''Hell in the Heavens'' is a 1934 American

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 a ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

directed by John G. Blystone and written by Byron Morgan,

Ted Parsons Ted Parsons is an American drummer most notable for his membership in bands such as Swans, Prong, Godflesh, Killing Joke, and Jesu. Biography Parsons' early career began in 1985 with Swans, when he contributed to their ''Holy Money'' album. He ...

and

Jack Yellen Jack Selig Yellen (Jacek Jeleń; July 6, 1892 – April 17, 1991) was an American lyricist and screenwriter. He is best remembered for writing the lyrics to the songs " Happy Days Are Here Again", which was used by Franklin Roosevelt as the th ...

based on the stage play ''Der Flieger'' by Hermann Rossmann. The film stars

Warner Baxter Warner Leroy Baxter (March 29, 1889 – May 7, 1951) was an American film actor from the 1910s to the 1940s. Baxter is known for his role as the Cisco Kid in the 1928 film ''In Old Arizona'', for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor at ...

Conchita Montenegro Conchita Montenegro (born Concepción Andrés Picado; September 11, 1911 – April 22, 2007) was a Spanish model, dancer, stage and screen actress. She was educated in a convent in Madrid. Multitalented Montenegro first worked professionally ...

Russell Hardie William Russell Hardie (May 20, 1904 – July 21, 1973) was an American film actor. He appeared in ''The Costello Case'', '' Broadway to Hollywood'', '' Stage Mother'', ''Christopher Bean'', '' As the Earth Turns'', '' Men in White'', ''Opera ...

Herbert Mundin Herbert Thomas Mundin (21 August 1898 – 5 March 1939) was an English character actor. He was frequently typecast in 1930s Hollywood films like ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' as an older cheeky eccentric, a type helped by his jowled features ...

Andy Devine Andrew Vabre Devine (October 7, 1905 – February 18, 1977) was an American character actor known for his distinctive raspy, crackly voice and roles in Western films, including his role as Cookie, the sidekick of Roy Rogers in 10 feature fil ...

and William Stelling. The film was released on November 9, 1934, by

Fox Film Corporation The Fox Film Corporation (also known as Fox Studios) was an American Independent film production studio formed by William Fox (1879–1952) in 1915, by combining his earlier Greater New York Film Rental Company and Box Office Attractions Film C ...

Plot

During World War I, American ace pilot Lieutenant Steve Warner (

) leads a group of replacements for the French

Lafayette Escadrille The La Fayette Escadrille (french: Escadrille de La Fayette) was the name of the French Air Force unit escadrille N 124 during the First World War (1914–1918). This escadrille of the ''Aéronautique Militaire'' was composed largely of Ameri ...

. Captain Andre DeLaage (William Stack) is in charge but he has lost many pilots shot down by the German ace known only as "The Baron" (

Arno Frey Arnold Frey (11 October 1900 – 26 June 1961) was a German actor who portrayed the Nazi villain Dr. Lang in the Frank Buck movie ''Tiger Fangs'' (1943). Biography Frey arrived in the United States in October 1926, according to the New Yor ...

). Steve falls in love with Aimee (

), a French girl. After a German air raid, the flyers keep the only bottle of bourbon calling it the "bottle of death" to be used only to toast the downing of German pilots. During a morning patrol, DeLaage is shot down by The Baron, who returns his helmet by parachute. Warner, now in command, vows to bring The Baron down. He shoots down Schroeder (

Rudolph Anders Rudolph Anders (December 17, 1895 – March 27, 1987) was a German character actor who came to the United States after the rise of Hitler, and appeared in numerous American films in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. Biography He was born Rudo ...

), a German officer who tells him that The Baron already shot down 32 flyers. New man, Corporal Teddy May (William Stelling), has repeatedly turned back because of disturbing dreams where he is shot down in flames by The Baron. Steve also has the same dreams of being shot down. Steve proposes to Aimee but she is afraid for him. In a series of aerial battles, Steve shoots down the Baron's younger brother while the Baron shoots down May, and issues a challenge to Steve. Despite Aimee's pleas, Steve flies alone and during their dogfight, his guns jam, but he drives his aircraft into the Baron, bringing both of them down. Steve drags the Baron to safety and proposes they drink a toast from the "bottle of death," Stephen is surprised to hear the Baron also has dreams of dying.

Cast

as Lt. Steve Warner *

as Aimee *

as 2nd Lt. Hartley *

as Granny Biggs *

as Sgt. "Ham" Davis *William Stelling as Cpl. Teddy May *

Ralph Morgan Raphael Kuhner Wuppermann (July 6, 1883 – June 11, 1956), known professionally as Ralph Morgan, was a Hollywood stage and film character actor, and the older brother of Frank Morgan. Early life Morgan was born in New York City, the eig ...

as Lt. "Pop" Roget *

Vince Barnett Vince Barnett (July 4, 1902 – August 10, 1977) was an American film actor. He appeared on stage originally before appearing in more than 230 films between 1930 and 1975. Early years Barnett was born July 4, 1902, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylva ...

as Ace McGurk *William Stack as Capt. Andre De Laage * J. Carrol Naish as Sgt. Chevalier *

Johnny Arthur Johnny Arthur (born John Lennox Arthur Williams; May 20, 1883 – December 31, 1951) was an American stage and motion picture actor. Early years Born in Scottdale, Pennsylvania, Arthur was a veteran of twenty-five years on stage before he made ...

as Clarence Perkins *

as Baron Kurt von Hagen *

as Lt. Schroeder *Vincent Carato as Sgt. Cortez

Production

''Hell in the Heavens'' was based on the stage play, ''Flieger'' by Hermann Rossman (copyrighted 1931) and the English-language adaptation, ''The Ace'', by Miles Malleson (London, Aug 1933). In adapting the play, the production company (Fox) agreed in writing when they purchased the rights to the play not to make any changes "which shall in tone or form discredit the honour of Germany." Screenwriter Byron Morgan further stated the play was based on the experiences of officers and men in a German flying squadron and those of his co-writer, Ted Parsons, who had been a member of the Lafayette Escadrille. The introduction of a new comic character with

as Sgt. "Ham" Davis was the only major departure from the tone of the original play."Notes: Hell in the Heavens (1934)."
''TCM.com''. Retrieved: May 20, 2019. In order to create the screenplay, a great number of screenwriters were involved, including ' Frank "Spig" Wead, a noted aviation writer who had been involved in many productions during the 1930s. Most of the location photography was done at Baker's Ranch in Saugus, California. One of the major locales for the film was a castle that was found at the Fussell Brothers Ranch in Triunfo, California. Some stock footage from '' Hell's Angels'' (1930) were obtained. The other aircraft that were assembled for the film included

Nieuport 28 The Nieuport 28 C.1, a French biplane fighter aircraft flown during World War I, was built by Nieuport and designed by Gustave Delage. Owing its lineage to the successful line of sesquiplane fighters that included the Nieuport 17, the Nieu ...

and Garland-Lincoln LF-1 fighter aircraft.

Reception

Although lukewarm in his personal assessment, ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'' film reviewer Frank S. Nugent, stated: "Endowed with the talents of Warner Baxter, some excellent aerial photography and the exciting title, "Hell in the Heavens," the film went on view last night at the Mayfair Theatre and seemed to please its audience. Which is to say that the spectators appeared to be no little impressed by the traditional delineation of the heroism, hysteria and humor that are common to most cinematic flying squadrons."Nugent, Frank S. (F.S.N.
"Movie Review: Hell in the Heavens; Again the Escadrille."
''The New York Times'' (NYTimes.com). Retrieved: May 20. 2019.

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

* Beck, Simon D. ''The Aircraft-Spotter's Film and Television Companion''. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland and Company, 2016. .

External links

* * {{John G. Blystone 1934 films American aviation films Fox Film films American drama films 1934 drama films Films directed by John G. Blystone American black-and-white films 1930s English-language films 1930s American films