Q Planes

"DRAMA OF THE WAR ON SPIES!"

1939 1h 22m EN

😐

6.0

MID

★6.0TMDB · 41

ThrillerMystery

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In England, an eccentric police inspector, an earnest test pilot and a spunky female reporter team up to solve the mystery of a series of test aircraft which have disappeared without a trace while over the ocean on their maiden flights; unaware, as they are, that a spy ring has been shooting the planes down with a ray machine hidden aboard a salvage vessel which is on hand to haul the downed aircraft aboard, crews and all.

“DRAMA OF THE WAR ON SPIES!”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Ralph Richardson
Maj. Charles Hammond
Laurence Olivier
Tony McVane
Valerie Hobson
Kay Lawrence
George Merritt
Mr. Barrett
George Curzon
Jenkins
Roy Emerton
Viking First Mate
Frank Fox
Karl
Gus McNaughton
Blenkinsop, Hammond's Butler

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Tim Whelan
Writers: Arthur Wimperis, Brock Williams, Ian Dalrymple
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom

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

RUNTIME

Did you know

82 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

87 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Tim Whelan, shot by Harry Stradling Sr.. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Ralph Richardson and Laurence Olivier and Valerie Hobson carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "DRAMA OF THE WAR ON SPIES!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0031831 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 41 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Tim Whelan directs. Harry Stradling Sr. behind the camera. Hugh Stewart cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United Kingdom. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

182 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
287 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Directed by Tim Whelan, shot by Harry Stradling Sr.. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Editor Hugh Stewart shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Ralph Richardson and Laurence Olivier and Valerie Hobson carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "DRAMA OF THE WAR ON SPIES!".
7IMDB entry: tt0031831 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 41 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
9Classified under 17 themes, including "bureaucracy", "spy", "murder", "aviation".

The technical file

Cinematography: Harry Stradling Sr.
Editing: Hugh Stewart
Runtime: 82 min · 1h 22m
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Q Planes (1939)

Also by

Tim Whelan

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2022-06-22
★ 7/10
When aircraft with secret gadgets aboard start disappearing all around the globe, "Maj. Hammond" (Ralph Richardson) reckons that there is something suspicious going on. His investigations - frequently interfered with by his aspiring journalist sister "Kay" (Valerie Hobson) - eventually, despite scepticism from the latest aircraft's manufacturers, manage to enrol budding pilot "McVane" (Laurence Olivier) into his cunning plan to identify and bring the perpetrators to book... As a story, it's all a bit far-fetched, but what gives it quite an edge is the really quirky - almost improv. style of delivery from Richardson. He doesn't exactly speak directly to camera, but much of his effort in this breezy espionage thriller appears more directly aimed at us (and his long-suffering butler "Blenkinsop" (Gus McNaughton)). That creates quite an enjoyable intimacy that, coupled, with quite a quickly paced series of scenarios and a better the average performance from the frequently too aloof Hobson to make for quite a fun 80-odd minutes. Even Olivier manages to shake off some of his traditionally rigid style on occasion, though it's never that far away, before an action packed denouement invoking a ray gun, a destroyer and... Ralph's umbrella! It's a hybrid of genres this, and at times is a bit of a mess - but I actually quite enjoyed it, and I'd give it a go.

Production companies