The Non-Stop Flight (1926)

Directed by

Emory Johnson

Genre

drama film, silent film

Country

United States

Runtime

1h

Rating

7.0 of 10 from 1 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

This silent film tells a fictional story inspired by a real 1925 U.S. Navy attempt to fly seaplanes non-stop from San Francisco to Hawaii. A crew gets lost at sea after mechanical problems and bad weather force them down. They build a sail from wing fabric and try to reach Hawaii before being rescued.

old-fashionedearnestmelodramaticadventurouspatrioticsuspensefulhistoricbreezy

What happens

The Non-Stop Flight is a 1926 American silent melodrama film directed by Emory Johnson. FBO released the film in March 1926. The film's "All-Star" cast included Knute Erickson and Marcella Daly. Emilie Johnson, Johnson's mother, wrote both the story and screenplay. The Non-Stop Flight was the eighth and final film in Johnson's eight-picture contract with FBO. The film's inspiration was the 1925 U.S. Navy's attempt to fly three twin-engine open-cockpit seaplanes non-stop between San Francisco, California, and Hawaii. One plane, PN-9 No 2, dropped out before the flight started. The second PN-9, No. 3, traveled only 300 miles before being forced to land because of mechanical problems. The remaining PN-9 No. 1 flew 1,800 miles before running into rain squalls and the failure of an anticipated tailwind to materialize. PN-9 No. 1 was off-course and unable to locate a refueling ship. With their fuel supply running low, they made a emergency landing on the ocean. Trapped at sea, the crew built a sail from wing fabric and set out for Hawaii. The US Navy rescues the beleaguered crew nine days later. Even though the flight fell short of its goal, their harrowing adventures captured the imagination and newspaper headlines of the day. Emilie Johnson built her story around a Swedish ship's Captain - Lars Larson. While he is away at sea, a jealous rival kidnaps his pregnant wife, Anna, and they set sail on his ship. When Larson returns home, he finds Anna missing and their cottage abandoned. He becomes inconsolable, and he turned to a life of crime. He becomes the captain of a tramp steamer smuggling illicit cargo to Mexico. While sailing in the Pacific, his crew discovers an uncharted island. A hermit and a beautiful young woman inhabit the island and are waving a distress flag. A desperate seaplane crew are searching for land and catch sight of the same island. After some discussion, the captain rescues all the island inhabitants and brings them aboard his ship. Once the evacuees are aboard, nefarious circumstances unfold. A free-for-all ensues, with the naval men helping to suppress the riot. The U.S. Navy arrives, a naval officer charms the young women, and all ends well. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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