The Airship (1931)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | The airship |
| Original title | Dirigible |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1931 |
| length | 102 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Frank Capra |
| script |
Dorothy Howell , Jo Swerling |
| production |
Harry Cohn , Frank Fouce |
| music |
Constantin Bakaleinikoff , David Broekman |
| camera | Joseph Walker |
| cut | Maurice Wright |
| occupation | |
| |
The Airship is an American adventure film directed by Frank Capra. The production, whose script is based on a story by Navy Commander Frank Wead, was shot in 1931. The film premiered on April 4, 1931. The film did not appear in theaters in Germany. It had its German premiere on September 22, 1973 when it was broadcast on television.
action
The researcher and discoverer Louis Rondelle wants to undertake an expedition to the South Pole by air. To do this, he asks Admiral Martin for help from the Navy. Naval Aviation Commander Jack Brandon is determined to impress Rondelle with his dirigible airships. Brandon and his men demonstrate their flying skills at a performance in Lakehurst. Rondelle is also really impressed, though Brandon's friend and rival Lieutenant Pierce steals the show from the men. Pierce comes home later through his special show. His wife Helen is often alone. This time Brandon is visiting when Pierce arrives. Brandon asks Pierce about his interest in the expedition. Pierce wants to join in, which upset Helen. She asks Branden, who is in love with her, not to take Pierce with her. Brandon agrees, but the exclusion costs him the friendship with Pierce.
The expedition starts equipped with the Navy's dirigible airships. But a storm puts the participants in great danger. Pierce leads the rescue operation and brings Brandon to Washington. Pierce quits his job and becomes Rondelle's new partner. Helen writes a letter to her husband, which he should not open until the South Pole. She tells him that she can no longer bear to be left alone all the time. She wants to divorce him so that she can marry Brandon. Pierce arrives in Antarctica with the letter in his luggage.
Rondelle and Pierce take off with the airships to the South Pole. They are accompanied by the helpers Hansen and McGuire. Pierce wants to land at the South Pole, which is more than 1300 km away. The landing fails, the airship crashes. Helen and Brandon read about the crash in the newspaper. Helen's hysterical reaction shows Brandon that she still loves Pierce. At the same time, the injured expedition members begin their march back. Rondelle dies of exhaustion.
In Washington, Brandon is able to convince the admiral to undertake a rescue operation with new airships. Days later, Pierce McGuire has to amputate a foot. McGuire feels like a burden for the others and goes out into the ice desert. Pierce becomes snow-blind and has to let Hansen guide him. They get back to Rondelle's grave, which shows them that they have run in circles. Hansen soon dies of exhaustion. Just before Pierce collapses, Brandon arrives with his airship and saves him. On board the airship, Brandon Pierce is supposed to read the letter to his wife. Brandon turns the letter into a declaration of love and throws it out the window. A parade is held in their honor in New York. Pierce and Helen come together again. Pierce promises her never to leave her again.
Reviews
The lexicon of international films : "A film from the time when airplanes were one of Hollywood's idols, shot exclusively in the studio and in the hangars of Lakehurst." For Variety , the film was "not convincing" , the airship crashed “Big scene” of the film.
background
Production of Columbia Pictures had an estimated budget of approximately US $ 650,000. The Motion Picture Herald estimated the budget even higher, about $ 1 million.
Director Capra, on loan from MGM , shot the film in California during a hot spell. Dry ice was used to depict the cold of the Antarctic. The Navy backed the film by borrowing the Los Angeles airship .
The film, in which Richard Loo made his film debut with a small supporting role, is based on events from 1928. The Italian researcher Umberto Nobile made a flight to the North Pole with his airship Italia . There was a crash. Roald Amundsen , the first person at the South Pole, also took part in the following international rescue operation, but was killed himself in the process.
Frank Waed, the author of the literary model, made a name for himself as an author of aviation stories. Many of them were made into films, including “Test Pilot” (German: The Test Pilot ) with Clark Gable and “The Wings of Eagles” (German: equal to the eagle ) with John Wayne .
Jack Holt and Ralph Graves previously made three other adventure films for Columbia together.
Web links
- The airship in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ The airship. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed April 11, 2017 .
- ^ Review - Dirigible. In: Variety.com . December 31, 1930, accessed November 20, 2019 .
- ^ A b Felicia Feaster: Digible (1931) Articles. Turner Classic Movies , accessed April 7, 2019 .
- ↑ Digible (1931) Notes. Turner Classic Movies , accessed April 7, 2019 .