Sky Giant | |
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Theatrical film poster
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Directed by | Lew Landers |
Produced by | Robert Sisk |
Written by | Lionel Hauser (screenplay and story) |
Starring |
Richard Dix Chester Morris Joan Fontaine |
Music by | Roy Webb |
Cinematography | Nicholas Musuraca |
Edited by | Harry Marker |
Production
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Distributed by | RKO Radio Pictures |
Release date
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Running time
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80-81 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $181,000 |
Box office | $518,000 |
Sky Giant (aka Ground Crew and Northern Flight) is a 1938 drama film directed by Lew Landers. The film stars Richard Dix, Chester Morris and Joan Fontaine. The plot revolves around a love triangle with two pilots in love with the same woman.
Upon reaching retirement age, Colonel Cornelius Stockton (Harry Carey) is forced to leave the US military, accepting a job running the Trans-World Air Lines School of Aeronautics in Glendale, California. "Stag" Cahill (Richard Dix), an old friend from the war, is the pilot on the commercial airliner taking him to Glendale. The colonel asks him to join the school staff, but Stag would rather fly. When the colonel arranges for Stag, a reservist, to be recalled to active duty, he orders him to take the assignment as his assistant. Stag reluctantly complies.
Stockton imposes military discipline on the civilian school. Two trainee mechanics are dismissed on the spot for being too slow. Stag warns his boss that he is pushing the men too hard, but Stockton disagrees. When Stockton inspects the newest batch of students, he is greatly displeased to find his own son, Ken (Chester Morris), among them. He would rather have him stay in the diplomatic service, but Ken wants to design aircraft.
Ken and Stag become rivals for the affections of Meg Lawrence (Joan Fontaine), the cousin of fellow school pilot and friend "Fergie" Ferguson (Paul Guilfoyle). Despite only seeing Meg a couple of times, Stag impulsively proposes to her, only to find she has already agreed to marry Ken.
Stag and Fergie are assigned a dangerous pioneering mapping flight from California to Alaska to Russia. Stockton pays them an awkward visit, observing that their aircraft could carry three. It is obvious that he wants his son to go along. Stag obliges.
Ken has a falling out with Meg over his flying, and she breaks off their engagement. When Stag finds out, he proposes again; she accepts after he agrees this will be his last flight. They get married in Yuma immediately, although there is no honeymoon as the mapping expedition departs within hours. The flight becomes uncomfortably awkward after Stag informs Ken about his marriage.