A very action-packed drama about First World War British flyers and the risky aerial fighting they undertook. So many young pilots rose to the challenge but flew off in matchstick planes to face a deadly enemy in the sky. We share with them the revelries and tragedies met daily by this small group of flyers, most of whom didn't come back.
It's wonderful to see so many superb actors in a modern day setting for a change, playing in modern wartime roles -- a nice change from the usual pirate pics and westerns we've known them for.
Aviation during WW1 was a time of raw courage, luck, and a devil-may-care outlook on life. Errol Flynn, as Captain Courtney, reflects aloud in some pensive moments about the futility of waging war but it's a brutal reality and must be dealt with, which he does so bravely.
David Niven, as Scotty, turns in a good supportive performance and in the end of the story learns to take on a commander's responsibilities. Actually, in real life Niven also rejoined the army in WW2 and acquired honors along the way, still retaining his popularity in movies during and after the war.
"How many fine chaps will die in this war and in future wars?" -- lines spoken by Phipps (Donald Crisp) seem to warn of the oncoming Second World War.
Now in our new century let's hope we never see those clouds of war on such an enormous scale hanging over England and Europe ever again. An excellent film on heroism in wartime.
It's wonderful to see so many superb actors in a modern day setting for a change, playing in modern wartime roles -- a nice change from the usual pirate pics and westerns we've known them for.
Aviation during WW1 was a time of raw courage, luck, and a devil-may-care outlook on life. Errol Flynn, as Captain Courtney, reflects aloud in some pensive moments about the futility of waging war but it's a brutal reality and must be dealt with, which he does so bravely.
David Niven, as Scotty, turns in a good supportive performance and in the end of the story learns to take on a commander's responsibilities. Actually, in real life Niven also rejoined the army in WW2 and acquired honors along the way, still retaining his popularity in movies during and after the war.
"How many fine chaps will die in this war and in future wars?" -- lines spoken by Phipps (Donald Crisp) seem to warn of the oncoming Second World War.
Now in our new century let's hope we never see those clouds of war on such an enormous scale hanging over England and Europe ever again. An excellent film on heroism in wartime.