{"id":51881,"date":"2020-09-25T09:42:44","date_gmt":"2020-09-25T16:42:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=51881"},"modified":"2021-01-22T12:20:15","modified_gmt":"2021-01-22T19:20:15","slug":"hells-angels-1930","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=51881","title":{"rendered":"Hell&#8217;s Angels (1930)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;Life&#8217;s short &#8212; and I want to live while I&#8217;m alive!&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Poster-191x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"191\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-51885\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Poster-191x300.jpg 191w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Poster-82x128.jpg 82w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Poster-172x270.jpg 172w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Poster.jpg 326w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 191px) 100vw, 191px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nAt the start of World War I, two British brothers &#8212; straitlaced Roy (James Hall) and womanizing Monte (Ben Lyon) &#8212; join the RAF, while their German friend Karl (John Darrow) becomes a reluctant officer for his country. Meanwhile, Roy continues to worship his girlfriend Helen (Jean Harlow), who is not nearly as &#8220;innocent&#8221; as he believes.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Airplanes and Pilots<\/li>\n<li>Jean Harlow Films<\/li>\n<li>Love Triangle<\/li>\n<li>World War I<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nEccentric billionaire Howard Hughes only directed two films in his notorious career as an aviator, movie producer, and philanthropist: <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=41562\"><em>The Outlaw<\/em> (1943)<\/a> with Jane Russell and this early rival to <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=31563\"><em>Wings<\/em> (1927)<\/a>, about aerial fighters in World War I. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Flying2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Flying2-1024x668.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"418\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-65145\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Flying2-1024x668.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Flying2-300x196.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Flying2-128x84.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Flying2-768x501.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Flying2-1536x1002.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Flying2-414x270.png 414w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Flying2.png 1583w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>Hell&#8217;s Angels<\/em> has a truly infamous production history, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/77738\/hells-angels\/#articles-reviews?articleId=78352\">TCM&#8217;s article<\/a> provides plenty of behind-the-scenes information about the film: <\/p>\n<blockquote><p>A year and a half into the production of <em>Hell&#8217;s Angels<\/em>, Hughes had lost his wife (to divorce), two stunt pilots and a mechanic (killed filming the movie&#8217;s stunning aerial sequences), two directors (Marshall Neilan and Luther Reed; Howard Hawks and Edmund Goulding were also among those said to have worked on it), and more than $2 million. And he still had roughly 2 million feet of unedited silent footage in a market that virtually overnight was clamoring for talkies. Rather than scrap the whole thing, Hughes decided to add sound to the air footage and re-shoot the dialogue sequences.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Given this decidedly rocky trajectory, it&#8217;s impressive that the film coheres as well as it does &#8212; though it&#8217;s not exactly seamless. Opening scenes featuring Lyon bowing out of a duel with the husband (Lucien Prival) of a woman he&#8217;s been having an affair with &#8212; and Hall taking his place &#8212; are atmospherically filmed but don&#8217;t do much for the storyline other than present the brothers as a caddish coward (Lyon) and a foolish martyr (Hall). <\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, 18-year-old Harlow&#8217;s performance isn&#8217;t nearly as bad as accounts would lead you to believe; it&#8217;s easy to see how she turned into one of cinema&#8217;s most alluring sirens. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Harlow.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Harlow-1024x648.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"405\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-65142\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Harlow-1024x648.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Harlow-300x190.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Harlow-128x81.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Harlow-768x486.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Harlow-1536x971.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Harlow-427x270.png 427w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Harlow.png 1621w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The best aspect of the film by far, however, are the stunning aerial &#8220;dog fights&#8221;, shot at great cost (both literally, and in terms of human lives lost). Also notable is a sequence in which German dirigible crew members are ordered to jump to their deaths in order to &#8220;lighten the load&#8221;; this is, as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s1461hell.html\">DVD Savant writes<\/a>, a &#8220;disturbing and macabre scene.&#8221;  <\/p>\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> This film&#8217;s production was a major narrative component in Martin Scorsese&#8217;s <em>The Aviator<\/em> (2004), a biopic about Hughes starring Leonardo DiCaprio. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Fine cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Cinematography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Cinematography-1024x566.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"354\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-51883\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Cinematography-1024x566.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Cinematography-300x166.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Cinematography-128x71.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Cinematography-768x425.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Cinematography-1536x849.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Cinematography-488x270.png 488w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Cinematography-1038x576.png 1038w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Cinematography.png 1633w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Cinematography2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Cinematography2-1024x608.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"380\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-51884\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Cinematography2-1024x608.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Cinematography2-300x178.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Cinematography2-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Cinematography2-768x456.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Cinematography2-1536x912.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Cinematography2-455x270.png 455w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Cinematography2.png 1547w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>The completely eerie &#8220;dirigible death drop&#8221; scene<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Dirigible.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Dirigible-1024x606.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"379\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-51887\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Dirigible-1024x606.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Dirigible-300x178.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Dirigible-128x76.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Dirigible-768x455.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Dirigible-1536x909.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Dirigible-456x270.png 456w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Dirigible.png 1559w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Exciting aerial sequences<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Stunt-Flying.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Stunt-Flying-1024x602.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"376\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-51882\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Stunt-Flying-1024x602.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Stunt-Flying-300x176.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Stunt-Flying-128x75.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Stunt-Flying-768x452.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Stunt-Flying-1536x903.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Stunt-Flying-2048x1205.png 2048w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Hells-Angels-Stunt-Flying-459x270.png 459w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo, though it&#8217;s worth a look given its notoriety. Listed as a film with Historical Importance in the back of Peary&#8217;s book. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0020960\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1930\/08\/16\/archives\/the-screen.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20160314092555\/http:\/\/cinescene.com\/dash\/flicks.html#hellsangels\">CineScene Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thespinningimage.co.uk\/cultfilms\/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=12462&#038;aff=13\">Spinning Image Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s1461hell.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.filmsite.org\/hell.html\">FilmSite Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/77738\/hells-angels\/#articles-reviews?articleId=78352\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Life&#8217;s short &#8212; and I want to live while I&#8217;m alive!&#8221; Synopsis: At the start of World War I, two British brothers &#8212; straitlaced Roy (James Hall) and womanizing Monte (Ben Lyon) &#8212; join the RAF, while their German friend Karl (John Darrow) becomes a reluctant officer for his country. Meanwhile, Roy continues to worship his girlfriend Helen (Jean Harlow), who is not nearly as &#8220;innocent&#8221; as he believes. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Airplanes and Pilots Jean Harlow Films&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=51881\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-51881","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51881","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=51881"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51881\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":65146,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51881\/revisions\/65146"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=51881"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=51881"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=51881"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}