On This Day... The Eagle and the Hawk (1933)

Cary Grant's 10th full length film, The Eagle and the Hawk, was released on this day in 1933...which I first reviewed in my blog post on May 19, 2020 - see https://www.mylifeinayearwitharchie.com/2020/05/on-this-daythe-eagle-and-hawk-1933.html

Summary:

The pilots of a Royal Air Force squadron in World War I face not only physical but mental dangers in their struggle to survive while fighting the enemy.

Cast:

Fredric March... Jerry Young
Cary Grant... Henry Crocker
Jack Oakie... Mike Richards
Carole Lombard... The Beautiful Lady
Guy Standing... Major Dunham (as Sir Guy Standing)
Forrester Harvey... Hogan
Kenneth Howell... John Stevens
Leyland Hodgson... Kingsford
Virginia Hammond... Lady Erskine
Douglas Scott... Tommy
Robert Seiter... Arnold Voss (as Robert Manning)
Adrienne D'Ambricourt... Fifi aka Fanny

Did You Know?

During filming, an explosion went off prematurely, causing Fredric March to become trapped under some fallen beams. Despite being injured himself, Cary Grant held up one of the beams to allow March to escape, saving him from more serious injury.

Multiple times the Allied pilots refer to the Germans as "Greentails." This is a reference to the German squadron Jasta 5, nicknamed "Greentails" because all of their planes had a distinctive green paint scheme on the tail. Jasta 5 was one of the most prolific and deadly German squadrons of the war, recording 253 victories while losing only 19 pilots killed in action.

Ten minutes into the film, Young engages in a dogfight with a German pilot. Some of the footage for this scene was taken from the climax of 1930's 'The Dawn Patrol'. The sequence in which Young and Crocker shoot down a German balloon includes footage from Paramount's earlier aviation epic, Wings (1927).

Gary Cooper was considered for the role of Henry Crocker, and George Raft for the role of Jerry Young.

Quotes:

Henry Crocker: Well, well. I hear you lost five men in two months. Who's fault was that? Your's or theirs?
Jerry H. Young: I wish I knew.
Henry Crocker: Yeah, that would be nice.

Jerry H. Young: Funny, you being assigned to me, Crocker.
Henry Crocker: No, it isn't. I asked for it.
Jerry H. Young: You? I thought you didn't like me?
Henry Crocker: I don't!
Jerry H. Young: Well, then, what the...
Henry Crocker: Curiosity, fellow, curiosity. I heard about you and your medal. I wanted to see how you did it and how long you could keep on doing it.

Jerry H. Young: What's the matter? Did your guns jam?
Henry Crocker: Yeah, they jammed. And the next time you pull one like that, I'll jam 'em down the back of your skull!
Jerry H. Young: The next time you take a pop at a fella in in a parachute, you won't get a chance to.
Henry Crocker: What do you want me to do? Kiss him!

Lobby Cards:

Directed by Stuart Walker.
Produced by Paramount Publix.
Running time: 72 minutes

Artwork by Rebekah Hawley of Studio 36.