A sculptor who doesn't want to have any part of World War I is shamed by his girlfriend into joining the army. He becomes a fighter pilot, and undergoes a complete personality change.A sculptor who doesn't want to have any part of World War I is shamed by his girlfriend into joining the army. He becomes a fighter pilot, and undergoes a complete personality change.A sculptor who doesn't want to have any part of World War I is shamed by his girlfriend into joining the army. He becomes a fighter pilot, and undergoes a complete personality change.
- 2nd Lt. Tim Terry
- (as Anderson Lawlor)
- Capt. Daly
- (as Joe Sauers)
- German Cadet
- (as Frank Clark)
- 2nd Lt. Meeker
- (uncredited)
- Party Guest
- (uncredited)
- Card Playing Party Guest
- (uncredited)
- Army Doctor
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaLieutenant Thorne's pet lion in the film was based on two real lions who served as mascots for the Lafayette Escadrille, a squadron made up of American volunteers prior to the U.S. entering the war. The two lions were named "Whiskey" and "Soda."
- GoofsEven though the film takes place in 1917-1918, all of Elizabeth Allan's clothing and hairstyles are strictly early 1930s, the year the film was produced.
- Quotes
Nancy Adams: You've changed. You're so different. Is this what the war has done to you?
2nd Lt. Rex 'Rocky' Thorne: Wasn't this what you wanted?
Nancy Adams: I didn't know. I spoke of the glory of war. I know now. The mud, the filth, the suffering, the agony, the poor, helpless, dying boys.
2nd Lt. Rex 'Rocky' Thorne: It isn't muddy up where I am. When death comes, it comes swiftly and cleanly. Ah, it's a grand war. I only hope the next one is half as good. I used to think I could take clay and mold it into the semblance of a living thing. The closer it came to being alive, the greater my glory. The power of life is more than that, Nancy. Life--life for myself as I control my plane. And then death, swift and final in the squeeze of my fingers.
[laughs]
2nd Lt. Rex 'Rocky' Thorne: You can't do that with clay, Nancy.
Nancy Adams: Then all that you said about saving yourself for something better--
2nd Lt. Rex 'Rocky' Thorne: Did I say that? Forget it. Why, this is a great war, and I'm having a grand time. It's all grand, every minute of it. Thirty-three planes shot down. Decorated by a French general. My picture in the papers. The idol of the allies, the hero, the great war ace. Pursued by women. Boy, I wouldn't have missed this for anything. You did me a great favor that day in the studio.
[laughs]
2nd Lt. Rex 'Rocky' Thorne: Me and my ideals for humanity. Ha! Why, I might still be back there slaving, trying to express myself on some remote conception of art.
Nancy Adams: Please, Rocky!
2nd Lt. Rex 'Rocky' Thorne: Come on, Nancy. Don't try to make me feel sorry for myself, because there's nothing to feel sorry for.
- ConnectionsEdited from Hell's Angels (1930)
Why I rated it an '8': Several reasons. The anti-war sentiment of Rocky Thorne was an interesting centerpiece and serves to remind us that a fair percentage of the population wound up believing (in hindsight) that the U.S.'s involvement in WWI was perhaps not such a great idea after all (similar to Vietnam and the Iraq war). The pre-code hotel conversation between Rocky and Nancy certainly got my attention. In it, Rocky uses Nancy's words against her - "everyone should do their part" and "give what they can give" - in a successful seduction where Nancy gives in to his sexual demands, in essence as part of the 'war effort.' It does not endear one to Thorne, as he comes across as callous and manipulative, but it's something you wouldn't see in a film just a few years later I'm sure.
SFX were decent for the time period. The German character actually spoke German and/or broken English which was a realistic touch. My only real complaint is why Thorne swings from one extreme to the other without much prodding (pacifist to remorseless killer). The best one can say is perhaps 'kill or be killed' - perhaps - but of course he didn't need to enlist as a pilot in the first place. He could have been an ambulance driver like Ernest Hemingway and avoided the requirement to kill altogether. Even so, a pretty enjoyable pre-code WWI flick.
Best Line: Rocky Thorne (to Nancy): "Courage? At a time like this it takes courage to stick to one's principles."
Times watched: 1. Would I watch again (Y/N)?: Yes.
- Better_Sith_Than_Sorry
- Mar 26, 2019
Details
- Runtime1 hour 16 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1