| The Flying Irishman | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Leigh Jason |
| Written by | Ernest Pagano Dalton Trumbo |
| Starring | Douglas Corrigan |
| Music by | Roy Webb |
| Cinematography | J. Roy Hunt |
| Editing by | Arthur E. Roberts |
| Distributed by | RKO Pictures |
| Release date(s) | April 7, 1939 |
| Running time | 91 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Flying Irishman is a 1939 biographical drama film produced by RKO Pictures in 1939 about Douglas Corrigan's unofficial transatlantic flight the previous year. Directed by Leigh Jason to a screenplay by Ernest Pagano and Dalton Trumbo, the film was made quickly to exploit the huge public interest in the adventure, and starred Corrigan as himself in the lead role. Many of the other parts were played by established character actors, however, which undermined its attempt at realism.
The film covers the material of Corrigan's autobiography from his early life to his return from his wrong-way flight. Because of the huge popularity of Corrigan and his flight, the screenplay assumes that the material is already familiar to its audience.