I first saw this in a theater when it first came out. I was 13 at the time, and knew nothing about piloting an aircraft. So I thought it was pretty keen. The next time I saw it, I was 49 years old and owned an aircraft. What a difference the years make!
The story is simple: a pilot makes an epic flight in an experimental jet and sets a record.
Spoilers ahead: One movie critic said that the flying footage was "uninspired." How charitable! They were awful! The shots of Bogie were all the same, a head shot in pilot gear, with only slightly more animation than a statue. All the views of him piloting use that same shot.
As he flies the jet through the upper stratosphere, he encounters some sparklings outside the cockpit. He radios that he's flying through "meteor dust," with all the animation of pointing out that below and to the right was a famous landmark. And if the "meteor dust" was that prevalent, wouldn't he be concerned about what it might do to his engine? Understand: I like Bogart films. But this one would have been better if they'd cut the aviation sequences out.
The story is simple: a pilot makes an epic flight in an experimental jet and sets a record.
Spoilers ahead: One movie critic said that the flying footage was "uninspired." How charitable! They were awful! The shots of Bogie were all the same, a head shot in pilot gear, with only slightly more animation than a statue. All the views of him piloting use that same shot.
As he flies the jet through the upper stratosphere, he encounters some sparklings outside the cockpit. He radios that he's flying through "meteor dust," with all the animation of pointing out that below and to the right was a famous landmark. And if the "meteor dust" was that prevalent, wouldn't he be concerned about what it might do to his engine? Understand: I like Bogart films. But this one would have been better if they'd cut the aviation sequences out.