Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (of Le Petit Prince fame) was a writer of some size but not up to the best; his characters are often literary and/or made of clichés such as The Inventor in this movie. Others are schematic and underdeveloped, like the five pilots. Being an aviator, however, he was unsurpassed in the picture of the thrills and dangers of flying the primitive, temperamental machines of the 1930s.
These qualities/defects are clearly visible in this movie. Acting by most of the cast shows a problem with French movies between the wars: inability to understand the difference between theater and movie acting. Paradoxically Annabella, who was not a theater actress delivers the best performance as Anne-Marie in a low key, natural fashion.
Finally the script. Saint-Exupéry obviously lowered his standards, The plot is ridden with Hollywood clichés and you will need a large dose of suspension of disbelief to swallow the ending. Special effects are rudimentary, but the few scenes that show the handling of authentic airplanes of the period are exciting,
These qualities/defects are clearly visible in this movie. Acting by most of the cast shows a problem with French movies between the wars: inability to understand the difference between theater and movie acting. Paradoxically Annabella, who was not a theater actress delivers the best performance as Anne-Marie in a low key, natural fashion.
Finally the script. Saint-Exupéry obviously lowered his standards, The plot is ridden with Hollywood clichés and you will need a large dose of suspension of disbelief to swallow the ending. Special effects are rudimentary, but the few scenes that show the handling of authentic airplanes of the period are exciting,