Devil Dogs of the Air (1935)

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

Pretty much a stock Cagney plot with the backdrop this time being the US Marine Corps. Pat O'Brien plays a disciplined and responsible officer who has to teach cocky young upstart pilot Jimmy Cagney the ropes. This time the girl that comes between them is Pat's girlfriend, Margaret Lindsay. It seems like it's always either Pat's sister or the girl Pat is in love with. Whichever it is, you can bet money that Cagney will win her heart by the end of the picture. Also we have Frank McHugh in a standard Frank McHugh role of the funny and likable sidekick. This is basically a remake of Here Comes the Navy. Despite the familiar plot, it's a good movie. The cast is great (Cagney is having a ball) and the aerial photography and plane stunts are impressive. It's a bit by-the-numbers for many people but chances are if you're watching this you're doing so because you like Cagney movies like this one.

Devil Dogs of the Air is a typical Warner Brothers film with a typical Warner Brothers cast, not that that's a bad thing at all. The movie stars Jimmy Cagney, Pat O'Brien, Margaret Lindsay, and Frank McHugh.Cagney plays a cocky flier, Tommy, whose friend Brannigan (O'Brien) encourages him to enlist in Marine flying school.The first thing he does is fall for Brannigan's girlfriend Betty (Lindsay) who can't stand him. We all know what that means. It turns out that Tommy is a remarkable flier and, though the friendship between the two men seems to suffer, everybody has to admit that Tommy knows what he's doing. And he keeps going after Betty.Predictable, but the good cast brings it up a level as do the flying sequences. The planes look like what the Wright Brothers invented, and they do some amazing things.If you're an airplane fan, you will enjoy this, though you might mix it up with some of Warners other flying films. But it has the US Navy dirigible, the early planes as I mentioned, and some fabulous stunts. I have to one day count up how many films Cagney, O'Brien and McHugh made together. I know McHugh and Cagney made 11, and that all three were friends. They worked together very well.

I usually like Pat O'Brian and James Cagney movies. In this one, Cagney is his usual brash self – actually he is arrogant, self-centered and insufferable. In every respect O'Brian is the better man (and as good a pilot as Cagney to boot). Cagney sums up his character when at a dance he says to Margaret Lindsay: "That's me, I promise a lot and give a little." So, of course, Lindsay chooses Cagney and not O'Brien. Implausibly, O'Brien is a good sport about losing out to Cagney (but at least he does transfer out of the unit so he won't have to be around the schmuck anymore). McHugh was wasted in this film and as many reviewers have said the character he plays is extremely annoying (and indeed ghoulish given how much he hopes one of the pilots will get hurt).. The aerial stunts and flying scenes were very good and exciting and the war maneuvers were as well but, for me, went on way too long. That said, this film would be a real treat for aviation enthusiasts.

So far, I have to agree with what each of the four previous reviewers said, meaning some good, some bad.THE BAD - Not much of a story.....supporting actor Frank McHugh in an annoying role (annoying with his singing the same stupid song after every sentence)......James Cagney with a laugh that gets annoying after awhile.....a weak romantic angle....showing "training exercises" as part of the climactic scene was somewhat interesting but provided no drama if these fliers were facing an enemy at war......Pat O'Brien an unrealistically too good a sport at the end. (He proposes to Lindsay who turns him down and then incredulously asks, "I didn't hurt your feelings did I?" duh... And he answers something like, "No, it''s okay." Yeah, right!THE GOOD - The same cocky Cagney character who is always entertaining, always elevating a film...Some wonderful aerial shots and stunt flying in some terrific-looking bi-planes......... Margaret Lindsay's wisecracks and pretty face....Two dramatic scenes with Cagney trying to land a damaged plane.Summary; So-so entertainment, more if you are an airplane enthusiast or a Cagney fan (which I am) but certainly on the lower of echelon of his films.