Only Angels Have Wings (1939)

Directed by

Howard Hawks

Genre

drama film

Country

United States

Runtime

2h 01m

Rated

NR

Rating

7.3 of 10 from 282 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

An air freight company manager in a remote South American port town pushes his pilots to dangerous limits while competing for a big contract. Romantic tensions and professional duty collide as the crew faces constant risk and loss.

tenseromanticmelancholicsuspensefulgrittyheroicbittersweetvisceral

What happens

Only Angels Have Wings is a 1939 American adventure romantic drama film directed by Howard Hawks. Starring Cary Grant and Jean Arthur, it is based on a story written by Hawks. The plot follows the manager of an air freight company in a remote South American port town who is forced to risk his pilots' lives while vying for a major contract. It features supporting performances from Thomas Mitchell, Richard Barthelmess, Noah Beery Jr., and Rita Hayworth in her first major role. Released by Columbia Pictures in May 1939, the film is generally regarded as being among Hawks' finest films, particularly in its portrayal of the professionalism of the pilots of the film, its atmosphere, and the flying sequences. In 2017, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

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