Captains of the Clouds Reviews

Cagney's first Technicolor film was a docu-drama about a group of Canadians who were in training for the RCAF during WW II. Cagney is one of several bush pilots, who is fiercely independent and brash, the kind of guy who swoops in to steal his competition's jobs and women. He is induced into the RCAF and now must adjust to a team effort. Naturally, he rankles at the limitations put on him by military discipline. He washes out of the service but eventually proves himself when, as a civilian pilot ferrying a bomber to England, he crashes his plane into an attacking German squadron. Like so many films of the era, this is unabashedly patriotic on the part of the Allies. Making it a Canadian film didn't seem logical, other than that the story emanated from The Great White North. Morgan, Marshall, Hale, and Tobias are featured and all score well. In a small role as Popcorn Kearns, Benny Baker does one of his fine performances. The best parts of the movie are the sensational photography and the air action. The film earned Oscar nominations for Best Cinematography and Best Interior Decoration.