SKY DEVILS (1932)

[rmichaelpyle]

I watched a film that really needs to be re-discovered. In fact, I'm a little bit surprised how it has fallen off the map totally, especially because it stars Spencer Tracy. The film is "Sky Devils" (1932), and along with Tracy it stars an incredibly sexy Ann Dvorak (who does a fascinating pre-code dance), George Cooper (nobody ever remembers who he is, but he made 211 films and is always memorable in some way, and he reminds me constantly of Cliff "Ukelele Ike" Edwards), William "Stage" Boyd (in a role I actually enjoyed watching him in - for a change!), Yola d'Avril, Billy Bevan, and an amazing list of character actors, including a few who had been stars at one time or another earlier, such as John Miljan.

The film, produced by none other than Howard Hughes and his Caddo company, is a comedy, first of all. It begins on the beach with the boys, Tracy and Cooper, playing life guards - life guards who can't swim, by the way! Oh, yes, they are credited with saving someone's life who really was saved by William "Stage" Boyd. Boyd continues through the film playing the same stooge to the boys' being heroes when they're not. The film ends in WW I France with the boys doing their devilry in airplanes. Here I've got to say that the tag line that appeared on posters, "Better than "Hell's Angels"" is almost correct. The flying scenes are so spectacular that even my wife, who can't stand flying movies generally, was amazed by them. They are among the finest I've ever watched, and if one has only seen "Wings" or "Hell's Angels" or a couple of other famous WW I flying films, this one sits up there with the best of them, if not surpassing them all in its stunts. It's really fabulous!

All in all, the comedy, the cutting, the stunts, the pre-code fun, the speed of the film, and the acting - including Spencer Tracy's comedic abiltity - are wonderful. This film, though nothing that would be considered earthshaking, nevertheless has classic things about it that make it easily memorable and worth knowing about and watching. Again, I'm very surprised it's not out on a legitimate DVD. And for those who think Ann Dvorak was only window dressing in "Scarface" (also produced by Caddo) - think again!!

[diane]

That is a great review Michael. When I first saw the poster and the "blurb" - I think I the words
comedy and Spencer Tracy in the same film put me off but I do recall seeing him in something
called "Looking for Trouble" (about 40 years ago) a comedy I think about linesmen - so maybe
the idea is not too far fetched. With Ann Dvorak in it it will go on my wishlist.
I can remember the first time I saw William "Stage" Boyd was in a film
called "The Midnight Warning" - I thought I was going to see William
"Hoppy" Boyd - I was disappointed to say the least. But seeing him now
in a few poverty rowers - I don't mind him. There is a film at vintagefilm
buff called "Murder By the Clock" (1931). It is billed as a pre-code
thriller and it is very thrilling with Lilyan Tashman as a woman, who
will stop at nothing to achieve her ends (I actually had never seen her
in a film before) - it is pretty good.

[Midge]

Spencer Tracy is always worth watching, and in those days he was a handsome young fella. I love those fast-paced, wisecracking early 30's movies that are full of quips and slang. The ones where you hear phrases like, "Oh, yeah? So's yer old man!" or "Scram!" or "Gee, that's swell!"

They don't make 'em the way they used to, that's for sure. Those movies weren't supposed to be art or send a message; their job was simply to entertain, and they did it so well.

It bears remembering that in the 1930's, men who flew airplanes were looked up to as heroes, the way astronauts were in the early days of the space program.