" of the movie. In the film, the USN represented the BLUE Force while the enemy was the BROWN Force.
described it as a "tiresome potboiler with Marine Air Corps rivalry between Cagney and O'Brien. Their personalities and good stunt-flying scenes are the only saving grace." Mainly considered hackneyed, it was best considered an aviation film and today, represents an authentic look at the period.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
propaganda film
Propaganda film
The term propaganda can be defined as the ability to produce and spread fertile messages that, once sown, will germinate in large human cultures.” However, in the 20th century, a “new” propaganda emerged, which revolved around political organizations and their need to communicate messages that...
, directed by Lloyd Bacon and starring James Cagney
James Cagney
James Francis Cagney, Jr. was an American actor, first on stage, then in film, where he had his greatest impact. Although he won acclaim and major awards for a wide variety of performances, he is best remembered for playing "tough guys." In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked him eighth...
and Pat O'Brien
Pat O'Brien
Pat O'Brien may refer to:*Pat O'Brien , American film actor *Pat O'Brien, New Orleans bartender credited with inventing the Hurricane cocktail; established his own bar, Pat O'Brien's Bar...
, reprising their earlier roles as buddies after making their debut as a "buddy team" in Here Comes the Navy
Here Comes the Navy
Here Comes the Navy is a 1934 American romantic comedy film starring James Cagney, Pat O'Brien, Gloria Stuart, and Frank McHugh. The movie was written by Earl Baldwin and Ben Markson, and directed by Lloyd Bacon....
. Devil Dogs of the Air was the second of nine features that Pat O'Brien and James Cagney made together. The film's storyline was adapted from a novel by John Monk Saunders
John Monk Saunders
John Monk Saunders was an American novelist, screenwriter and film director.-Early life and career:...
.
Plot
Lieut. Bill Brannigan (Pat O'Brien) invites friend and hotshot pilot Tommy O'Toole (James Cagney), the self-styled "world's greatest aviator", to join the U.S.M.C. Reserve Aviator training program. O'Toole arrives and promptly starts to move in on Brannigan's love interest, Betty Roberts (Margaret Lindsay), and in typical cocky fashion, antagonizes nearly everyone else. Although not temperamentally suited for the military, O'Toole completes primary training and after surviving an accident, eventually realizes that he is willing to change. After a competition in the air with his friend Brannigan, and for the attentions of Betty, there is a predictable conclusion with O'Toole coming out the victor.The film has a Warner Bros. tribute to the Navy Department, to the officers and men of the Marine Corps and the fleet for their invaluable co-operation.
Cast
- James CagneyJames CagneyJames Francis Cagney, Jr. was an American actor, first on stage, then in film, where he had his greatest impact. Although he won acclaim and major awards for a wide variety of performances, he is best remembered for playing "tough guys." In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked him eighth...
as Thomas Jefferson "Tommy" O'Toole - Pat O'BrienPat O'BrienPat O'Brien may refer to:*Pat O'Brien , American film actor *Pat O'Brien, New Orleans bartender credited with inventing the Hurricane cocktail; established his own bar, Pat O'Brien's Bar...
as Lieut. William R. "Bill" Brannigan - Margaret LindsayMargaret LindsayMargaret Lindsay was an American film actress. Her time as a Warner Bros. contract player during the 1930s was particularly productive...
as Betty Roberts - Frank McHughFrank McHughFrancis Curray "Frank" McHugh was an American film and television actor.Born in Homestead, Pennsylvania, McHugh came from a theatrical family. His parents ran a stock theatre company and as a young child he performed on stage...
as "Crash" Kelly - John Arledge as "Mac" Macintosh
- Helen Lowell as Ma Roberts
- Robert Barrat as Commandant
- Russell Hicks as Captain
- William B. Davidson (as William Davidson) as Adjutant, a captain
- Ward BondWard BondWardell Edwin "Ward" Bond was an American film actor whose rugged appearance and easygoing charm were featured in over 200 movies and the television series Wagon Train.-Early life:...
as Jimmy, senior instructor - Bill ElliottWild Bill ElliottWild Bill Elliott was an American film actor. He specialized in playing the rugged heroes of B-Westerns, particularly in the Red Ryder series of films.-Early life:...
(as Gordon Elliott) as Instructor
Production
Principal photography starting on October 1, 1934, was based at the US Naval Base San Diego. One of the featured squadrons stationed there, Marine Attack Squadron 231 (VMA-231) after returning to San Diego in 1928, had traded in its World War I-era O2B-1s for new Curtiss F8C-1s and F8C-3sCurtiss Falcon
The Curtiss Falcon is a family of military biplane aircraft built by the United States aircraft manufacturer Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company during the 1920s. Most saw service as part of the United States Army Air Corps as observation aircraft with the designations O-1 and O-11, or as the...
, which were soon redesignated OC-1s and OC-2s. Equipped with Vought O3U-6 Corsairs, the squadron continued to operate from San Diego and participated in the annual Fleet Problems, operating from the carriers , , and at different times. Shortly after receiving the F8C/OCs, the squadron, along with VO-10M took part in the filming of the 1929 movie Flight and later, prominently appeared in the Devil Dogs of the Air.
The rare U.S. Marine Corps Curtiss RC-1
Curtiss Kingbird
|-See also:-External links:* *...
air ambulance, A-8864, made an appearance in the film. Other unusual types that appear in the film include:
- Loening OL-8 two-seat amphibian biplane
- Travel AirTravel AirThe Travel Air Manufacturing Company was an aircraft manufacturer established in Wichita, Kansas in the United States in January 1925 by Clyde Cessna, Walter Beech, and Lloyd Stearman.-Company history:...
D-4000 civilian stunt biplane - Vought O2U Corsair two-seat scout biplane
- Boeing F4BBoeing P-12The Boeing P-12 or F4B was an American pursuit aircraft that was operated by the United States Army Air Corps and United States Navy.-Design and development:...
single-seat pursuit biplane - Ford TrimotorFord TrimotorThe Ford Trimotor was an American three-engined transport plane that was first produced in 1925 by the companies of Henry Ford and that continued to be produced until June 7, 1933. Throughout its time in production, a total of 199 Ford Trimotors were produced...
multi-passenger transport - Douglas Dolphin
Maneuvers (wargames) by the United States Navy and the USMC are the actual "stars" of the movie. In the film, the USN represented the BLUE Force while the enemy was the BROWN Force.
Reception
Released in an era of patriotic films with overt propaganda themes that set the scene for war preparations, Devil Dogs of the Air received a mildly appreciative public acceptance. Although it had a major release in 1935, the film was re-released in 1941, just before America's entry into World War II, again finding a receptive audience. Critic Leonard MaltinLeonard Maltin
Leonard Maltin is an American film and animated film critic and historian, author of several mainstream books on cinema, focusing on nostalgic, celebratory narratives.-Personal life:...
described it as a "tiresome potboiler with Marine Air Corps rivalry between Cagney and O'Brien. Their personalities and good stunt-flying scenes are the only saving grace." Mainly considered hackneyed, it was best considered an aviation film and today, represents an authentic look at the period.