A WWI pilot himself, Howard Hawks became synonymous with high-flying, aviation adventure pictures during the genre’s 1930’s golden era, culminating in his accomplished Only Angels Have Wings. Cary Grant stars the gaucho pants-wearing commander of a swampy, backwater airfield in South America, whose pilots take dangerous risks, flying through the Andes, to secure a competitive delivery contract. The thrilling aerial sequences alone make it remarkable, but Hawks was clever enough to inject a soulful romance into the story, with the appearance of a stranded showgirl (Jean Arthur) and then Grant’s ex-wife (Rita Hayworth, in a break-out role). Wildly entertaining and heartfelt, Wings is a smart, passionate tribute to the vocation he admired so much.
Allan Arkush discusses Only Angels Have Wings for Trailers From Hell.
Ariel Schudson discusses Only Angels Have Wings on the New Beverly blog.
