User reviews

Other than fans of John Wayne who want to see if they can spot the Duke in a film where he has no lines at all, the main reason to see Central Airport is a very exciting air/sea rescue sequence. Of course aviation fans will love seeing all the vintage planes, it seems like between them Richard Barthelmess and Tom Brown flew about everything there was circa 1933.

Barthelmess is a commercial pilots who makes a bad call in trying to fly through bad weather and cracks up. He loses his ticket, no airline will hire him, so he's reduced to scratching for a living in the aviation game. That matters not to his brother Tom Brown who worships Barthelmess.

Both of them become rivals for aviatrix Sally Eilers, but when Barthelmess says fliers shouldn't get married, she teams up with Brown.

Of course later on when one of the brothers cracks up at sea, the other flies to rescue him. That's the best part of the film, every bit as exciting as the landing of that much larger commercial plane at San Francisco International airport in William Wellman's The High and the Mighty.

In fact Central Airport is the trick answer to the trivia question what is the first film Wellman directed John Wayne in. Not either of the classic The High and the Mighty or Island in the Sky, or the less successful and non-aviation story Blood Alley. This one where Wayne is a co-pilot of one of the wrecks.

Central Airport is a routine soap opera made better than it is by the rescue scene. For fans of aviation films in general, William Wellman in particular and those who want to spot the Duke.

Although they are not at their relative best in this rather routine drama, actor Richard Barthelmess (as Jim Blaine) and director William A. Wellman make "Central Airport" worth visiting. Mr. Barthelmess is in a familiar role as an accident prone World War I pilot. He catches Sally Eilers (as Jill Collins) hanging from a tree, after a parachute drop. This funny/sad sequence, early in the film, is a highlight - Ms. Eilers and Barthelmess have a great meeting, which is immediately followed by great tragedy. Although the two fall in love, Barthelmess won't marry; he thinks daredevil pilots are unstable husband material (a keen observation).

Instead, Eilers marries Barthelmess' little brother Tom Brown (as Bud Blaine). Eilers appears in a far too brief scene in her slip, by the way (about 30 minutes into the running). Later on, an interesting scene occurs with Barthelmess and Eilers in separate rooms, divided by a wall; then, the camera moves is a way which pleasantly violates the "Fourth Wall" rule (showing the set). Another notable sequence occurs later in the film, near the end; wherein, John Wayne appears as an extra. Mr. Wayne plays Mr. Brown's co-pilot, on a downed plane, to the left of your screen. He tries to save a drunken passenger. A somewhat unpredictable ending keeps the film above average.

****** Central Airport (4/15/33) William A. Wellman ~ Richard Barthelmess, Sally Eilers, Tom Brown

William Wellman knew his stuff when it came to airplanes and proof of this are the early scenes in CENTRAL AIRPORT when Richard Barthelmess witnesses a stunt flier going through some dangerous routines alongside an onrushing train. We later find out that the flier is Richard's brother (played by Tom Brown).

But the numerous flying scenes are the only compensation in this pre-code aviation drama about two brothers in love with the same woman (Sally Eilers), herself a stunt pilot for a circus. And there's a "meet cute" scene when she and Bartholomess first meet and she's stuck in her parachute atop a tree limb. Unfortunately, their story goes downhill from this point with some racy pre-code scenes thrown in during their bumpy romance.

However, the story of two brothers in love with the same girl is tired stuff, used so often by Warner Brothers that it became a big cliché in films like "Wings of the Navy" ('39) where Navy pilots George Brent and John Payne both love Olivia de Havilland.

The book "Warner Brothers Presents" sums up CENTRAL AIRPORT in one sentence: "Airplane stuff well done, despite deficiencies in every other department."

The only real evidence of the directorial touch (often a fist) of Wild Bill Wellman here are the well-done aviation scenes and the sexual tension. As a pre-code entry, Central Airport has a handful of scenes that would undoubtedly be axed a year later--- Dick and Sally canoodle in adjoining hotel rooms without the dubious benefit of marriage and the plot would've probably been reworked. As it goes, it's pure soap involving lost love and a few assorted body parts. Richard Barthemless's career was on the wane by 1933 and it's not hard to tell why. He's stiff and his acting style is far more suitable for silents. With the novelty of talkies worn off, Central Airport had to be one of Warner's biggest budgeted gambles of the year. It boasts some decent special effects and the crash scenes (and there's more than one) must've been spectacular for depression-era audiences who treated pilots back then like we saw astronauts in the 1960's. Whines: John Wayne's part defines the term 'bit'--- he's barely in the movie and you practically have to keep your eyes peeled to spot him (his other notable 1933 walk-on was in Warner's Babyface, but at least he's given some lines)--- back to the Warner's Lone Star low-budget oaters for him until John Ford decides he deserves another A-picture shot after a decade as a sometimes singin' cowboy. I also spotted WB chorus girl Pat Wing (Gill) (not credited by IMDb) in a crowd sequence standing horrified behind an announcer--- her ravishing sister, Toby is credited as originally being cast but apparently became an editing room casualty. Look for the still-breathing Charles Lane as a radio operator early on (happy 100th Mr. Lane!). I love pre-code talkies... Central Airport is by no means the best of the lot but it has just enough ingredients thrown in to hold your interest. If you want to see a far better example of 1933 Bill Wellman, see Wild Boys of the Road.

William Wellman liked flying and liked action, and there's plenty of both in this quick- moving Richard Barthelmess drama. He's a commercial pilot who's fired after a crash, then becomes a daredevil pilot for a parachute jumper (Sally Eilers, more than competent), then gets involved in an uncomfortable triangle when she falls for both him and his brother (Tom Brown, who seems too callow for the part), then becomes a devil-may-care mercenary pilot flying for various international political insurgencies. It's all over in under an hour and a half, much of which is spent in the sky, and climaxes with a daring sequence of one brother rescuing another in a deadly storm off the coast of Cuba. It could never happen that way, and would Barthelmess even be allowed a pilot's license, after losing an eye and a heel and demonstrating a noticeably unsafe, cavalier flying style? The ending isn't altogether satisfying, either--the writers have boxed themselves into a corner where we want Eilers to end up with one brother far more than the other. But it's an exciting journey, with some refreshing pre-Code elements, and Barthelmess was always good in these brooding roles.

This was made for an audience in 1933 for whom airplanes were incredible amazing things to behold. Unless you're a massive fan of 1930s engineering or aeronautics then this picture is not for you. Being made by Wild Bill Wellman, who like his friend Howard Hawks was an ex-aviator, he considered a film about his beloved aeroplanes was far too reverential and exciting to inject any humour into it making this about as much fun as watching a plane crash...or in this case, two plane crashes.

The much maligned PARACHUTE JUMPER was at least fun....and wasn't just a half hour story padded out with an hour of aeroplanes flying around. For the time the aeronautics are admittedly impressive but it's hardly TOP GUN! At times it feels like you're watching a filmed air show rather than a motion picture which in 1933 must have been fascinating enough to draw the crowds into the cinemas. The big wigs at Warners clearly saw that the dare devil flying stunts would be all that was needed for this to bring in a healthy profit but that meant that everything else which makes a picture a picture was sacrificed.

Richard Barthelmess was exceptional in HEROES FOR SALE - he really could act so as to why he's so atrocious and affected in this beggars belief. Was it bad direction? This was directed by William Wellman, one of THE greats. William Wellman made HEROES FOR SALE with Richard Barthelmess! The only explanation I can think of is that the story was considered so secondary to all that tiresome flying around stuff, that nobody was too bothered about directing, acting or indeed being entertaining.

OK, there was one interesting thing in this film - they called planes 'ships' back then - how odd that sounds!

William Wellmann, who directed one of the most exciting silent films ever made, 'Wings' (1927), here returns to the skies with another rip-roaring story of dare-devil fliers. Wellmann had been an air ace in World War One, and no one knew biplanes like he did. Here they are, stunt-flying, crashing, exploding in the air, and everything you can think of, plus a fascinating glimpse of commercial air operations in 1932 as well. And there is a good strong story, excellently played by the sombre Richard Barthelmess (the silent star who made several films with D. W. Griffith), Sally Eilers and Tom Brown. Eilers is a real sizzler. Such a relief to see a real woman with real fire and character instead of one of those photofit botoxed dummies who play in movies in today's Hollywood and all look identical. The story is a sad one, played with genuine pathos, and well directed. Towards the end of the film there are some extraordinarily thrilling scenes of danger and rescue, and what must be the most ingenious blind landing in thick fog ever thought of. I dare not give away the ingenious aspects of that particular episode. The character played by Barthelmess is very like Wellmann himself, a truly wild hell-raiser in the air. Anyone who likes early aviation would love this film, and it's very rewarding for anyone who likes good solid entertainment, love, tears, and non-stop action all combined in a kind of delectable Wellmann omelette.

This is an entertaining film from 1933 with Richard Barthelmess,(Jim Blaine) and his brother, Neil Blaine, (Tom Brown) competing against each other as daredevil fliers and a gal named Jill Collins,(Sally Eilers) who is a parachutist and performs at a great many air shows. There is one scene when there is a plane crash and a rescue through poring rain and fog which involved two adults and a small female girl. The general public were alerted and everyone came to the airport to assist in any way that they could at the runway. There is a sad part to this film concerning love which cannot be fulfilled. This film is a B film and William Wellman did his very best to make this film into another "Wings" success, but it failed greatly.

Very good "Precoder" starring Dick Barthelmess, which in a way, kind of reminded me of Hawks' "Only Angels Have Wings" (1939), in which Barthelmess also acted. This film was directed by masterful William Wellman, who was responsible for the landmark aviation Silent picture "Wings".

Barthelmess plays a devil-may-care airplane pilot, who is a blamed for an aviation accident. Afterwards he meets and falls for pretty Sally Eilers, who participates as part of an Act in an itinerant Air Circus; but when Barthelmess' brother appears in scene, a triangular relationship ensues.

"Central Airport" has many thrilling moments and some moving and touching scenes too, thanks to the great chemistry that develops between Barthelmess and Eilers (who, in my opinion, in this film resembles very much actress Dorothy Mackaill). Tom Brown is good as Barthelmess brother, fresh from his success in Wyler's "Tom Brown of Culver".

Great special effects, good flying stunts, swiftly paced film; in all, highly entertaining. Don't miss it when TCM airs it again.

It's a small film and so I didn't go in with big expectations or anything, but I was pleasantly surprised at how entertaining it was. The love triangle that forms between a pilot (Richard Barthelmess), his brother (Tom Brown), and a stunt parachutist (Sally Eilers) is well played and has its nice moments. One of the central points of conflict is that Barthelmess wants to enjoy a physical relationship with Eilers by slipping through the door to their adjoining hotel rooms while they're on their barnstorming tours, but not marry because he doesn't feel it's right given his dangerous career, as well as because "If you're hungry, you don't buy a restaurant," as he so bluntly puts it. The film also has quite a bit of footage of aerial stunts with old biplanes, as well as indications of just how dangerous it was to fly before technology like radar was available.

Barthelmess isn't going to blow anyone away with his charisma, but he delivers the right amount of earnestness and sacrifice in the big moments. Brown was 20 but looked about 15, so frankly he's a little bit of an odd fit. As for Eilers, I like seeing her in films from this period; she's lesser known but has a degree of magnetism about her. As this film is pre-Code, it's made clear that her character has slept with both men, but there's no shame in it because of the circumstances, which is refreshing. In one great scene, Barthelmess shows up at his brother's hotel room and lets himself in with his own room key, because the desk clerk tells him the keys are all the same (what?!), which has an interesting outcome. There is a fair bit of melodrama, some unimaginative ways of showing time passing by from Wellman, and some implausible events, but how the romance plays out in such a conflicted way leads to a touching ending.

Richard Barthelmess isn't the kind of film star people tend to remember these days, although he made a few good movies. "Central Airport" was made the year before Barthelmess was fired from "Warner Bros." and is a reasonably entertaining yarn. It's the flying sequences that are the main highlight, rather than the pointless, predictable romantic subplot. The film becomes turgid and dull but the climax is exciting enough.

Central Airport is the story of a pilot named Jim (Richard Barthelmess) who has one bad flight in over 4000 hours and is forced to give up commercial flying. He meets a beautiful girl named Jill (Sally Eilers) and the two start up an act involving flying and stunts. The two start a relationship, but when Jim is hurt, his brother (Tom Brown) takes over the act for a while and falls for his brother's girlfriend. From there, things get exciting and terribly terribly sad.

This film is a pre-code because of several reasons. First, Jim and Jill have consummated their relationship without being married and with no intention of having a wedding. Second, Eilers is shown in her underwear, and absolutely restricted scene when the Production Code came into effect.

This film does not skimp on the dramatic love triangle and in consequence ends bittersweetly.

There's more to this movie than John Wayne in a bit part, there are some spectacular flying scenes involving a train, sincere performances by Richard Barthelmess and Sally Eilers, a strange one by Tom Brown. Except for the flying, there's very little sign of Wellman's directorial expertise in cinematic storytelling (unusual for his 30's films), but it's likable and entertaining enough. Interesting crash scenes, and the sexual aspect of the story is somewhat shocking while being quite tastefully depicted.

* * *

Richard Barthelmess plays Jim Blaine, an airplane pilot with over 4500 hours in the air when his plane crashes and he is unfairly held at fault for the incident. After he recovers from his injuries, he returns home where he finds his brother Neil (Tom Brown) has also gotten the flying bug. Jim voluntarily gives up flying knowing that no company will hire him after he has been branded as he has been. Later, working as a teller, he encounters stunt flyer Jill Collins (Sally Eilers) after her parachute lands her in a tree. Shortly thereafter her partner and brother is killed in a crash, and Jim asks for the job of piloting her plane in the air circus. She gives him that chance and soon sparks are flying between the two both in the air and on the ground. However, there is one problem. Jim has seen enough death in the air to dissuade him from the responsibility of a family given that he might not be around to support them. This is an opinion he voices often much to the disappointment of Jill. After an accident at the air circus that lays Jim up in the hospital for over a month, brother Neil offers to take over for Jim in the air circus. While recuperating, Jim has a change of heart and catches up to the air circus with a proposal ready for Jill. However, the dynamics between the three - Jill, Neil, and Jim - shift mightily when Jim surprises his brother and Jill and finds them snuggling close together - in bed.

Not only is this film daring sexually, it is still quite interesting and exciting today, especially the aerial sequences. Since director William Wellman was a flyer himself, this does not surprise me. What does surprise me is that Richard Barthelmess just never seemed to score a hit with 30's audiences in spite of some strong performances in some very good pictures of which this is one. Someone has already mentioned the other pre-code element of this film, but it's worth mentioning again particularly considering the red scares of the time. Late in the film Jim jumps into his plane which bears the marking of his mercenary wanderings as a pilot. The plane has several flags on it which I didn't recognize, but it had one symbol that is universally recognizable even today - the hammer and sickle. It is mentioned earlier in the film that Jim had been flying for a faction in a civil war in China, so apparently Jim was working for the Communist Chinese, who were fighting on the mainland as early as the 1920's. To me this was a daring piece of symbolism even for the pre-code early 30's. Highly recommended if you like good action films and precode cinema.

Central Airport (1933)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Some great action and stunts are ruined by some boring melodrama that doesn't add up to much. James Blaine (Richard Barthelmess) moves back home after he crashes a passenger plane and is blamed for it. He gets a job working in a carnival air show where he falls in love with a woman (Sally Eilers) but can't see himself marrying anyone. Enter the man's brother (Tom Brown) who also falls in love with the woman, which causes James to lose it. CENTRAL AIRPORT has some truly great stuff but sadly they're wasted in some boring love triangle that really never makes any sense and at the end of the movie it's really not cleared up either. Director William Wellman gets the sole credit on the film but he was replaced by Alfred Green for a number of weeks when he came down with the flu. I really do wonder which scenes Green actually directed but I've seen enough Wellman movies to where I can comfortably say that Green was in charge of the love stuff. I say that because the majority of these scenes contain no life, no energy and no atmosphere, which certainly wasn't what you'd expect from Wellman. The scenes that you can tell the wild man director contain some rather risky pre-code material including a strong bit of sexuality early on when James meets the woman as well as towards the end when they're reunited. This is 1933 we're talking about and even though the woman is married to the younger brother we get scenes where she and James are kissing mouth to mouth. That there would certainly not have happened a year later when the code was forced. Most of the stuff dealing with the younger brother simply never adds up, isn't very believable and is just downright lifeless. The performances are a mixed bag with Eilers easily stealing the show as the woman caught in the middle. She's probably best remembered for appearing in a few of the Buster Keaton/MGM titles but she really delivers a strong performance here and her undressing, pre-code moments are certainly memorable as well. Barthelmess isn't too bad in the lead but he really doesn't bring much energy. I found Brown to be incredibly boring in his role as the brother and quite annoying as well. People will want to keep their eyes open for John Wayne who appears in the final wreck sequence but doesn't have any lines. CENTRAL AIRPORT contains some amazing stunts, wonderful aerial work and some nice pre-code moments but sadly all of this gets caught up in a silly love story that just never works.

In 1933, Warner Brothers movie studio under producing supervisor Darryl Zanuck was turning out movies on three week production schedules that are far better and more realistic than anything Hollywood has made since on a production slate schedule. Airline pilot Jim Blane loses his job because he had an accident and "pilot error" is ruled the cause. Blane lands his plane at a Cuban airport and the airport workers days, when Blane identifies himself at the check-in entrance, "You're not the Jim Blane?" Blane says he is just Jim Blane. Sally Eiler, playing his former girlfriend, has one of her best movie roles. She first hooks up with Blane after he leaves his bank job to be a pilot at the air show she works at. Later, Blane becomes a pilot for hire working in revolutions and wars. Action in this movie is with the minimum of exposition, events occur fast. Blane, constantly getting wounded as a mercenary pilot, is no superman. Like many of Warner screenplay writers, co-writer Rian James was a former newspaper reporter whose work experience provided a solid background to write interesting movies. Star Richard Barthelmess was great at playing characters hardened by their downturns in life. Although in real life, I doubt he thought he would go from being an above-the-title star to being cashiered by Jack Warner in under six months, his studio contract not renewed. Director William Wellman put in a lot of hard work to make this movie fast, one reason why after his Warner contract ended, Wellman went freelance. "Central Airport" was missing in action for decades until Turner aired the movie in the early 1990s. Now this old talkie is on DVD in an unrestored version which is good enough to show that 90 years ago, Warner Bros. Was at the peak of movie making.

This is a 30s B movie with an expectedly hackneyed story and script, concerning feudalism between a pilot and his grounded brother when the latter marries the former's parachuting partner (headache yet?).

This really is jobbing for such a director as that of the 1927 silent aerial epic 'Wings'. However, there are a few surprises. Wellman's direction does benefit from his own previous aerial experience, all the more interesting in such a comparatively early sound film and to an extent offering more insight into his direction on the previous film. The acting is also admirably serious, with the exception of pretty boy Brown.

Wayne however, for the sake of the purists, only offers a few seconds of screen time, and the film's overall creakiness is more than a little painful.