Flight Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		4.0

Flight Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown December 14, 2024

Marking yet another high-definition debut in the Frank Capra at Columbia Collection, Flight tells the story of a Marine flyer and a flight school mentor who fall for the same beautiful nurse. The Blu-ray features a striking AV presentation (it's nearly ninety-five years old), though its supplemental package amounts to a silent theatrical trailer.

Over the course of his training, Marine Corps flying school rookie Lefty Phelps (Ralph Graves, who dreamed up the story) becomes good friends with his instructor, Panama Williams (Jack Holt), a pilot who ends up rescuing Lefty from the fiery wreckage of a downed plane. Not only does the crash -- arguably caused by longtime rival Steve Roberts (Harold Goodwin) -- leave the new flyer's hands badly burned, but he also fails out of flying school, leaving him despondent. It's a short-lived string of troubles, though, as it leads to Lefty meeting Elinor (the demure Lila Lee), a nurse with whom he quickly falls in love. When the Marines are dispatched to Nicaragua to quell a rebellion, Panama arranges for Lefty to accompany him as a mechanic, only for Lefty to discover during their conversations that Panama is also in love with Elinor. (Capra does dig a love triangle, doesn't he?) Conflict ensues, friends become enemies, enemies become friends, and the Marine Corps flyers have to make some big decisions, many of which amount to life or death choices in the midst of grave danger.

With the full support and cooperation of the U.S. Marine Corps, which allowed Capra to film in official facilities using actual personnel at NAS North Island and a naval base in San Diego, Flight proves to be -- for the era in which it was a made -- a true standout picture bursting at the seams with ambition and bravado. Again, Capra shows himself to be a man out of time, far ahead of his time to be exact, as the film plays far more like a '60s or even '70s wartime action drama than one that hails from pre-Code Hollywood in 1929. Graves and Holt boast terrific chemistry, with Lee rounding out a more convincing and somewhat less contrived love triangle than other Capra flicks of the day. Her soft, sweet presence enhances her co-stars' performances and the two men genuinely seem taken with her, making their competitive drive to woo and win her that much more salient. The film doesn't shy away from the difficulties of war either, and one can only imagine how audiences reacted seeing real war planes in flight, particularly so close to the cockpit and action. (Something typically reserved for war films and propaganda reels.)

The story itself is a touch same-y when watching Flight alongside so many other Capra films -- outward conflict is continually interrupted by crisscrossing romances -- and Dirigible and Lost Horizon are arguably the more entertaining movies. But there's on-screen magic here and a true sense of realism that defies the (now obvious) tricks of the trade Capra employs to put his stars in such dangerous situations. War is romanticized as much as Elinor's relationship with Lefty and Panama, though not to groan-inducing or overly flag-waving ends, and the love triangle has the benefit of an audience rooting for two different men, as Lefty and Panama would be great catches for the lovely Elinor. Happy endings rule the day, naturally, and Capra continues his march towards the peak of his career. Flight could easily be forgotten as a stepping stone to bigger, grander stuff, but Sony has ensured it won't soon be forgotten. Take advantage of the opportunity.

Flight Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Of all the standard Blu-rays in the Frank Capra at Columbia Collection, Flight offers the best video presentation with a stirring 1080p/AVC-encoded video transfer (at 1.20:1) that, simply put, looks incredible. Contrast leveling, black depth, midtone grace, and other elements of the photography have weathered the test of time and come out looking gorgeous, whether by preservation, restoration or both. The master is immaculate, without much of anything in the way of print damage, specks or blemishes. The encode is just as striking too, meaning there's no blocking or banding to jam up the engines (even with Flight sharing its BD-50 with another feature film). Detail is softer than modern film fans might be used to but nevertheless fares wonderfully well, with natural, filmic edge definition that's free of halos and artificiality, fine textures that are surprisingly revealing at times, and top notch delineation. I'm impressed.

Flight Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Flight's DTS-HD Master Audio Mono mix isn't at the same level but still holds its own. Voices are clean and clear, with only slight air hiss. Dialogue is intelligible and neatly prioritized. And the roar of airplane engines, though a touch thin and hollow on the whole, manage to stay aloft. There's no comparison to a modern wartime actioner, mind you, but for a 1929 film, it doesn't get much better than this.

Flight Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The only extra included with the Blu-ray edition of Flight is a silent theatrical trailer.

Flight Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Flight is a great little flick... that isn't so little. With the full cooperation of the Marines, Capra delivers unparalleled realism for the era, and does so with a cast and characters that engage from start to finish. Sony's Blu-ray release is even better thanks to a soaring video presentation and solid DTS-HD Master Audio Mono mix. More supplements would've been appreciated, but the film historian commentary on tap is a strong one.