Dead on Course

Maybe it could be a contradiction, but none Noir picture walks under 7 out 10, because this genre is quite unique, enough to be on high level taking account their greatness, in this American-British co-production they took the notable Zachary Scott to leading role, in my opinion Zachary is to Noir as Lee Van Cleef is to Western pictures, such similarity between them, the plot circles around a counterfeit money made somewhere at United Kingdom and smuggling through a small Air Cargo Line, which Van Ness ( Zachary Scott ) was in charge on the ground, after his closest friend a Company's pilot insist to fly under bad weather condition end up disappearing on storm, the police attachs him, track down his footsteps to finds a hint to links him with the his mastermind Boss, low bugde?? Quite sure!! Second class casting?? Perhaps!!! The plot has some flaws?? Very possible!!! Uninteresting ??? Absolutely not!!! even having a poor copy without restoration yet a great pleasure to watch!!

Resume:

First watch: 2019 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7

In England, American air traffic controller Zachary Scott (as Richard Van Ness) orders his playboy pilot pal Robert Beatty (as Nick Talbot) not to fly, due to an approaching storm. The warning is ignored and a mishap occurs. This results in Mr. Scott, who suffers from blackouts, to discover illegal smuggling is suspected at the airport. Scott's blackouts are the reason he won't marry girlfriend Naomi Chance (as Avril Talbot). She is Mr. Beatty's sister and expects Scott to look after the reckless man. None of this is very exciting, as even Terence Fisher's characters seem disinterested. Although it doesn't help much, things pick up with a fight and car crash near the end. Also, beautiful Kay Kendall (as Alexia La Roche) appears, on the verge of fame; she later married actor Rex Harrison and died, way too soon, of leukemia.

**** Wings of Danger (4/1/52) Terence Fisher ~ Zachary Scott, Robert Beatty, Naomi Chance, Kay Kendall

Oh, I won't say this film is a crap, not at all, on the contrary. It is tense, sharp, gritty, with good directing skills to admit on screen, but I am happy that Terence Fisher did not proceed on this kind of films but on something else; you know what folks...The big, big surprise here for me, as QUANTRILL'S RAIDERS with a Steve Cochran as the good hero, here, - oh my God, I can't believe what I see, am I dreaming? - Zachary Scott is the good guy too !!!! ZACHARY SCOTT the good guy.... It is so incredible for me, and I guess for many of you too. Especially in this kind of movie. Zach Scott has played in comedies or light hearted dramas, and in this kind of movies, there is no need of a bad guy, so I don't care. But in an adventure, crime or western movie, where there must be a villain at all cost, Zach as the good guy is absolutely exceptional.

When charismatic Nick Talbot (second billed Robert Beatty) disappears after flying into a storm after his partner Richard Van Ness (gravel-voiced Zachary Scott) has ordered the plane to be grounded, it seems not unlikely that (a) he's up to no good and (b) that we'll see him again before the movie's over. Made on a shoestring at Riverside Studios, Hammersmith but supposedly mainly set in Guernsey, this is quite a clever thriller with lively dialogue, though Richard's liability to black out when flying is too irrelevant. For nostalgic film buffs it's good to see naughty lady Kay Kendall a year before her breakthrough performance in 'Genevieve', Diane Cilento (at one time Mrs Sean Connery) as Nick's fiancée and camp Harold Lang as a blackmailer, but Naomi Chance is a boring heroine. I'd lost track of the malarkey before the end, but the finale has action and excitement.

The first Hammer noir I saw was the excellent Hell is a City; and it's a good job too because if the first one I saw was one of the ones I saw after Hell is a City, I probably wouldn't have bothered watching any more! Wings of Danger is directed by Hammer veteran Terence Fisher, who also directed the disappointing Hammer noir The Stranger Came Home. This one is actually slightly better, but there's not a lot in it. Wings of Danger focuses on cargo plane pilot Richard Van Ness. He tries to stop another pilot from flying due to the weather, but is blackmailed into allowing it. The plane crashes and this leads the police to begin questioning Richard about his own affairs. The film is very short at only seventy minutes, and I do have to say that's a good thing because any longer and I've have gotten really tired of it. The plot is always at least fairly interesting and the film does manage to present a handful of interesting characters. The dialogue can be a little suspect at times, but that's not such a bad thing as it's often unintentionally comedic. The film holds the audience's interest for the duration and boils down to an interesting and satisfying conclusion. Overall, I really wouldn't recommend this film, though I wouldn't say it's awful either.