... of the 1930 film of the same name. When I first saw 1930's Dawn Patrol I thought that the film was so stage bound because of early sound technology. Imagine my surprise when the 1938 film is equally as stage bound! It also has an anti war perspective equal to that of the 1930 film, even though the Nazis are becoming a menace by 1938. That could be because the dialogue is practically lifted from the original, word for word! And flight scene for flight scene!
Of course there are a few differences. Warner Brothers has "grown up" by now, and can thus afford to employ more charismatic actors than were involved in the 1930 film. Brand is now played by Basil Rathbone. Scotty is played by David Niven, with a sparkling quality and with great chemistry with Flynn's character. And the change that makes the biggest difference? The main character, Courtney is played by the dashing Errol Flynn rather than Richard Barthelmess, who was a very good actor but didn't really keep the same fame that he had in the silents once the transition to sound film was complete, and certainly was not "larger than life" as Flynn is here.
Another difference I noticed? In the 1930 film, Courtney's nerves turn him into an alcoholic, as a promotion forces him to send so many men to their deaths in the air. In this film, Flynn's Courtney drinks some, but he does other things that show his nerves are frayed such as fidgeting and chewing on pencils. In the 1930 film, Scott, having volunteered for a suicide mission that Courtney plans to trick him out of doing, passes out from alcohol. Here, Scott just curls up and begins to take what he thinks will be a short nap.
The original was directed by Howard Hawks. This remake was directed by Edmund Goulding. I doubt anybody is going to top Hawks' direction when it comes to aviation movies. This film is worth watching, but it is not quite the marvel that the 1930 film is, if only for the fact that the original had such natural dialogue and interaction between characters just a year after the transition to sound.
Of course there are a few differences. Warner Brothers has "grown up" by now, and can thus afford to employ more charismatic actors than were involved in the 1930 film. Brand is now played by Basil Rathbone. Scotty is played by David Niven, with a sparkling quality and with great chemistry with Flynn's character. And the change that makes the biggest difference? The main character, Courtney is played by the dashing Errol Flynn rather than Richard Barthelmess, who was a very good actor but didn't really keep the same fame that he had in the silents once the transition to sound film was complete, and certainly was not "larger than life" as Flynn is here.
Another difference I noticed? In the 1930 film, Courtney's nerves turn him into an alcoholic, as a promotion forces him to send so many men to their deaths in the air. In this film, Flynn's Courtney drinks some, but he does other things that show his nerves are frayed such as fidgeting and chewing on pencils. In the 1930 film, Scott, having volunteered for a suicide mission that Courtney plans to trick him out of doing, passes out from alcohol. Here, Scott just curls up and begins to take what he thinks will be a short nap.
The original was directed by Howard Hawks. This remake was directed by Edmund Goulding. I doubt anybody is going to top Hawks' direction when it comes to aviation movies. This film is worth watching, but it is not quite the marvel that the 1930 film is, if only for the fact that the original had such natural dialogue and interaction between characters just a year after the transition to sound.