Test Pilot

I just watched this for the first time. It starts as a light romantic comedy and becomes deeper as the story evolves. The dialogue is especially well-written, fast-paced and witty. Myrna Loy's performance is a stand-out - not to slight Gable and Tracy in any way! - with nuance that grows more complex as the movie progresses. I was particularly impressed by the screenwriter's skill in developing the relationships among the three lead characters; Tracy's gradual love and respect for Loy; Gable's discovering the depth of his feelings for her; and her struggle to be the wife of a man who constantly puts himself in harm's way. It's the kind of measured (thoughtful, not boring) film that rarely gets made today, when the emphasis would be on the action scenes. Just an excellent, intelligent film all 'round.

This film is essentially about testing planes for the war that anyone who even had a passing interest in international affairs knew was unavoidable, World War Two. The plot deals with the experimental phase of flying military equipment, of which the United States had inferior quality and little quantity in 1938. In the interest of progress, test pilots were willing to take to the air and strain both themselves and their equipment beyond normal bounds. The mythology is enhanced by the prologue in terms of the lack of the publication of "the specifications of government aircraft." It is probably just as well since America's enemies generally had better aircraft before the American involvement, except perhaps for the C-47 and the B-17. This initial disclaimer only sharpens the fiction of the film. The movie is worth a look if one is even mildly interested in aircraft lore.

I list this under my 'Best' category for the simple fact that it's one of the best 'Buddy' pics of all time.

Tracy and Gable had already been on screen together, and both had already been award winners, but this one was just fun.

The story allows them to play off themselves with great range, and adding Myrna Loy only helps. The interaction is coy, innocent yet feisty, and lays a lot of groundwork for what 'buddy' comedy films still strive for.

Paced fairly well, with just a dash of drama, the film hits on all cylinders and is definitely a popcorn movie.

If you like this one, don't miss 'Boomtown' either.

Victor Fleming and the cast were my main reasons for seeing 'Test Pilot', the cast also playing a major part as to why the film is as good as it is. It is hard to resist a director responsible for two of the best films ever made ('The Wizard of Oz' and 'Gone With the Wind'). Nor a cast that includes the likes of Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, Spencer Tracy and Lionel Barrymore, just having one of those four in a film is reason enough to see it but all four in the same film really does wet the appetite.

'Test Pilot' was in no way a disappointment in my view, actually found it on the most part a delight. After seeing so many films etc recently that completely squandered their potential, which always leaves me very frustrated, it was great to see a film that actually lived up to one's expectations. It does fall short of perfection, just, and it is not quite one of Fleming's very finest. 'Test Pilot' does though entertain, move and charm throughout and the cast are on top form here, which does make up for the second half being not quite as good as the first.

Will start with the strengths. Which are a great many, the best brilliantly executed, and vastly outweigh the debits. It looks great, with it being handsomely photographed and the aerial sequences still hold up very well today in this regard. More so than a lot of aerial sequences in a lot of films made in a similar time frame. The music doesn't feel too melodramatic or intrusive, while Fleming directs with an assured hand throughout. The dialogue is very amusing in the first half and when it gets deeper it manages to excel just as much in the dramatic poignancy too. The story always absorbs, with a first half that is genuinely entertaining and also the exciting aerial sequences, sparkling chemistry between Gable and Loy and a charming, sympathetic one between the former and Tracy.

Gable balances authority, humour and pathos beautifully, bringing a twinkle and depth to his role. Loy has perhaps 'Test Pilot's' most difficult role and one of the most demanding in her career, she gives a poignant and sincere performance without going overwrought. Tracy's character is the least interesting of the three but his sympathetic charm is a beautiful match for the chemistry he shares with Gable. Barrymore's crusty demeanour, in a way that only he could do it to this great an extent, really stands out in the acting department.

Sadly, this review is coming onto the debits. As said above, the not as entertaining and deeper second half is not quite as good. It's well meaning and moving, handling seriousness with enough tact, but did find some of the events rushed, the romance (which can lack the same amount of spark that the aerial sequences have) unrealistically so, and the momentum is not always there.

It also did feel a little too much of a different film to the first half, heavier, deeper and more serious, not bad things exactly but tonally it doesn't gel as much as it could have done.

Altogether, delightful on the most part but just falls short of being completely great. Instead settling for a very strong very good. 8/10

Entertaining if somewhat cliched action movie with a bit of romance thrown in for good measure too. Gable is the devil-may-care test pilot of new aeroplanes for the U.S. airforce with Lionel Barrymore as his kind of booking agent. Testing isn't really the correct word as it seems that Gable's Jim Lane is required to take his aircraft to beyond its limits so that it cracks up or breaks down at which instant he has to engineer a hasty escape via parachute. On the ground, his lifestyle similarly seems to know no bounds as we see him boozing and partying as if there was no tomorrow, which of course is the whole point. This is a man with no ties and no cares, with a reckless outlook towards living it seems certain will catch up with him.

Until one day, that is, when he touches down his plane in a distant field, owned by a good-natured farmer and his wife, whose pretty daughter, Ann, played by Myrna Loy, comes down out of curiosity to greet the dashing interloper. When she realises he's Gable, of course her initial prickly resistance melts and they marry within days, a bit to the chagrin of Gable's engineer, best pal and conscience Gunner Morris, played by Spencer Tracy, possibly a bit jealous to lose his mate to this new country girl.

The high risk of the job is underlined further during an air race when a fellow competitor is killed in a plane Lane was meant to fly, although it does enable us to see Lane's softer side as he donates half the winning prize money to the deceased's distraught widow.

This sad event accentuates the point that Loy has to settle somehow to the thankless role of new wife to a man who takes his life in his hands every time he goes out to work or somehow change him. Morris soon warms to her but elects to join Lane in his most dangerous test yet as he is commissioned to pilot a new, transport plane loaded to the max and take her up to 30000'.

Gable is his usual testosterone-fuelled self and Tracy is solid as his grease-guy. Loy is bit too fluttery in her part for my taste, but Lionel Barrymore is good as Lane's avuncular taskmaster employer. The public in the 30's seemed to enjoy movies involving aircraft and there's no doubt that the airborne sequences here are exciting to watch and mostly believable.

A fine Golden Age Hollywood adventure movie, light on characterisation perhaps but, with good if sometimes obvious writing and mostly strong acting, it will certainly give you a lift when you watch it.