Hell's Angels

"Howard Hughes' Thrilling Multi-Million Dollar Air Spectacle"

1930 2h 11m EN

👍

6.6

SOLID

★6.6TMDB · 111

DramaWarAction

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

As the Great War breaks out in Europe, Oxford brothers Roy and Monte enlist in the RFC to fight for queen and country, while their college friend Karl is drafted in Germany. A love triangle involving Monte, Roy, and Roy's girlfriend, Helen, the brothers' disparate personalities, and Monte's cowardice in the face of war soon threaten to compromise a top-secret bombing mission over German territory.

“Howard Hughes' Thrilling Multi-Million Dollar Air Spectacle”

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Cast

Ben Lyon
Monte Rutledge
James Hall
Roy Rutledge
Jean Harlow
Helen
John Darrow
Karl Armstedt
Lucien Prival
Baron Von Kranz
Frank Clarke
Lt. von Bruen
Roy Wilson
Baldy Maloney
Douglas Gilmore
Capt. Redfield

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Howard Hughes
Writers: Marshall Neilan, Joseph Moncure March
Languages: French, English, German
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $4.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

96 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: French, English, German.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Howard Hughes, shot by Elmer Dyer. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Hugo Riesenfeld. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Perry Hollingsworth shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Ben Lyon and James Hall and Jean Harlow carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Howard Hughes' Thrilling Multi-Million Dollar Air Spectacle".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Howard Hughes directs. Elmer Dyer behind the camera. Hugo Riesenfeld scores. Perry Hollingsworth cuts. Profitable at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in French, English, German.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Shot for just $4.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
296 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Dialogue crosses 3 languages: French, English, German.
4Directed by Howard Hughes, shot by Elmer Dyer. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Hugo Riesenfeld. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Perry Hollingsworth shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Ben Lyon and James Hall and Jean Harlow carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "Howard Hughes' Thrilling Multi-Million Dollar Air Spectacle".
9IMDB entry: tt0020960 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Classified under 17 themes, including "world war i", "brother", "fighter pilot", "zeppelin".

The technical file

Cinematography: Elmer Dyer
Original score: Hugo Riesenfeld
Editing: Perry Hollingsworth
Costume design: Howard Greer
Runtime: 131 min · 2h 11m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $3,950,000
Box office: $8,000,000
Return: 203% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Hell's Angels (1930)

Also by

Howard Hughes

The Outlaw
1943 · ★ 5.4

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2024-02-12
★ 7/10
"Roy" (James Hall) and his brother "Monte" (Ben Lyon) are pretty much joined at the hip with the former frequently having to bail his rather wayward brother out of the stew now and again. He even has to fight a duel for him! Anyway, they both join the Royal Flying Corps just ahead of the Great War and both volunteer for an highly dangerous mission over occupied territory. Meantime, "Roy" is dating the rather fickle but candid "Helen" (Jean Harlow) who is also not averse to a bit of a dalliance with "Monte". The rather rakish brother gradually realises that his brother deserves better, and so - quite possibly when she seeks comfort elsewhere, might he! Their mission looms and pretty soon the boys are being pursued by the ruthless squadron known as "Von Richthofen's Flying Circus" in a race to get back home. As the scale of this conflict grows, it becomes more personal. They find themselves on the opposing side to their student friend "Karl" (John Darrow) who has his own covert task in a zeppelin. Though the acting here isn't the best, what does hit home is the way these characters become faced with a sudden need to grow up, to mature, and to be prepared to make sacrifices. That story itself is not so very original. What does make this really stand out is the standard of aerial photography and the whole aesthetic of this film. The dogfights are astonishing to watch unfold. The camerawork really does immerse the audience in the skills of these young and largely inexperienced pilots flying - quite literally - heavily armoured but flimsy wooden crates with engines. If they were damaged then they had virtually no hope of survival. The film does imbue a sense of the precariousness of the existence of the young men and when it steers clear of the melodrama is, at times, really quite exciting to watch.

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