At a remote South American trading port, the manager of an air-freight company is forced to risk his pilots' lives in order to win an important contract, as a traveling American showgirl sto... Read allAt a remote South American trading port, the manager of an air-freight company is forced to risk his pilots' lives in order to win an important contract, as a traveling American showgirl stops in town.At a remote South American trading port, the manager of an air-freight company is forced to risk his pilots' lives in order to win an important contract, as a traveling American showgirl stops in town.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 1 win & 1 nomination total
- Tex
- (as Donald Barry)
- The Singer
- (as Maciste)
- Lily
- (as Milissa Sierra)
- Tourist
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaHoward Hawks had known a real-life flier who once parachuted from a burning plane. His co-pilot died in the ensuing crash and his fellow pilots shunned him for the rest of his life.
- GoofsToward the beginning of the movie, when Tex the lookout radio man says, "OK, it's open," you can see the whole mountain range in the background slightly shift to the right. (Apparently, somebody was moving the set backdrop or bumped into it while the scene was being filmed.)
- Quotes
Kid Dabb: The boat doesn't stop at Santa Maria this trip.
Geoff Carter: Why not?
Kid Dabb: They have no bananas.
Geoff Carter: They have no bananas?
Kid Dabb: Yes, they have no bananas.
- ConnectionsEdited into Adieu au langage (2014)
- SoundtracksGwine to Rune All Night
(aka "De Camptown Races") (uncredited)
Written by Stephen Foster
[Piano background music played in the restaurant]
It's life, matter of fact and not hung up or lingering, simply moving on, devil may care, with boldness, dare, and risk-woe-begotten (or forgotten, for that matter). Men - one track-minded, to fly to deliver no-matter-what. Women - worry, or why worry. To love the man, much of letting go and let him be comes with the territory, even if it's Jean Arthur or Rita Hayworth. The story revolves around not just Cary Grant's Geoff leading the pack in the Andes, but also Thomas Mitchell's brother gone, Richard Barthelmess' past recur, Rita Hayworth's nostalgic fear, and the spunky, sentimental Jean Arthur's Bonnie wraps it all up. The supporting cast aptly contributes from the restaurant-hotel-mailing service owner, the lively South American accents and melody, to the pilots who are green and know not what peril is, and the lone fog-watcher and his donkey. Secrets revealed, conflicts challenged, and there's a growing promotion of trust through it all. Between business partners, colleagues, friendship or marriage - that unquestionable trust, without asking out loud but understood within - is what life and dare all about.
This film grew on me. I first saw it on cable TCM the latter half and couldn't wait to catch it again for the full story. Screenplay by Jules Furthman, music score by Dimitri Tiomkin, directed and produced by Howard Hawks, "Only Angels Have Wings" 1939 (available on DVD) is full of life, humor, drama, adventurous spirits, and non-stop exchange of word deliveries - entertaining, enjoyable, and heart-warming.
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Howard Hawks' Only Angels Have Wings
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross worldwide
- $8,554
- Runtime2 hours 1 minute
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1