According to Hawks this was based on real characters, the pilot in a little airfield and the chorus girl who falls for him, and the flyer who has to prove his bravery; even the eagle flying through the windshield actually happened during the shoot.
Good production design - the port in the opening, the airfield - attributed to art director Lionel Banks. Lovely lighting from Joe Walker. Edited by Viola Lawrence.
Classic Hawks framing evident, e.g. scene of Jean Arthur 'performing' at piano.
Cary Grant, Thomas Mitchell, Richard Barthelmess, Rita Hayworth, Sig Ruman, Allyn Joslyn.
I tried to get on a Hawks double bill, with The Big Sleep next, but it was not to be.
Peter Bogdanovich came up with the interesting theory that the characters of Grant in this, Bogart in The Big Sleep and John Wayne in Rio Bravo were the same person at different times in their lives, something with which Hawks did not disagree.
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