New Cycle

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23839, 14 December 1940, Page 10 (Supplement)

New Cycle

AEROPLANE STORIES

j A HOLLYWOOD which has heard the l sound of war-planes and war-talk lis turning aviation stories into films as I fast as it can, says an exchange, it ; realises that it cannot rival Britain, | now turning out films on the current | war exploits of the R.A.F. Hollywood cannot find a home version of, say, "Fighter Squadron," G.B.D.'s coming adventure drama of Spitfire pilots, or A.T.P.'s "Silent Service," which, with Admiralty co-operation, will deal with the Fleet Air Arm. It has, however, a cogent theme of its own —the present United States' drive for adequate aerial defence. M.G.M, starts the cycle with Robert Taylor's "Flight Command." Paramount has begun work on "i Wanted Wings," which will have William Holden in the cast. From Warners, will issue. "50,000 Flyers," using a huge cast headed by Ronald Reagan, Dennis Morgan, Brenda Marshall and Wayne Morris. The story editors of other studios—• and this includes the independents—are scouring their files and combing the book markets for similar material. Aviation cycles have been on the screen before —but there is a new angle to the 1940 boom. The entertainment magazine Variety states:— "Each aviation film made is, in a more or less guarded way, aimed to help Uncle Sam get over the idea that this country must have a sky armada second to none." In response, the United States Government is giving Hollywood facilities it could never secure before. Robert Taylor and his supporting players in "Flight Command" have been working under the U.S. Navy's pledge of full co-operation in locations and equipment. The Army Air Corps has turned over in its entirety, to Paramount. Randolph Field, Texas. Here "I Wanted Wings" is being produced by Myrna Loy's husband, Arthur Hornhlow, jun. Non-American audiences want to know what type of entertainment will be given them in these films. Their stones will cover the whole field of 1940 aviation. Their heroes will be fighting a "mythical enemy" of the United States, or training under America's new defence scheme.