Hell's Angels (1930)
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Two dissimilar British brothers serve in the Royal Flying Corps during World War I, facing the perils of aerial combat and the complexities of personal loyalty.
The story
Roy and Monte Rutledge are very different British brothers who enlist in the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War. While Roy is straitlaced and loves a woman named Helen, Monte is a womanizer. The brothers find themselves entangled in the dangers of aerial warfare, including a mission to intercept a German Zeppelin and a suicide mission to destroy a vital enemy munitions depot. As they navigate the horrors of the front lines, they must confront their own fears and the consequences of their actions in a conflict that tests the limits of their brotherhood.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Roy and Monte Rutledge are British brothers who enlist in the Royal Flying Corps during World War I. Roy is a serious man who loves Helen, while Monte is a womanizer. After a series of personal conflicts, including a duel where Roy is shot in the arm, the brothers join the war. They are tasked with intercepting a German Zeppelin, where they witness the sacrifice of a German officer, Karl, who was a friend from university. After surviving the crash, they are sent on a suicide mission to destroy a German munitions dump using a captured bomber. Roy discovers Helen's infidelity, leading him to join Monte in carousing before he eventually drags Monte back to the airfield for the mission. They successfully blow up the dump but are captured by the 'Flying Circus' led by the Red Baron. Faced with a firing squad, Monte decides to reveal the attack's details to save himself. Roy, unable to let his brother betray them, forces Monte to speak with a German general alone on the condition that Roy kills him afterward. Roy provides Monte with a pistol and one bullet; unable to convince Monte to do the right thing, Roy shoots his brother in the back before being executed.
- First release year
- 1930
- Runtime (minutes)
- 131
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Howard Hughes; James Whale
- Writers
- Harry Behn · writer; Howard Estabrook · writer; Marshall Neilan · writer; Joseph Moncure March · uncredited writer
- Cast and characters
- Ben Lyon · Roy Rutledge; James Hall · Monte Rutledge; Jean Harlow · Helen
- Genres
- drama; war; epic
- Themes
- brotherhood; warfare; betrayal; loyalty
- Tone and mood
- epic; dramatic; action-oriented
- Premise and plot tags
- war; aviation; brothers; aerial combat
- Content notes
- adult language
- Reception
- The film received universal acclaim for its flying scenes, though the plot and characterizations were criticized as mundane or maudlin. It was a high-grossing sound film but failed to recoup its high production costs.
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Cinematography · nomination
- Production trivia
- Howard Hughes piloted an aircraft himself during a stunt and suffered a skull fracture.; The film features the only color footage of Jean Harlow's career.; Stanley Kubrick cited the film as one of his 10 favorite films that influenced his later career.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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