The Flying Fleet (1929)

Thanks for the memories!

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

I love the silents because the story relies as much on motion, lighting, and mannerism as they do dialogue panels. This movie was excellent. Now the special effects get a pass because of the times but that is no reason to not spend about 100 minutes of your life enjoying this little gem. You are treated to the camaraderie of a group of cadets about to graduate from the United States Naval Academy, follow their career development through training in Florida and California, and witness two friends vie for the affection of a beautiful water skier. I found myself caring about the characters and in wonderment at a short visual history lesson on military technology of the time. I wish more movies were made this way.

A slight story of Annapolis-cadet camaraderie and a predictable romantic triangle provide excuses for extensive aerial footage of post-World War I biplanes in flight. Evidently inspired by the success of William Wellman's "Wings," "The Flying Fleet" takes the basics of that Oscar winner and makes a valiant effort to repeat the earlier success. Unfortunately, peacetime lacks the action and dynamics of World War I, Anita Page lacks the appeal of Clara Bow, and the relationship between Ramon Novarro and Ralph Graves lacks the depth of interaction between Charles Buddy Rogers and Richard Arlen.Released in 1929, during the transition period between silents and talkies, "The Flying Fleet" is a silent film with inter-titles that has been enhanced with synchronized sound effects and a musical score. Ramon Novarro and Ralph Graves are best buddies from their days at the Academy into their basic training as pilots. However, when Anita Page enters the scene, the pair compete for her affections, and the friendship is tested. Ralph Graves, a ruggedly handsome guy, is aggressive in his pursuit of Page and often tests the bounds of friendship with his underhanded, often mean-spirited tricks to outwit Novarro. Understandably, Graves's antics tilt audience sympathy towards Novarro, the film's star, who maintains a stoic, sensitive, and dewy-eyed stance.However, the film's best moments are provided by the formation flying and aerial stunts, well photographed by Ira H. Morgan. Although the aerial battles and dog fights in "Wings" remain more exciting, the airborne antics in "The Flying Fleet" are still awesome for the time and a treat for aficionados of vintage aircraft. Novarro retained his handsome leading man looks when this film was made, and his fans will definitely relish his presence and the occasional glimpse of his physique. However, while breezily entertaining, the story is slight and predictable, and, despite the aerial work, the movie pales beside "Wings." "The Flying Fleet" will appeal largely to admirers of the one-time "new Valentino" and to vintage aerial photography buffs.

MGM was one of the last studios to convert to sound, and this is one of their late silents. By 1929, studios could easily add synchronized sound effects and music scores to films. It was synchronized speech by identifiable individual persons that so grounded the camera and caused so many problems.This late silent, written by one of the founders of naval aviation, has a good if somewhat predictable story with some sound effects to accompany the flight and naval action scenes. The story opens on six graduating seniors at the Naval Academy on the eve of their graduation. The six have been the best of friends for four years, and all six want wings, but only two will make it all the way through. The other four don't make it for a whole number of reasons from being expelled on the eve of graduation, to something as simple and unpreventable as bad eyesight. The last two not only get their wings, they are competing for the affection of a young lady (Anita Page) who lives in San Diego.It's got plenty of action and moves along nicely and absolutely could not have been shot as a sound film for at least a couple of more years when sound technology could finally go outdoors - and in the air - with ease. It's ironic that one of the first of these sound films, 1931's "Dirigible", also stars Ralph Graves playing the same kind of swaggering character that he does here.

Because this film came out in 1929 and studios were hurriedly switching to sound pictures, sound effects and music was added to this otherwise silent film. For this time period, it's a very good film--featuring excellent footage of naval aircraft and a good, though a tad predictable story about six friends who went to the Naval Academy and wanted to earn their pilot's wings. Little by little, the original group is now whittled down to two pilots who actually are able to complete the program--Ramon Novarro and Ralph Graves (who, incidentally, made many military-oriented films in the late 20s and early 1930s set on subs, derigibles and aircraft). Unfortunately, while they are best of friends, they also want the same girl (cute Anita Page) and the story is a combination of serious drama about the training and life of a navy pilot as well as a contest to see who gets the girl.For the time period this was made, this is a much better than average film with excellent production values and an interesting story--particularly to nuts like me that love old aircraft. Also, for those aviation and history lovers out there, it's a good opportunity to see the USS Langley in action (this was America's first aircraft carrier).This film, by the way, was created from a story idea from Frank Wead--a retired navy pilot who, after suffering a serious spinal injury, changed careers and became a Hollywood screenwriter and consultant--mostly (but not exclusively) for aviation films. His life was recreated in the film WINGS OF EAGLES--giving it all the usual John Ford sentimentality and gloss.