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Features: DVD, Dolby Digital Stereo, Mono Audio, English, Spanish, Korean, Subtitled
A two-fisted adventure tale set in South America, Only Angels Have Wings stars Cary Grant as the tough-talking head of an air freight service operating in the dangerous Andes Mountains. Jean Arthur co-stars as a vacationing showgirl competing with Rita Hayworth for Grant's affections. A potent combination of humor, romance and action, the film was directed by Howard Hawks, the legendary director responsible for Red River, His Girl Friday, Bringing Up Baby, and the original Scarface. A triumph of casting, Only Angels Have Wings is one of the best examples of Columbia chief Harry Cohn's skill in developing talent. Cary Grant had just been released from his contract with Fox when Cohn, sensing that the handsome leading man was poised for stardom, tuned him into Columbia's most durable star. Jean Arthur was an unexpected veteran of 50 films before Cohn "discovered" something in her that previous studios had overlooked. Teaming her with director Frank Capra, he created one of the finest comediennes in Hollywood history. And Rita Hayworth, Cohn's personal protegee, was a pure product of the studio system. Groomed for stardom from the first, Only Angels Have Wings offered her a chance to learn from the best in the business. And the rest, as they say, is history.
"A compelling character study crossed with nail-biting action..." Damian Cannon, Movie Reviews UK
Editor's Note
Geoff Carter (Carey Grant) is the head of a crumbling air freight service in desperate need of a replacement pilot. He is forced to hire a descredited aviator (Richard Barthelmess) who arrives with his wife (Rita Hayworth), Carter's ex-lover. Meanwhile, traveler Bonnie Lee (Jean Arthur) tries to get close to the emotionally closed-off Carter. The film received two Academy Award nominations.
Plot Summary
A tale of adventure and excitement, directed by Howard Hawks.| The story focuses on a pilot who delivers mail to remote locations by plane. But when a showgirl sets her sights on him, he discovers that some women can be more dangerous than flying solo over the Andes...
| Features | Chinese Subtitles | | English Dolby Digital | | Portuguese Subtitles | | Korean Subtitles | | Spanish Subtitles | | Standard Version | | Thai Subtitles | | English Subtitles |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Columbia Tri-Star |
| Release Date: 3/24/2009 |
| Running Time: 121 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 1939 | | Catalog ID: 09469 | | UPC: 00043396094697 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Available Subtitles: English, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, Chinese, Mandarin | | Video: B&W |
Aspect Ratio | | 4:3 |
| Cast & Crew
| Awards |
Oscar (1940) | | | Joseph Walker, Nominee, Best Cinematography B&W | | | Roy Davidson, Edwin C. Hahn, Nominee, Best Special Effects |
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| | Professional Reviews | USA Today
"Grant's romantic finale with Arthur is tops of its kind." 01/13/2004 p.4DMovie Reviews UK 0 of 10
A compelling character study crossed with nail-biting action, Only Angels Have Wings is fully immersed within the male-centric world of Howard Hawks... The cast are utterly right as a group of foreigners pretty much stranded in a strange, foreign land where any reminder of home is gratefully received. Handed characters which conform to stereotype yet still fall perfectly into the set-up of Only Angels Have Wings, the ensemble adeptly handle the tangled plot threads (such a mess of storylines adds a certain feeling of veracity to the proceedings). Grant is,...magnificent in his portrayal of the tough but fair Geoff, dealing with the strengths and weaknesses of Rumann, Mitchell and Barthelmess (who are fine themselves). To survive and flourish in these surroundings, the two main female characters have to be strong on their own terms yet willing to react like men in order to gain acceptance. Arthur manages to pull off the tricky combination of vulnerability and resilience, yet still looking radiant, while Rita Hayworth (playing Judith McPherson) adds a note of danger and uncertainty to an already complex script. Only Angels Have Wings is impressively directed by Hawks, never letting up in its incredible pace after the slightly cheesy beginning. Plot twists that would seem artificial and false in any other film are seamlessly woven into the fabric, somewhat a result of the anything-goes atmosphere that permeates the airline. On top of this, there are some genuinely impressive flying sequences with seat of the pants take-offs and hair-raising landings cropping up all the time. The assorted characters really do feel like they're in a state of instant readiness (even when they're in the background), a mercurial emotion to capture successfully on film. The only drawback of this intense concentration on the job in hand is that the characters are distant and clinical, too self-absorbed to be utterly enthralling. The smooth camera-work is a help here though, sweeping through the confined space of the bar and expanding on individual personalities when required. All in all, Only Angels Have Wings comes very close to greatness. - Damian Cannon
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