Flight Into Nowhere is a 1938 American adventure film directed by Lewis D. Collins, and produced by Larry Darmour for Columbia Pictures.Pendo 1985, p. 16. The film stars Jack Holt, Jacqueline Wells and Dick Purcell.Paris 1995, p. 74. In the low-budget action film, the locale of South America jungles provides an exciting venue for "flyboy" Jack Holt, who is trying to establish a new route for an American airline.

Plot Headstrong pilot Bill Kellogg (Dick Purcell), despite landing safely, flew his airliner into a storm, and is fired. When, his boss at Trans Continental Airways, Jim Horne (Jack Holt), finds out Bill has secretly wed Joan Hammond (Jacqueline Wells), the daughter of the airline's owner, he relents and allows Bill to keep his job.

Fellow pilot, Ike Matthews (James Burke), is assigned to a proving flight over the western coast of the South American jungle to photograph potential landing fields. Bill is jealous of the publicity that the first flight will achieve and steals the aircraft to do the job himself. Flying in the same irresponsible way that made him dangerous, Bill pushes on, even when he is radioed that there is insufficient fuel on board.

In running out of gas, Bill chooses to crash-land near an Indian village. Only an Indian woman, L-ana (Karen Sorrell) helps Bill, as the villagers refuse to help him get back to civilization. Bill tries but is unable to get the radio working to send out an emergency message. Jim and Ike fly over the South American jungle, but a storm prevents them from spotting the village. They continue on to Rio Vista where the pilots meet Joan and for her sake, Jim organizes a rescue mission.

Led by natives, the rescuers finds a village holding Dr. Butler (Robert Fiske) captive. After a fierce battle, the doctor is freed but meanwhile, Bill, despondent over his fate, has taken on the native ways by marrying L-ana. Jim's expedition finally locates the tribe, but when he sees Bill's new life and native marriage, the two men cannot reconcile what has happened.

Knowing he is now able to get back home, Bill leaves without L-ana, but her brother (Fritz Leiber) is enraged at this affront, and kills him. After returning to Rio Vista, Jim tells Joan that Bill died in the accident, sacrificing himself to avoid landing in a field full of women and children. Bill is able to allow Joan to accept that her husband still loved her and died courageously.

Cast Jack Holt as Jim Horne Jacqueline Wells as Joan Hammond Dick Purcell as Bill Kellogg James Burke as Ike Matthews Karen Sorrell as L-ana Fritz Leiber as Ti-ana Howard Hickman as Howard Hammond Robert Fiske as Dr. Butler Hector Sarno as Vincente Agostino Borgato as Cannibal

Production Principal photography on Flight Into Nowhere, took place from January 20 to February 8, 1938, at the United Airport, Burbank (Los Angeles)."Original print information: 'Flight Into Nowhere' (1938)." TCM, 2019. Retrieved: July 30, 2019.

The aircraft used in Flight Into Nowhere were: Douglas DC-3A-197 c/n 1929, NC16090 Northrop Gamma 2D2 c/n 12, NC2111 Lockheed Model 12A Super Electra c/n 1220, NC17376 Douglas O-38B Ryan STA c/n 128, NC16039 Fairchild 24C-8C c/n 2689, NC15346 Boeing 247D c/n 1682, NC13301 Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing NC1440 Lockheed Vega c/n 11, NC7044Santoir, Christian. "Review: 'Flight Into Nowhere' (1938)." Aeromovies, 2019. Retrieved: July 30, 2019.

Reception Aviation film historian James H. Farmer in Celluloid Wings: The Impact of Movies on Aviation (1984) described Flight Into Nowhere as "fast-paced formula fare".Farmer 1984, p. 306.

References Notes

Citations

Bibliography

Farmer, James H. Celluloid Wings: The Impact of Movies on Aviation. Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania: Tab Books Inc., 1984. . Paris, Michael. From the Wright Brothers to Top Gun: Aviation, Nationalism, and Popular Cinema. Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press, 1995. . Pendo, Stephen. Aviation in the Cinema. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1985. .

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