Movie Review: Flying Wild (1941)
Synopsis: The East Side Kids, minus Muggs, accept a job at an aviation factory run by Algy's father, Mr. Reynolds. The factory has been under attack from spies, who nearly kill test pilot Tom Larson by sabotaging his plane. Muggs, who spends his day wandering around the airfield while waiting to drive his gang home, begins to suspect Dr. Richard Nagel, the owner of a new air ambulance, of being the mastermind. However, Nagel's stellar reputation and Muggs' not-so-stellar reputation result in his theory immediately being dismissed, forcing him to find proof.
Who's in it? The movie stars Leo Gorcey, Bobby Jordan, Dave O'Brien, Joan Barclay, George Pembroke and Ernest Morrison.
Review: I forgot to pick out a movie for this morning so, since it had been a while since I last watched an East Side Kids/Bowery Boys film, I figured I'd just do a quick search for one. Flying Wild was one of the first I came across and it looked interesting, so I gave it a try.
At first, I wasn't sure if it was going to be a movie I'd like but it turned out to be pretty good.
The movie's premise is a reasonably solid one. An airplane factory that works on experimental aircraft being targeted by spies is plausible and Dr. Nagel's plot to deliver stolen plans via an air ambulance carrying a fake patient was admittedly a good one, especially since everyone, including Mr. Reynold's (Herbert Rawlinson) thought he was an upstanding citizen and were willing to vouch for him. Heck, the man even arguably saved Peewee's (David Gorcey) life when he suffered injuries.
This in turn made things more difficult for Muggs (Gorcey). He figured out Nagel's plan with relative ease but because his theory was dismissed as the result of an overactive imagination, it ultimately put his life and the lives of his friends in danger.
The thing that really surprised me about this movie was how suspenseful it was at times. The movie was a comedy and lighthearted throughout (I especially loved some of the scenes with Morrison's Scruno, even though some of the material was uncomfortably dated) but the stakes did feel real during some of the more serious moments, including Tom's (O'Brien) fiery plane crash and when Muggs and Danny (Jordan) walked right into a trap while the rest of the gang was hundreds of miles away.
I thought the movie's ending was solid as well, which isn't always the case with classic films. There's a chaotic fight scene that was fun to watch and the final scene was memorable, ending things in a way that just seemed right.
Final Opinion: It is a fun movie with a solid story and a good mix of comedy, action and suspense. I'm glad I watched it.
My Grade: A
__________________________________________________________________
Here are some reviews of other movies featuring spies:
Movie Review: Fanfare for a Death Scene (1964)
Movie Review: Flying Blind (1941)
Comments
Post a Comment