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Plot:
- by Zoë
Shaw
Young and Crocker
dislike each other. Young is an example to young recruits sent to the front.
Young gets uptight about the senseless death going on about him, and the
Major orders him to go on leave. He relaxes a little, but comes back to the
front to find that another observer has been killed as the result of
Crocker's attempt to get medals. Young commits suicide. Crocker covers up
his act, and gets everyone to believe that Young was killed on a mission. He
is buried a hero.
Review:
- by Laila
Valente
The Eagle and the Hawk is an interesting piece of work of
the early '30's. A very good film directed by Stuart Walker regarding the activities of
the Royal Air Force during World War I. It's probably Cary Grant's best movie of that
period of time. The story, by John Monk Saunders, places him side by side with Fredric
March in a very anti-militaristic event. Grant is Henry Crocker, a brave, but cynical
machine-gunner who is left behind by his colleague, Jeremiah Young (March), a flying hero
and a role-model for the younger aviators. After the loss of another observer, Crocker
reaches Young in France to become his co-pilot. Despite the many winning
missions, the men
continue to strongly dislike each other. Young, growing obsessed with the casualties of
the war, begins to drink heavily. He is always on the edge of a break-down and a few days
shore-leave is of no use. When he comes back from shore-leave, after a brief encounter
with Carole Lombard, he finds his best friend (Jack Oakie) dead. He accuses Crocker of
this loss, due to Crocker's medal hungry behavior. Young decides not to go out on any more
missions with Crocker. The situation gets worse when Young's new observer, a
seventeen-year-old boy, falls from the plane while Young successfully chases down an
enemy. Back at the base, the other aviators cheer Young and throw a party for the new
victory. But Young can't stand his life anymore and commits suicide. Crocker discovers
Young's body, carries Young to his plane, fakes an attack and gives his friend a deserved
and honorable departure.
Just one note : quite every flying scene is from other
movies, like 'The Dawn Patrol', 'Lilac Time' and the legendary 'Wings'.
VARIETY
Film Review - May 16, 1933
- by "Chic"
- submitted by Barry Martin
Strictly a formula story of the Royal Flying Corps by the man who
wrote 'Wings' with a laboriously dragged in romantic bit to get a
feminine star's name on the program. But it takes more than
50 or 60 feet of sex stuff to make love interest. It might
better have been left out.
Nothing much new in the matter of
plot, the same old yarn of the man who gets fed up on the
uselessness of war. Story owes more to the deftness with
which it has been developed than to any basic interest. Not
overloaded with air footage, and that used has a direct bearing on
the yarn and is not padding. Men probably will go for the
story, and many women will appreciate the psychology. No war
story is calculated to be a knockout just now, so this probably
will not prove a strong grosser. However, it will make good
with those attracted; more than may be said for some studies.
Basic idea is the hero who is
broken by the strain. He has lost observer after observer
without serious injury to himself, and it breaks his morale.
His last observer is a rather tough-fibered chap who has been
unable to get his wings, but must wear the single pinion of an
observer. It was on March's recommendation he was left
behind, and there is bad blood between them. March is sent
back home to regain his poise, there is a brief two-scene
interlude with Carole Lombard, and he comes back to the lines
still shaken. He is disgusted with it all, and when he is
acclaimed a hero he indulges in much the same tirade as has been
written into other similar stories. He is regarded with
tolerance in the belief that he is drunk, but he goes to his room
and shoots himself.
It is not until this point is
reached that the element of novelty enters the story. His
quondam enemy conceals the fact of his death, loads him into a
plane in early morning, takes him up and riddles the plane and
body with machine gun fire. Then he crashes to his own
death, but he has given the man he hated - but understood - a
hero's finish instead of the stigma of a quitter. It is
neatly turned, is unexpected and comes at a point where it gives
impetus to an idea which seems to be closing in with a 'just
another' tag.
Yarn is adroitly told in both
dialog and action, Jack Oakie contributing some sorely-needed
comedy touches here and there. It is the only relief save
for a delightfully played bit between Oakie and Adrienne
D'Ambicourt, who makes the most of her single scene. Carole
Lombard contributes little in spite of sincere playing.
March offers a finely sensitive study, acting with force, but
entirely without bombast. Cary Grant is more along usual
lines, but he supplies the complementary action effectively, and
Sir Guy Standing as the commander gets a brief chance now and
then.
NEW YORK TIMES Film Review - May 13, 1933
- by
Mordaunt
Hall
- submitted by Barry Martin
In "The Eagle and the
Hawk," at the Paramount, John Monk Saunders has written a
vivid and impressive account of the effect of battles in the
clouds upon an American ace. It is, fortunately, devoid of the
stereotyped ideas which have weakened most of such narratives.
Here is a drama told with a praiseworthy sense of realism, and the
leading role is portrayed very efficiently by Fredric March.
Notwithstanding its tragic
incidents, "The Eagle and the Hawk" is not gloomy, and
for a good deal of the time Jack Oakie supplies comedy of a
suitable blend. Actually it is surprising to see a story done as
well as this, for in so many instances the producers would have
insisted upon a happy ending. Every experience of Jerry Young (Mr.
March) is set forth as it might have happened. The girl who meets
him and who is impersonated by Carole Lombard does not appear
until the picture is halfway through, and after a sequence that
takes place in London she is not heard from again.
The various characters are etched
clearly. Mr. Oakie is beheld as Mike Richards, who takes war with
a smile and cares not a whit for medals. In fact, as long as he
can he avoids a chance for decorations, trusting that he will thus
dodge the possible chance of being sent on a dangerous mission.
Yet Mike never shows the white feather. He is the type who prefers
to hide his light under a bushel. And this splendid fellow, the
life of the Royal Flying Squadron, with which he, Young and other
Americans are fighting, breathes his last after bringing his
observer safely home. It is a fine bit of acting by Mr. Oakie.
Lieutenant Young is the shining
light for young men who are sent out to the front. The British
Major, acted by Sir Guy Standing, tells Young that he is an
example to the youngsters. But losing half a dozen observers in a
short time gets on Young's nerves. He and Henry Crocker are
together for a while as pilot and observer and they are
successful, although they dislike each other heartily.
The Major, appreciating that
Young's nerves are on edge, orders him to go on ten days' leave.
Here is a series of episodes depicted in an intelligent and
graphic fashion. On all sides the man who wants to get away from
war hears nothing but chatter on fighting from the persons who
give to battle all the glamour and glory they presume it
possesses. They have never seen a dead observer pulled out of the
fuselage of a plane - a man who had been smiling an hour before.
They have never looked upon an airplane twisting in the air and
crashing with a terrific explosion when it reaches the ground. It
is not surprising that the drawing room talk irritates Young, who
flees from one home party on hearing from a child that he wants to
be a war flier.
On his return he takes a young
fellow named Stevens for an observer and gunner. It is Stevens's
first and last flight, for he is thrown out of the machine when
Young loops the loop. But he brings down an enemy ace and his
chagrin is accentuated by observing that the young German was but
a youth.
How the story is worked out is best
left untold here. It is a grim surprise, something one might read
in a book, but which the picture makers dodge invariably for the
sake of sending patrons away in a cheerful state of mind.
Stuart Walker's direction of this
picture is thoroughly capable. Nothing appears to be overdone and
no episode is too prolonged. Aside from the good work by Mr. March
and Mr. Oakie, there are noteworthy impersonations by Cary Grant,
Sir Guy Standing, Miss Lombard, Forrester Harvey and others.
LOS ANGELES
TIMES
Film Review - April 12, 1939
- by John L Scott
- submitted by Renee Klish
'Eagle and Hawk'
Begins Revival Engagement
Six years as reckoned by styles in
film acting is a long time. If you don't think so, visit the
Paramount Theater, where "The Eagle and the Hawk,"
produced by Paramount Studios in 1933, began a revival engagement
yesterday.
Fredric March, our No. 1
swashbuckler these days, portrays a disillusioned Royal Flying
Corps ace, who finally goes crazy with the strain of combat in the
air and commits suicide.
Cary Grant, who rates tops now as a
light comedian, glowers and growls as March's personal hate.
Carole Lombard, another current ranking star, appears in but two
scenes of "The Eagle and the Hawk."
OAKIE NATURAL
Only one featured player seems
natural, and he's Jack Oakie, thinner but just as jovial.
The four principals named would
cost any plant the staggering total of $500,000 to secure for one
picture today. Yes, time marches on in the movies.
"The Eagle and the Hawk"
is probably a "timely" feature, for it presents a strong
preachment against war. "I'm killing boys . . . and for
what?" shouts March to his squadron just before the
end. There's no answer except one comment from a fellow
flyer, who mutters, "He's blotto again."
ROMANCE CLIPPED
As I remember the original, there
was more torrid romance between Miss Lombard and March, when he
meets her on leave. But there's only two scenes now, and not
even the briefest of embraces.
Direction is divided between Stuart
Walker and Mitchell Leisen, the latter just a fledgling
megaphonist at the time. The stage technique of Walker is
quite apparent.
Filing out the cast are Forrester
Harvey, Kenneth Howell, Leyland Hodgson, Virginia Hammond,
Crauford Kent, Adrienne D'Ambricourt and the late Sir Guy Standing
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