Only Angels Have Wings [Criterion Collection] [Blu-ray]

Only Angels Have Wings [Criterion Collection] [Blu-ray]

Director: Howard Hawks Cast: Morris W. Stoloff
Morris W. Stoloff
, Cary Grant
Cary Grant
, Jean Arthur
Jean Arthur
, Richard Barthelmess
Richard Barthelmess
Howard Hawks
Only Angels Have Wings [Criterion Collection] [Blu-ray]

Only Angels Have Wings [Criterion Collection] [Blu-ray]

Director: Howard Hawks Cast: Morris W. Stoloff
Morris W. Stoloff
, Cary Grant
Cary Grant
, Jean Arthur
Jean Arthur
, Richard Barthelmess
Richard Barthelmess
Howard Hawks

Blu-ray (Black & White)

$39.99 
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Overview

Virtually a textbook example of Howard Hawks' "macho" mode, Only Angels Have Wings takes place high in the Peruvian Andes. Cary Grant heads a ramshackle airmail and freight service, forced to fly in the most perilous of weather conditions to the most treacherous of destinations. Facing death on a near-hourly basis, Grant and his flyers have adopted a casual, all-in-day's-work attitude towards mortality. If a pilot cracks up and dies, it's simply because he didn't have what it took, and that's that. Stranded showgirl Jean Arthur can't stand this cavalier attitude at first, but before long she becomes, in true Hawksian fashion, "one of the guys." Complicating the story is the presence of Richard Barthelmess, who has been persona non grata with the other pilots ever since his carelessness cost the life of one of their number. In addition to a surfeit of guilt, Barthelmess is saddled with a faithless wife, played by Rita Hayworth in her first important A-picture role. Hayworth makes a play for Grant, but he spurns her, finally realizing that, in spite of himself, he's in love with Arthur. Grant himself is riddled with guilt when near-blind pilot Thomas Mitchell insists upon taking on one final flight. Having lost his best friend, Grant drops his hard-bitten shell, and for the first time opens himself up emotionally to Arthur-which of course leads to a nail-biting climax wherein Arthur suffers mightily as Grant faces certain death. Scripted by Jules Furthman from a story by Hawks, Only Angels Have Wings is a treasure trove of terse, pithy dialogue: our favorite scene occurs when, upon discovering that he's about to die, Thomas Mitchell says he's often wondered how he'd react to imminent death-and, now that death is but a few moments away, he'd rather that no one else be around to witness his reaction. Though sometimes laid low by obvious miniatures, the aerial scenes in Only Angels Have Wings are by and large first-rate, earning a first-ever "best special effects" Oscar nomination for Roy Davidson and Edwin C. Hahn.

Product Details

Release Date: 04/12/2016
UPC: 0715515173711
Original Release: 1939
Rating: NR
Source: Criterion Collection
Region Code: A
Presentation: [B&W]
Language: English
Time: 2:01:00
Sales rank: 9,443

Special Features

New 4k digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack; Audio excerpts from a 1972 conversation between filmmakers Howard Hawks and Peter Bogdanovich; New Interview with film critic David Thomson; Howard Hawks and His Aviation Movies, a new program featuring film scholars Craig Barron and Ben Burtt; Lux Radio Theatre adaptation of the film from 19139, starring Cary Grant, Jean Arthur, Rita Hayworth, Richard Barthelmess, and Thomas Mitchell, and hosted by filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille ; Trailer; Plus: An essay by critic Michael Sragow

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Cary Grant Actor
Jean Arthur Actor
Richard Barthelmess Actor
Rita Hayworth Actor
Thomas Mitchell Kid Dabb
Victor Kilian Sparks
John Carroll Gent Shelton
Allyn Joslyn Les Peters
Don 'Red' Barry Tex Gordon,Actor
Noah Beery Jr. Joe Souther
Melissa Sierra Lily,Lily,Actor
Lucio Villegas Dr. Logario
Forbes Murray Hartwood,Tourist
Cecilia Callejo Felice
Pat Flaherty Mike
Pedro Regas Pancho
Pat West Baldy
Manuel Alvarez Maciste Balladeer,Actor
Sammee Tong Native Cook
Candy Candido Musician
Charles Moore Servant
Inez Palange Lily's Aunt
Rafael Storm Purser
Lou Davis Mechanic,Shorty
James Millican Mechanic
Al Rhein Mechanic
Curley Dresden Mechanic
Ed Randolph Mechanic
Ky Robinson Mechanic
Bud Wolfe Mechanic
Eddie Foster Mechanic
Stanley Brown Hartwood Jr.
Wilson Benge Assistant Purser
Vernon Dent Ship Captain
Elana Duran Blonde Spanish Girl
Budd Fine First Mate
Jack Lowe Banana Foreman
Francisco Marán Planter Overseer
Tex Higginson Banana Foreman
Enrique Acosta Tourist
Raoul Lechuga Tourist
Dick Botiller Tourist
Victor Travers Planter
Harry Bailey Tourist
Amora Navarro Tourist
Sig Ruman Dutchman
Manuel Álvarez Maciste le chanteur
Noah Beery Actor
Rafael Alcayde Rafael
Dimitri Tiomkin Composer

Technical Credits
Roy Davidson Special Effects
Edwin C. Hahn Special Effects
Howard Hawks Director,Producer
Paul Mantz Stunts
Jules Furthman Screenwriter
Eleanore Griffin Screenwriter
William Rankin Screenwriter
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