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Amazon.co.uk Review
Two bright facets light up Hell's Angels, a 1930s aviation melodrama. One is the extraordinary footage re-creating World War I air battles; the other is 18-year-old Jean Harlow. Both are enough to offset the cornball story and stilted dialogue, the latter added late in production, with the advent of motion-picture sound. The movie, almost three years in the making, with a budget of nearly $4 million--very high for its day--was the obsession of eccentric millionaire director Howard Hughes. Apparently, the authenticity of the dogfight scenes was so important to Hughes that he piloted a plane himself, and ended up breaking a few bones in the process. More shocking, it's said that three pilots lost their lives making the movie. The sequence depicting an epic encounter between the British Royal Flying Corps and a German zeppelin is especially stunning, thanks to the eye-popping use of hand tinting. A bombing raid on a German munitions depot is also remarkably convincing.
The movie's other bombshell, Jean Harlow, fairly jumps off the screen as an upper-class floozy who plays fast and loose with the two leading men, RFC pilots Monte and Roy Rutledge (Ben Lyon and James Hall), one a scoundrel and one a saint. Harlow glows in the film--it's immediately obvious why her appearance here put her on the fast track to Hollywood stardom. Beauty, sex appeal, vulnerability, audacity--whatever the intangible something is that makes a movie star, it's clear Harlow had it, even as a teenager. --Laura Mirsky
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
"Hell's Angel's" IS the ultimate World War 1 flying movie.
Careful observation of the film will allow you to follow the transition from a silent film (later dubbed in sound) through to a talkie.
The two-tone Technicolor ball sequence must have been astounding at the time of release (but the dress that Jean Harlow was almost wearing would still get her arrested in a lot of countries in the world today!)
For its time, the technical effects were brilliant. The bombing of the ammunition depot and the attack on the Zepplin are great (but both were copied in the 2006 movie "Flyboys").
"Hell's Angel's, "Dawn Patrol" and "Aces High" are arguably the three best WW1 flying movie ever made.
This is a must for any movie collector.
Careful observation of the film will allow you to follow the transition from a silent film (later dubbed in sound) through to a talkie.
The two-tone Technicolor ball sequence must have been astounding at the time of release (but the dress that Jean Harlow was almost wearing would still get her arrested in a lot of countries in the world today!)
For its time, the technical effects were brilliant. The bombing of the ammunition depot and the attack on the Zepplin are great (but both were copied in the 2006 movie "Flyboys").
"Hell's Angel's, "Dawn Patrol" and "Aces High" are arguably the three best WW1 flying movie ever made.
This is a must for any movie collector.
24 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Following on the film "The Aviator" Universal has now presented the original "Hells Angels" all 2 and ahalf hours of it. The film has been brilliantly reconstructed with all the tinting and toning of the original print. The dog fights are gripping, but the acting is dated and, by present day standards, pure ham. The National Film Theatre showed a rather battered copy many years ago, Ben Lyon, one of the stars, said he was embarresed by his performance. It is still worth watching especially if you are interested in the history of the cinema. You will not forget Jean Harlow, wearing a very skimpy evening dress asking "Would you mind if I slipped into something more comfertable ?" and then appearing in a large dressing gown.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Out of circulation for decades until producer-director Howard Hughes' death, Hell's Angels is one of those films that are perhaps better heard about than seen. The production of the film, that saw three pilots die and others - Hughes included - involved in crashes while the budget steadily climbed to $3.8m, an amount so huge in 1931 that it could never be recouped at the box-office, is unfortunately far more dramatic than anything on the screen. Indeed, it's a shame Universal couldn't accompany this DVD with a documentary: as it is, it's completely extras free.
The story was regarded as mawkishly clichéd in 1931 and it's not got any better with age. What's surprising is that, for all the spectacle and danger, many of the aerial sequences aren't as impressive as other early WW1 pictures like The Dawn Patrol or William Wellman's magnificent Wings (still the gold standard for WW1 aviation films and currently the only Best Picture Oscar winner not available on DVD). Indeed, the scenes covering the making of the film in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator are far more exhilarating and breathtaking than anything in the film itself. It's possible that the original version of the film was better - it was started and completed as a silent film in 1928 with Greta Nissen in the Jean Harlow role before the coming of sound convinced Hughes to bury the original version and entirely reshoot it as a talkie - but despite having the more than capable James Whale and Edmund Goulding as uncredited co-directors, the final cut often feels like a creaking home movie made for an audience of one. It still has its moments, but getting to them often feels like harder work than it should.
The restoration is as good as can be expected, restoring the original tints and early Two-Strip Technicolor sequence (from a print sourced in John Wayne's private collection!), though often the age of the material is very apparent in the picture quality.
The story was regarded as mawkishly clichéd in 1931 and it's not got any better with age. What's surprising is that, for all the spectacle and danger, many of the aerial sequences aren't as impressive as other early WW1 pictures like The Dawn Patrol or William Wellman's magnificent Wings (still the gold standard for WW1 aviation films and currently the only Best Picture Oscar winner not available on DVD). Indeed, the scenes covering the making of the film in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator are far more exhilarating and breathtaking than anything in the film itself. It's possible that the original version of the film was better - it was started and completed as a silent film in 1928 with Greta Nissen in the Jean Harlow role before the coming of sound convinced Hughes to bury the original version and entirely reshoot it as a talkie - but despite having the more than capable James Whale and Edmund Goulding as uncredited co-directors, the final cut often feels like a creaking home movie made for an audience of one. It still has its moments, but getting to them often feels like harder work than it should.
The restoration is as good as can be expected, restoring the original tints and early Two-Strip Technicolor sequence (from a print sourced in John Wayne's private collection!), though often the age of the material is very apparent in the picture quality.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Hells Angels DVD
Great wartime DVD. Perfect for Sunday afternoons in after your Sunday roast. Even though i was born in the 60's i love to watch wartime films. Great cast and great storyline. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Mrs. D. M. Pearce
Real Biggles type adventure
This film is excellent entertainment which will appeal to anyone who read Biggles books as a young person. The story is good with believable performances by all the actors. Read more
Published 8 months ago by A. Roberts
"Hell's Angels (1930) ... Jean Harlow ... Howard Hughes (Director)...
United Artists presents "HELL'S ANGELS" (1930) (127 min/B&W) -- Starring: Ben Lyon, James Hall, Jean Harlow, John Darrow & Lucien Prival
Directed by Howard Hughes... Read more
Directed by Howard Hughes... Read more
Published 8 months ago by J. Lovins
Awesome
If you seen The Aviator,this is the movie hes making in The Aviator ,a must have movie for WW1 dog fights lovers.
Published on 2 April 2010 by Albert Gheuens
No camera trickery.
The stunt flying in this movie is for real. One reason for buying this classic film.
Published on 3 Nov 2009 by M. Taplin
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