China Clipper

source: China Clipper

Trailer—China Clipper

China Clipper

I watched this on a rainy afternoon... and have to say it was better than I expected. I have never followed the history of Pan Am which is what I guess this movie mirrors. Not knowing its history helped actually as I didn't have that tainting my opinion. However I am a huge Bogart fan which is why I have the movie. This is an early Bogart film where he plays the supporting role of a friend and WWI pilot who once flew alongside Dave Logan. I won't go too far into the actual story, suffice to say it's mainly about Pat O'Brien learning how to run an airline company the right way after almost losing his wife and friends. Pat plays his usual blustering character,though he plays it well. A very good movie with a great line by Pat "You should've been born twins, you'd be twice as silly." Also the one-liners between the characters Tom and Sunny add a nice touch of humor. All in all a pretty good movie with some pretty good acting and writing.

This is a great and exciting movie especially if you are a pilot as I am. It reflects a time in aviation that was exciting. Those days are gone forever. I would have enjoyed travel in those flying boats not to mention piloting them. I am from Miami and remember Dinner Key. Those flying boats parked in the bay looked so magnificent with the cumulus nimbus clouds over the Atlantic in the background. I recorded this movie years ago and watch it from time to time and I always enjoy it's vintage scenes. Those great flying boats were magnificent and I can only imagine the joy and sense of adventure flying around the west and south Pacific island hopping! It is true escapism. I highly recommend this movie.

Hollywood frequently makes fictionalized movies based on real events. Being very familiar with the story of the China Clipper, I viewed this movie as a fictional story very closely paralleling the growth of Pan American Airways. The events in the movie and especially the scenes put a picture with the words of the historical facts. I was especially pleased to see the "Christ the Redeemer" statue on Corcovado Mountain in Rio de Janeiro! (I saw it for real in 1990.) Aviation/Flying Boat buffs will really appreciate this documentation of the Clippers in flight. I compare this movie to "Flight of the Intruder" which, although not a 4-star movie, presented the A-6 Intruder through a fictionalized story (also based on historical facts.) I know - I was part of that story from 1965 to 1975. FOTI is the only Hollywood movie documenting that great U. S. Navy Attack Airplane. I saw (and videotaped) the movie on cable TV several years ago. I have not yet seen it commercially available.

Dave Logan (Pat O'Brien) gets inspired by Lindbergh's flight. He quits his safe job to set up his own airline. It's a never-ending struggle. His war buddy Hap Stuart (Humphrey Bogart) joins his ragtag gang. This movie needs a villain, an antagonist for the story. Without it, the story is flying level with no excitement. It becomes a series of events rather than a narrative dramatic story. There is no emotional buy-in. Pat O'Brien is yelling his lines at everybody. Bogie is playing second fiddle as supporting cast. Flying was the newfangled thing during that time and the audience back then might appreciate this more. There is no drama in this.

PanAmerican was asked about participating in the making of the movie before it was made. Pan American declined. So the movie was made "fictional." Pat O'Brien of course represents Juan Trippe. Ross Alexander represents Capt. Hugh Wells. Humphrey Bogart represents Capt. Ed Musick. Ed Musik Jr. and grandson Chuck Musik both flew later for Eastern Airlines. Today, Dinner key still exists in Miami. The former PanAmerican terminal is now Miami City Hall. The hangars are still there at Dinner Key and are mostly in disrepair; used for boating interests. Besides the excellent Golden Gate picture, I believe there is also a shot of the Bay Bridge, but you have to look quickly.