Copyright 25 August 1930 by First National Pictures, Inc. New York opening at the Winter Garden, 10 July 1930. U.S. release: 10 August 1930. 12 reels. 9,500 feet. 105½ minutes.
Television title: FLIGHT COMMANDER.
SYNOPSIS: The making of life-and-death decisions finally forces the flight commander to crack under the strain.
NOTES: Academy Award, John Monk Saunders, Original Story (defeating Doorway to Hell, The Public Enemy, Laughter and Smart Money).
COMMENT: You won't find "The Dawn Patrol" on any Best Films of the Year lists. In fact, it doesn't even make The New York Times supplementary list of "35 worthy pictures". The reason is simply that it's not very good. In fact it's the sort of movie that gives "old movies" their undeservedly bad name.
(Amazing isn't it that this movie is shown constantly on television, while hundreds of far superior movies of the same vintage never ever see the light of day?) Jumpy continuity made even more jerky by the use of silent captions, dated dialogue and stilted acting, make "The Dawn Patrol" a bit of a chore to sit through — especially on the ground. (No wonder Barthelmess' career declined, even though his subsequent films show him in a far better light!)
Fortunately, when the movie gets into the air, interest rises sharply — thanks to the breathtaking skill of Dyer's aerial camera-work. These scenes — and in fact all the exciting action material — were re-used (slightly trimmed) in the 1938 re-make directed by Edmund Goulding (which has the rare honor of being a re- make which is better than the original, thanks to the skills of its superior cast — Flynn, Niven and Rathbone).
Television title: FLIGHT COMMANDER.
SYNOPSIS: The making of life-and-death decisions finally forces the flight commander to crack under the strain.
NOTES: Academy Award, John Monk Saunders, Original Story (defeating Doorway to Hell, The Public Enemy, Laughter and Smart Money).
COMMENT: You won't find "The Dawn Patrol" on any Best Films of the Year lists. In fact, it doesn't even make The New York Times supplementary list of "35 worthy pictures". The reason is simply that it's not very good. In fact it's the sort of movie that gives "old movies" their undeservedly bad name.
(Amazing isn't it that this movie is shown constantly on television, while hundreds of far superior movies of the same vintage never ever see the light of day?) Jumpy continuity made even more jerky by the use of silent captions, dated dialogue and stilted acting, make "The Dawn Patrol" a bit of a chore to sit through — especially on the ground. (No wonder Barthelmess' career declined, even though his subsequent films show him in a far better light!)
Fortunately, when the movie gets into the air, interest rises sharply — thanks to the breathtaking skill of Dyer's aerial camera-work. These scenes — and in fact all the exciting action material — were re-used (slightly trimmed) in the 1938 re-make directed by Edmund Goulding (which has the rare honor of being a re- make which is better than the original, thanks to the skills of its superior cast — Flynn, Niven and Rathbone).