Flight Lieutenant (film)
| The Flight Lieutenant | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Sidney Salkow |
| Produced by | B. P. Schulberg |
| Written by |
Michael Blankfort Richard Carroll Betty Hopkins |
| Starring |
Pat O'Brien Glenn Ford Lloyd Bridges |
| Music by | Werner R. Heymann |
| Cinematography | Franz Planer |
| Edited by | Charles Nelson |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 80 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Flight Lieutenant is a 1942 film starring Pat O'Brien as Sam Doyle, a disgraced commercial pilot who works to regain the respect of his son (Glenn Ford) against the backdrop of World War II. Its advertising slogan was "roaring with thrills, throbbing with romance" with the love interest provided by Evelyn Keyes as Susie Thompson.
It was directed by Sidney Salkow, a Harvard Law School grad who had himself served in the Pacific and been shot down. A review in the New York Times considered that the film was a "dreary father-and-son tale" with much mawkish sentimentality.[1]
Plot
World War I combat pilot Sam Doyle has developed a drinking problem. In 1932, he causes the death of his co-pilot and has his license revoked. A single parent, he leaves young Danny behind with a guardian and goes off to South America to find gainful employment. He leaves money to the dead co-pilot's widow and daughter, but the dead man's brother, Thompson, wants revenge.
Danny grows up to be an expert pilot. Thompson, now a major, becomes his superior officer. Neither has any knowledge of their shared history, even after Danny falls in love with Thompson's niece, Susie, and proposes marriage. Doyle returns, re-enlists and learns Danny is scheduled to test a new jet that has a design flaw. Doyle changes places with Danny at the last minute, flies and crashes the plane, saving future lives while sacrificing his own.
Cast
- Pat O'Brien as Sam Doyle
- Glenn Ford as Danny
- Evelyn Keyes as Susie
Notes
External links
- Flight Lieutenant on IMDb
- http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9F04E3D81239E33BBC4950DFB1668389659EDE