''Clipped Wings'' is a 1937 American

crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a State (polity), state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definit ...

and

aviation Aviation includes the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. ''Aircraft'' includes fixed-wing and rotary-wing types, morphable wings, wing-less lifting bodies, as well as lighter-than-air craft such as hot air ...

Kier-Phillips production for National pictures, directed by

Stuart Paton Stuart Paton (23 July 1883 – 16 December 1944) was a British film director, director, screenwriter and actor of the silent film, silent era. Paton mostly worked with Universal Pictures, Universal, and is accredited with directing 67 films ...

from an original story and screenplay by Paul Willett. The film stars Lloyd E. Hughes, Rosalind Keith and

William Janney William Janney (born Russell Dixon Janney, February 15, 1908 – December 22, 1992) was an American actor who appeared in 39 films between 1929 and 1937. He was the son of author and theatrical producer Russell Janney,(28 December 1940)William J ...

Plot

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, Captain Jerry Broun (Lloyd Hughes) feels he has to fight even though the United States has not yet entered the conflict. He enrols in Canada to fly as a pilot, with his adoring young half-brother Mickey (

Delmar Watson David Delmar Watson (July 1, 1926 – October 26, 2008) was an American child actor and news photographer.Nelson, Valerie J"Delmar Watson, child actor turned news photographer, dies at 82" ''Los Angeles Times''. October 28, 2008.Andres, Holly J.F ...

) wanting to follow in his footsteps by becoming a pilot. Twenty years later, an older Michael (

) attempts to enter the

United States Army Air Corps The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical r ...

(USAAC), but cannot overcome his boyhood fear of thunderstorms and is "washed out". His friend Cecil Dunbar (Glen Boles) persuades a dejected Michael to come to a party hosted by crippled war veteran Raoul McGuire ( Jason Robards Sr.). Michael meets McGuire's sister, Molly (Rosalind Keith), who confides that her brother is engaged in criminal activities. Michael's older brother, now in the U.S. Department of Justice and assuming the name "Jim Lofton", has protected his identity from his family and others, by circulating the cover story that he was killed in the war. Lofton's assignment is to arrest Raoul McGuire, his old flying buddy and the man who once saved his life. McGuire is smuggling oil across the Texas border and is fooled into believing Lofton is part of his gang. Michael falls in love with Raoul's sister, Molly, but at the family ranch, overhears the gang's plans to smuggle oil. Jim Lofton's role is to fly and divert authorities when a military exercise is taking place at the ranch. When Moran (

Richard Cramer Richard Earl Cramer (July 3, 1889 – August 9, 1960) was an American actor in films from the late 1920s to the early 1950s. Burly, menacing and gravel-voiced, Cramer specialized in villainous roles in many low-budget westerns, but is today ...

) the gang leader, shoots and wounds Raoul, in a struggle with Lofton, the gang leader is killed. When the gang involves both Molly and Michael, Lofton reveals his true identity to his brother. Michael overcomes his fears and flies Molly and her wounded brother to a hospital. Jerry Broun takes off in another aircraft to escort Michael, and after a furious gun battle in the air, crashes into the pursuing gangster's aircraft. He then parachutes to safety from his burning aircraft. With his brother recovering from his burns, Michael is reinstated in the USAAC and marries Molly.

Cast

Production

''Clipped Wings'' featured a number of aerial scenes, with a mix of staged back screen projection work at the Los Angeles International Film Studios and stock footage from operational fighter squadrons. The use of

Randolph Air Force Base Randolph Air Force Base was an United States Air Force base located at Universal City, Texas ( east-northeast of Downtown San Antonio). Opened in 1931, Randolph has been a flying training facility for the United States Army Air Corps, the Uni ...

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , s ...

, Texas, where training was taking place, allowed the production company to film a graduation ceremony as well as aircraft such as

Boeing P-12 The Boeing P-12/F4B was an American pursuit aircraft that was operated by the United States Army Air Corps , United States Marine Corps, and United States Navy. Design and development Developed as a private venture to replace the Boeing F2B an ...

fighters in the air. A 1930 Waco INF (NC864V) and a 1931 Model 7 Fleet (NC798V) were used in the film by the hero and pursuing gangsters. The Fleet Model 7 still exists. Famed aerial photographer

Elmer Dyer Elmer Dyer, A.S.C. (August 24, 1892 – February 8, 1970) was an American cinematographer, the first film cameraman to specialize in aerial photography. Dyer was born in Lawrence, Kansas and died in Hollywood. During World War II Dyer was as ...

filmed the aerial action.

Reception

Despite the abundant use of aerial sequences, ''Clipped Wings'' was a

B film A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double feature ...

saddled by a muddled plot and hackneyed acting.

Home media

It was later bundled in 2013 as a DVD release, with another B feature, ''Skybound'' (1935), also starring Lloyd Hughes."Aviator Double Feature: Clipped Wings (1937) / Skybound (1935)."
''Amazon''.Retrieved: August 30, 2014.

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

* Wynne, H. Hugh. ''The Motion Picture Stunt Pilots and Hollywood's Classic Aviation Movies.'' Missoula, Montana: Pictorial Histories Publishing Co., 1987. .

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Clipped Wings American crime films American aviation films American black-and-white films 1937 crime films 1937 films Films directed by Stuart Paton 1930s English-language films 1930s American films