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'''''Women in the Wind''''' is a 1939 film directed by [[John Farrow]] and starred [[Kay Francis]], [[William Gargan]] and [[Victor Jory]]. The plot revolved around women pilots who were competing in the so-called "[[Powder Puff Derby]]", an annual transcontinental air race solely for women pilots. {{#tag:ref|Humorist [[Will Rogers]] called the 1929 [[Women's Air Derby]] |
'''''Women in the Wind''''' is a 1939 film directed by [[John Farrow]] and starred [[Kay Francis]], [[William Gargan]] and [[Victor Jory]]. The plot revolved around women pilots who were competing in the so-called "[[Powder Puff Derby]]", an annual transcontinental air race solely for women pilots. {{#tag:ref|Humorist [[Will Rogers]] called the 1929 [[Women's Air Derby]] the "Powder Puff Derby", the name by which the race is most commonly known.<ref>Read 1992, p. 11.</ref>|group=Note}} |
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==Plot== |
==Plot== |
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Revision as of 16:12, 17 July 2015
| Women in the Wind | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | John Farrow |
| Written by | George Bricker (contributing writer) Lawrence Kimble (contributor to treatment) |
| Screenplay by | Lee Katz Albert DeMond |
| Produced by | Bryan Foy |
| Starring | Kay Francis William Gargan Victor Jory |
| Cinematography | Sidney Hickox |
| Edited by | Thomas Pratt |
| Music by | M.K. Jerome |
Production company | Warner Bros. |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release date |
|
Running time | 65 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Women in the Wind is a 1939 film directed by John Farrow and starred Kay Francis, William Gargan and Victor Jory. The plot revolved around women pilots who were competing in the so-called "Powder Puff Derby", an annual transcontinental air race solely for women pilots. [Note 1]
Plot
The women's air derby from Los Angeles to Cleveland means a lot to young aviator Janet Steele (Kay Francis), who uses every trick in the book to persuade pilot Ace Boreman (William Gargan) to lend her his very fast aircraft.
Ace is reluctant, but Janet steals his craft to demonstrate her skill. He also learns that she is the sister of Bill Steele (Charles Anthony Hughes), a distinguished pilot.
Complications ensue when Ace's estranged wife, Frieda (Sheila Bromley), pops up to say their divorce is not yet final. The aircraft remains half-hers and Frieda intends to go after the derby's $15,000 first prize herself. Ace is able to convince his buddy Denny Corson (Eddie Foy, Jr.) to let Janet use his home-built aircraft in the race.
Frieda is jealous of Janet and tries a number of ways to sabotage her trip. But when one of the landing gears on Janet's aircraft is torn off after a forced landing and takeoff, Frieda forfeits her own opportunity to win to help Janet, who is able to land, winning the race. After Frieda announces that her divorce is annulled, Janet wins Ace as well as the race.
Cast
- Kay Francis as Janet Steele
- William Gargan as Ace Boreman
- Eve Arden as Kit Campbell
- Sheila Bromley as Frieda
- Eddie Foy, Jr. as Denny Corson
- Victor Jory as Doc
- Maxie Rosenbloom as Stuffy McInnes
- Sheila Bromley as Frieda Boreman
- Charles Anthony Hughes as Bill Steele
- Frankie Burke as Johnnie
- Spencer Charters as Farmer
- Vera Lewis as Farmer's Wife
- William Gould as Palmer
- Gordon Hart as Air Races Official
- Ila Rhodes as Joan
Production
Women in the Wind was the last Warner Bros. contract film for Kay Francis.[3] Based on the novel of the same name by Frances Walton, the screenplay was loosely based on the 1929 Women's Air Derby, the first official women-only air race in the United States during the 1929 National Air Races. A total of 19 pilots took off from Santa Monica, California on August 18, 1929 (another left the next day) with 15 pilots continuing to Cleveland, Ohio, landing nine days later.[4] A number of scenes utilized footage from record-breaking flights.[3] Aircraft for the film were provided by Hollywood film pilot Howard Blatt.[5]
Reception
Critically reviewed in The New York Times by Frank S. Nugent, Women in the Wind was considered lacklustre and ground-hugging, despite the action being set in an air race. "It is another commonplace little fiction embroidered upon the Powder Puff Derby, the annual transcontinental race for the women fliers, with Kay Francis as the girl who simply has to win the race to get money for her brother's operation. Everything happens according to formula ..."[6] In a later review by film critic and historian Leonard Maltin, he dismissed it as "(a) Trite programmer." [7]
References
Notes
- ^ Humorist Will Rogers called the 1929 Women's Air Derby the "Powder Puff Derby", the name by which the race is most commonly known.[2]
Citations
- ^ "Women in the Wind." Abe Books. Retrieved: July 17, 2015.
- ^ Read 1992, p. 11.
- ^ a b Pendon 1985, p. 145.
- ^ Read 1992, pp. 127, 440.
- ^ Wynne 1987, p. 161.
- ^ Nugent, Frank S. "Movie Review: Women in the Wind (1939). The Screen, At the Palace. The New York Times, April 13, 1939.
- ^ Maltin, Leonard. "Leonard Maltin Ratings & Review: 'Women in the Wind'. Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved: July 17, 2015.
Bibliography
- Pendo, Stephen. Aviation in the Cinema. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1985. ISBN 0-8-1081-746-2.
- Read, Phyllis J. The Book of Women's Firsts: Breakthrough Achievements of Almost 1,000 American Women. New York: Random House Information Group, 1992. ISBN 978-0-679-40975-5.
- Wynne, H. Hugh. The Motion Picture Stunt Pilots and Hollywood's Classic Aviation Movies. Missoula, Montana: Pictorial Histories Publishing Co., 1987. ISBN 0-933126-85-9.