Hells Angles (1930)

11/22/06

Hells Angles: This is the movie you see Howard Hughs directing early on in The Aviator. In short the plot concerns two English brothers (Ben Lyon, James Hall) who fall for the same girl (Jean Harlow), and their German friend from Oxford days (John Darrow), who of course they come up against in the Great War. I might add that none of the major players in this film even attempt an accent. This movie is very Hughs, a blue collar spectical, with pre-code sensuality, and impressive visual effects for its time, including special sequences both tinted and in color. All of this, combinded with a strong sense of mellow-drama make Howard Hughs one of the most distinctive film makers of his time; a protracted sequence set on a zeplin, which merits study, is a testment to the mans often underused cinematic talent.