Romancefest 2021: Only Angels Have Wings

Directed by Howard Hawks

Written by Jules Furthman

Starring Cary Grant, Jean Arthur and Rita Hayworth

USA, 1939

Here's another movie that has everything -- adventure, music, romance, special effects and more.

A rugged individualist and head pilot of a South American air-mail delivery service has his life turned upside down when the dangerous ins and outs of his work days are interrupted by the arrival of a piano-playinge entertainer.

This is one of those "will they, won't they" tales, where the man has had it with women and the woman is strong enough she's not going to sit around begging for a man. He has a devil may care attitude about the realities of his deadly profession and she loves him so much she wishes he'd be more careful but wouldn't want to bother him about it. This leads to the perfectly written line, "I'm hard to get. All you have to do is ask me."

The thing is, the backdrop of the story is so interesting and well fleshed out that the romance almost takes backseat to just getting to know all these pilots, the ins and outs of their business, caring about whether they have to shut down, worrying whether they'll make their flights alive. That's the trick: sneak the romance in the back door and you please everyone with a story well told.

Of course it helps that Cary Grant is the best, and Jean Arthur's no slouch either -- she's not a typical leading lady, but that's her strength, and I've loved her since the first thing I ever saw her in, SHANE. On top of that you've got another great -- Howard Hawks -- behind the camera, and super cool flight scenes that are thrilling even today.

As the movie unfolded, I couldn't help but note the similarities between it and a cartoon I used to watch on the Disney Afternoon growing up, TALE SPIN. Grant's head pilot character has the nickname "Papa Bear," just like the lead protagonist of the cartoon, and his sidekick's nickname is "The Kid" which is not far off from the cartoon counterpart, Kit. Add to this the fact they work for an air delivery service and a strong woman comes in to turn their lives upside down, and I think we're on to something.

Some say this is the best movie ever made. It's worth checking out for yourself.