Dirigible (film)
- Jack Holt: Brandon
- Ralph Graves: Pierce
- Fay Wray: Helen
- Hobart Bosworth: Rondelle
- Roscoe Karns: McGuire
- Harold Goodwin: Hansen
- Emmett Corrigan: Admiral Martin
- Clarence Muse Clarence
The airship is an American adventure film directed by Frank Capra. The staging, the script is based on a novel by the Navy Commander Frank Wead, 1931 was filmed. The premiere of the film took place on April 4, 1931. The film did not appear in Germany in theaters. On September 22, 1973, he learned his Germany debut by a television broadcast.
Action
The researchers and explorers Louis Rondelle intends to do with airplanes, an expedition to the South Pole. To this end, he requested to Admiral Martin to help the Navy. The commander of the Naval Air Jack Brandon is determined to impress Rondelle with his dirigibles. In a performance in Lakehurst demonstrate Brandon and his men their flying skills. Rondelle is also really impressed, although Brandon's friend and rival Lieutenant Pierce men steals the show. Due to its special show Pierce comes home later. His wife Helen is often alone. This time she has a visit from Brandon, as Pierce arrives. Brandon asks Pierce after his interest in the expedition. Pierce wants to join what Helen dismayed. She asks Branden, who is in love with her, Pierce not take. Brandon agrees, but excluding costs him his friendship with Pierce.
The expedition starts with the dirigibles of the Navy. But a storm brings the participants in great danger. Pierce leads the rescue and brings Brandon to Washington. Pierce quit his job and is Rondelles new partner. Helen wrote her husband a letter, which he intended to open only at the South Pole. She tells him that she could no longer bear it, to be left alone constantly. She wanted to divorce him to marry Brandon. With the letter in his luggage Pierce arrives in Antarctica.
Rondelle and Pierce start with the dirigibles 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 in the newspaper about the crash. Helen's hysterical reaction shows Brandon that she loves Pierce still. At the same time, the injured expedition members begin their march back. Rondelle dies of exhaustion while.
In Washington, Brandon can convince the admiral to undertake a rescue mission with new airships. Days later, Pierce McGuire must amputate a foot. McGuire feels like a burden to others and goes out into the frozen wastes. Pierce is snow-blind and must be guided by Hansen. You return to Rondelles grave, which shows them that they are run in a circle. Hansen dies soon afterward from exhaustion. Just before Pierce also collapses, Brandon arrives with his airship and saves him. On board the airship Brandon Pierce to read his wife's letter. Brandon makes the letter a declaration of love and throws it out the window. In New York in a parade will be held in honor. Here, Pierce and Helen get back together. Pierce promises, never to leave again.
Reviews
The lexicon of international film: " A film of the time, belonged as an aviator to the idols of Hollywood, shot entirely in the studio and in the hangars at Lakehurst. " For Variety, the film was " unconvincing ", the crash of the airship was the ' " ' big scene" of the movie.
Background
The production of Columbia Pictures had an estimated budget of approximately U.S. $ 650,000. The " Motion Picture Herald " estimated the budget even higher, approximately one million U.S. dollars.
Director Capra, on loan from MGM, shot the film in California during a heat wave. To illustrate the cold of the Antarctic, dry ice was used. The Navy supported the film by borrowed the airship Los Angeles.
The film, in which Richard Loo made his film debut with a small supporting role, inspired by the events of 1928. The Italian Umberto Nobile researchers undertook his airship Italia a flight to the North Pole. This led to a crash. At the next international bailout took Roald Amundsen, the first man at the South Pole, in part, came here but himself killed.
Frank Waed, the author of the literary work, made a name for himself as a writer of stories flyer. Many of them have been filmed, including " Test Pilot " (Eng.: The test pilot ) with Clark Gable and "The Wings of Eagles " (Eng.: The Wings of Eagles ) with John Wayne.
Jack Holt and Ralph Graves turned together before three other adventure films for Columbia.