Only Angels Have Wings Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Only Angels Have Wings Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov April 18, 2016

Nominated for Oscar Awards for Best Cinematography and Best Special Effects, Howard Hawks' "Only Angels Have Wings" (1939) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; new interview with critic David Thomson; audio excerpts from an archival conversation between Howard Hawks and Peter Bogdanovich; Lux Radio adaptation of the film; and new program featuring film scholars Craig Barron and Ben Burtt. The release also arrives with an illustrated leaflet featuring an essay by critic Michael Sragow. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

Geoff Carter

The film is set in a small coastal town called Barranca somewhere in South America. Here the brash American Geoff Carter (Cary Grant, North by Northwest) manages a small airline company that is in charge with the mail delivery. It is a tough and very dangerous business but Carter’s pilots never complain. The great risks they take each time they fly to some of the area’s most remote locations actually excite them and make them feel good.

On her way to Panama, American showgirl Bonnie Lee (Jean Arthur, The Devil and Miss Jones) stops in Barranca and attracts the attention of two of Carter’s pilots. They have dinner at Dutchy’s place, but before the end of the night one of the pilots tragically dies after Carter sends him to make an urgent delivery in the middle of a big storm. Initially Carter’s demeanor repels Bonnie, but then his frankness and no-nonsense toughness intrigue her and she decides to stay a few more days to get to know him better.

While waiting for the next ship to arrive, Bonnie falls madly in love with Carter. He also becomes attracted to her but is reluctant to let her know how he truly feels because of a previous relationship that has left a deep scar on his soul.

Tensions rise when Carter hires Bat MacPherson (Richard Barthelmess, The Last Flight) to replace the dead pilot. Bat’s reputation is far from impressive and Carter’s best man, Kid Dabb (Thomas Mitchell, High Noon), even insists that he is directly responsible for the tragic death of his brother. Meanwhile, Bat’s beautiful wife, Judy (Rita Hayworth, Gilda), begins to feel like a fish out of water after she discovers that she knows little about her husband’s past and that his new boss is a man she was once madly in love with.

The great American director Howard Hawks was a big aviation enthusiast and this film really feels like one of his most personal projects. Much like his grand westerns, it captures the essence of a culture of bravery that is now largely forgotten because the men that created it have long been made obsolete by sophisticated computers.

The film has a very unique identity. It tiptoes between drama and comedy but also seems fairly comfortable incorporating material that is perfect for classic musicals. With a different director behind the camera the end result would have likely felt quite awkward, but the contrasts that emerge here are fascinating to observe.

The aerial footage is some of the best seen in a film from the era. Not only are the visual effects excellent, but the lighting and camera movement very much create the impression that one is in fact viewing authentic footage that documents actual risky situations experienced by the pilots. Specific sound effects were also created to enhance it under Hawks’ guidance.

Grant and Arthur both look glamorous but in different ways. He exudes confidence and raw elegance that actually separates him from the rest of the male characters. She is a strong woman but also a hopeless romantic that is ready to be in an intense relationship. Hayworth’s role is smaller but she already looks like a star as well.

Only Angels Have Wings Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Howard Hawks' Only Angels Have Wings arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.

The following text appears inside the leaflet provided with this Blu-ray release:

"This digital transfer was created in 4K resolution on an Oxberry wetgate film scanner from the original 35mm camera negative, and restored by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Restoration was done using MIT's DRS at MTI Film in Hollywood, California. The original monaural soundtrack was remastered at 24-bit from the original 35mm soundtrack negative at Chase Audio by Deluxe in Burbank, California. Additional restoration was performed by the Criterion Collection using Pro Tools HD and iZotope RX4.

Transfer supervisor: Grover Crisp/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Culver City, CA.
Colorist: David Bernstein/Deluxe, Burbank, CA."

The unique balance between light and shadow is wonderfully managed and the film's delicate visual style is now that much more impressive. The wide range of nuanced blacks -- an essential element of the stylistic appearance favored by Howard Hawks -- are especially impressive, as key sections from the film are quite dark. The grain is very light and wonderfully distributed and resolved, as it should be after a high-quality 4K scan. There are no traces of compromising sharpening adjustments. Image stability is excellent -- transitions are never shaky or jittery and there is no distracting edge flicker. Lastly, large debris, cuts, damage marks, stains and other age-related imperfections have been carefully removed without affecting the integrity of the film. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Only Angels Have Wings Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The dynamic intensity is very good, though there are obvious native limitations. The flights and even some of the mass scenes, however, also boast excellent depth and clarity. There are no balance issues. The dialog is stable, clean, and exceptionally easy to follow.

Only Angels Have Wings Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - original trailer for Only Angels Have Wings. In English, not subtitled. (3 min, 1080i).

• Lux Radio Theatre - presented here is an archival radio adaptation of Only Angels Have Wings featuring the voices of Cary Grant, Rita Hayworth, Jean Arthur, Thomas Mitchell, Richard Barthelmess, Noah Beery Jr., Victor Kilian, and Donald Barry. It was hosted by the legendary director Cecil B. DeMille and was initially broadcast on May 29, 1939. In English, not subtitled. (57 min, 1080p).
  
  1. Introduction
  2. Act I: Barranca Airways
  3. Intermission
  4. Act II: "Queer Ducks"
  5. Special Aviation guest
  6. Act III: Two-headed coin
  7. Curtain call

• Hawks and Bogdanovich - presented here is a collection of excerpts from an audio conversation between Howard Hawks and Peter Bogdanovich that was recorded in Palm Springs, California, in 1972.
  
  Howard Hawks discusses his passion for racing and planes (he and Victor Fleming actually built a few), the unfortunate death of his brother Kenneth, the shooting of Only Angels Have Wings and some of the flying scenes (plenty of footage was shot on North Hollywood), the lighting choices throughout the film as well as the fact that many of his films are actually quite dark, Jean Arthur's reluctance to try new things while playing Bonnie Lee, Rita Hayworth's performance (and the shooting of her crying scene), etc. In English, not subtitled. (20 min, 1080p).
  
  1. "It cane from a true story"
  2. His brother Ken
  3. Location and lighting
  4. Jean Arthur
  5. The "Who's Joe?" sequence
  6. Rita Hayworth
  7. "Hit 'em with it"

• David Thomson on Only Angels Have Wings - in this new video interview, critic David Thomson discusses the exotic allure of Barranca, the brilliant composition of the full shots/group shots, the evolution of the relationships between the men and the women, the easiness with which the film transitions from drama to musical to comedy and back, Howard Hawks' working relationship with writer Jules Furthman, Rita Hayworth's presence in the film, etc. The interview was conducted exclusively for Criterion in 2016. In English, not subtitled. (18 min, 1080p).

• Howard Hawks and His Aviation Movies - in this new featurette, film scholars Craig Barron and Ben Burtt discuss Howard Hawks' passion for planes and flying and the many unique sounds that can be heard in his films. The scholars also spend a great deal of time discussing the planes that were used during the shooting of Only Angels Have Wings, the visual style of the film, the stunts and visual effects, etc. The featurette was produced exclusively for Criterion in 2016. In English, not subtitled. (21 min, 1080p).

• Leaflet - an illustrated leaflet featuring Michael Sragow's essay "Hawks's Genius Takes Flight".

Only Angels Have Wings Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Criterion's new release of Only Angels Have Wings is sourced from the same 4K restoration of the film that was initially introduced by the TCM Vault Collection. I think that it is a magnificent restoration that will remain the film's definitive presentation. This release also has a very good selection of new and archival supplemental features that offer plenty of valuable information about the life and legacy of Howard Hawks. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.