Les titans du ciel

1930's US Navy film with, oh boy, 2 great actors Wallace Berry and Clark Gable! I loved it from the shore leave aspects and the super vintage era aircraft (Derigibles too!) and ships that you'll hardly ever see because it was'nt during a "major" war. Highly recommended, I loved it ( but I am a big fan of the mentioned stars and a sailor so I'm definetly biased, LOL)!

This is an excellent vehicle for Wallace Beery and Clark Gable(in what would become standard roles for both of them). Lots of nice real life footage of the Saratoga V (sunk in Bikini Atoll by two atomic blasts in Bikini Atoll in 1946). If you want to see bi-planes taking off and landing on an aircraft carrier this movie is for you!!!. also, i believe they used footage of the 27 Jan 1928 mooring of the rigid air ship Los Angeles to the aircraft carrier. If you don't like those glossy-cheesy MGM movies this is the exception. Way above average early talkie movie and a piece of history too.

Just saw this for the first time on TV- lots of Navy history mixed in with a pretty decent plot. Seems unbelievable that Clark Gable was ever that young, but this is from 1931! The carrier that this was filmed aboard was the Navy's second real aircraft carrier, the Saratoga, and seeing her in original, unaltered condition is fascinating. Slight correction to one of the previous reviewers- the planes are Curtiss F8C-4 Helldivers, the first Navy plane to bear that name. One of the pilots that flew in the film from NAS North Island, was the very young John Thach, later to be the air tactician that figured out how to defend against the Mitsubishi Zero in World War II. All in all, an important historical record that should be on DVD!

It's a squadron of Navy Hell Divers in training. Steve Nelson (Clark Gable) is the hot shot new arrival. Squad leader Windy Riker is concerned with the new challenger. Steve has girlfriend Ann Mitchell.

I love the planes and I really love the early aircraft carrier and I really really love the planes landing on the aircraft carrier. As for the actors, this has Clark Gable and I'm sure the others are well known at the time. The story needs the girl in a love triangle with the two guys. I'm not in love with either guy or the relationship or the plot in general. It's all about the aerial visuals. I have to assume that the planes would be interesting for the audience of its day but the aircraft carrier would be truly eye-opening. Landing on one was probably something not seen by the general public. There are some great flying footage and real shooting from battleships. That stuff is all amazing. They do use miniatures and projection background but that's to be expected. Just watch for the real thing because it's great. The other stuff is rather boring.

For years and years Hell Divers was not available and the only bit we saw from this film occurs in Wings Of Eagles where a clip from this is shown as some of the characters there remarked about that new young actor with the big ears who was proving to be a sensation. Ironic as all get out since Clark Gable had been let go three years earlier from MGM after being the franchise star that studio was built around. I certainly did want to see all of Hell Divers and I have to say I was not disappointed.

Wings Of Eagles was about Frank Wead who wrote the original story for Hell Divers and MGM spared no expense on the budget in bringing this one to the big screen. Some nice navy footage is integrated well into Wead's story about two navy CPOS who are constantly at war with each other on and off duty. This was Clark Gable's best role to date and he had to keep on his toes lest Wallace Beery steal the film. Which Beery certainly tries.

It's really bad between the two of them as Beery hires Marie Prevost to come on to Gable in front of Dorothy Jordan who Gable wants to marry. Gable doesn't take that lying down, but he doesn't really have to do too much because Beery fouls up all on his own quite nicely. He even loses a grade in rank. In the end though Gable, Beery, and pilot Conrad Nagel are all in a tight spot and the navy comradeship comes through in the end.

Look also for a very nice and understated performance by Marjorie Rambeau who is Beery's long suffering gal pal. She tries to smooth out some of the rough edges in Beery without success.

Naval aviation buffs will get a real treat looking at Uncle Sam's Navy in 1930 and the Saratoga one of our earliest aircraft carriers. Lots to recommend with Hell Divers.