Fugitive In the Sky is an hour of non-stop thrills delivered by the 'B' team at Warner Brothers. Heck, with no stars worth mentioning and director Nick Grinde behind the camera, it's the 'B' team's 'B' team at that. Nonetheless, thanks to some outstanding miniature work, good set design, a game cast, an exciting screenplay, and some ridiculous but vastly entertaining plot twists, this remains one of the most enjoyable bill fillers of the period. Howard Phillips does a nice job as psycho 'Killer' Madsen, Jean Muir is fine as self assured stewardess Rita Moore, and watch out for those disguises! Besides being one of the first films--if not THE first--to establish many of the plot devices and cliches that would be further developed in films from Zero Hour (1957) to Airport 1977 (1977), Fugitive In the Sky also features cross-dressing, a bleak Dust Bowl farm straight out of the Universal horror playbook, and the best cockpit set this side of Plan 9 From Outer Space. An unusual and surprisingly satisfying effort.
9 Reviews
A Worthwhile "B"
Kittyman27 September 2019
This is a worthwhile comedy-mystery "B" film. I'd give a 6.5. The only caveats I have are 1) the leading villain's performance is a bit over the top (though remarkable in another sense) and 2) the biplane stock footage near the end doesn't match the monoplanes subsequently shown landing.
All the other actors do a good job, their banter is excellent, as is the picture's pace. Familiar faces abound. They include Mary Treen (218 credits), John Litel (216 credits), "Wild" Bill Elliott of "B" cowboy fame (277 credits), John Kelly (165 credits), Charley Foy (of the Seven Little Foys' theatrical family), and Spencer Charters (225 credits). Who the murderer is, is not not easy to figure out, and, for the time, the special effects are well done.
What the midwestern "dust bowl" of the 1930s was like will probably come as a shock to younger viewers. After seeing this film's depiction of a typical dust storm, however, it is easy to understand why the "Okies" began migrating to California. (see The Grapes of Wrath, 1940.)
Even the featured plane is interesting. The Ford Trimotor plane ("The Tin Goose"), with its corrugated skin, was based on the German Junkers' design. That is why fans of World War II films will find it very familiar. (It closely resembles the Nazis' Junkers Ju 52 transport.) And in 1929 it was involved in, what was at that time, the worst plane disaster ever. In New Jersey, 14 people died when two of a "goose's" engines failed.
All the other actors do a good job, their banter is excellent, as is the picture's pace. Familiar faces abound. They include Mary Treen (218 credits), John Litel (216 credits), "Wild" Bill Elliott of "B" cowboy fame (277 credits), John Kelly (165 credits), Charley Foy (of the Seven Little Foys' theatrical family), and Spencer Charters (225 credits). Who the murderer is, is not not easy to figure out, and, for the time, the special effects are well done.
What the midwestern "dust bowl" of the 1930s was like will probably come as a shock to younger viewers. After seeing this film's depiction of a typical dust storm, however, it is easy to understand why the "Okies" began migrating to California. (see The Grapes of Wrath, 1940.)
Even the featured plane is interesting. The Ford Trimotor plane ("The Tin Goose"), with its corrugated skin, was based on the German Junkers' design. That is why fans of World War II films will find it very familiar. (It closely resembles the Nazis' Junkers Ju 52 transport.) And in 1929 it was involved in, what was at that time, the worst plane disaster ever. In New Jersey, 14 people died when two of a "goose's" engines failed.
Good Film, More Comedy Than Mystery
fx_gent11 July 2007
I recently had the opportunity to see this film via the TCM Cable Channel and found it enjoyable, but more as a comedy with dramatic overtones rather than a drama mystery. As a product of its time, 1936, I am sure it probably entertained viewers as a mystery, but time has sheered that veneer from it especially in light of these times. I agree with an earlier comment made about the dialogue, which is now somewhat comically outdated. As I listened to Howard Phillips go on as killer Madsen, I could not help but be reminded of current actor Bruce Campbell. I especially enjoyed the performances of Don Barclay as an inebriated passenger and John Kelly as a boxer, which I felt in many ways stole the movie from the leads, such as the lovely Jean Muir. I do give credit though to those who set the scene involving the dust storm segment and found it to be well done. With a little more work this movie had the potential to be a good thriller and I feel would be an excellent candidate to be redone today.
Hilarious!
cheezwizard16 October 2005
I was flipping through channels and happened to catch this gem last night on TCM. I don't normally enjoy the older movies at all, not even the highly rated stuff. Usually when I see b&w I just keep on flipping. Something about FITS caught my attention and I was rewarded with many laughs. My rating is based simply on the laugh-a-minute, old-school dialog. It's too bad people don't still speak this way. A lost art, I guess. 'Killer' Madsen is the sort of criminal we just don't see enough of these days. The other main characters were also quite entertaining, and the fella with John Kerry's eyebrows was a particular favorite for me. Alls I can say is that I found FITS to be full of humor (whether it was meant to be that way or not) and I'd like to see more like it, See?
The U.S. hero movie studio fought one of the vilest . . .
oscaralbert16 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
. . . most Evil cartels throughout the 1930's, with such films as WHEN YOU WERE BORN. The prophetic prognosticators of Warner Bros. Could read the wall's handwriting sooner than anyone else, which is why they released flicks such as FUGITIVE IN THE SKY to reveal that believers in Big Astrology were the demonically possessed homicidal maniacs that they actually are. BORN depicts astrological malarkey luring otherwise solid Americans the Wrong Way, and FUGITIVE goes even further to warn those living in our Yankee Homeland against this blasphemous ilk by equating its mostly female leadership with cold-blooded killers. Witchy vixens like "Katie" would sooner impale a dude than to look at him. Whether a jaded Jezebel is an icy Virgo or riddled with Cancer, if she's a zany Zodiac freak she's up to nothing good, Warner warns.
Will "Killer" Madsen get away from the law?
Jim Tritten15 March 2004
Fair action drama that although involves a death in the air cannot really be termed a mystery. The plot is more concerned with the attempt of "Killer" Madsen to evade the law and the romance of the two actors than with solving the murder. Good technical effects of dust storm but the interior of the aircraft is much larger than in real life. Shots of landing in Albuquerque, New Mexico were obviously filmed elsewhere. How the plane lands safely is something only Hollywood could invent. Some unusual twists to the plot and interesting exterior shots of old airplanes make this worth your time only if there is nothing else available. Oh yes, at the end the murder is solved.
One eventful flight
bkoganbing23 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Reporter Warren Hull talking to his girlfriend stewardess Jean Muir spots an FB
agent on the flight that he knows. On a hunch he boards the plane and sure enough another passenger the future Wild Bill Elliott is stabbed to death as he was sleeping.
And if that's not enough after the body is discovered Howard Phillips unmasks out of drag and is revealed to be Public Enemy Number 1. Phillips hijacks the plane and we have a situation.
When this film from Warner Brothers B picture unit gets going it doesn't lack for suspense. Nicely paced if a bit frantic.
My only question is, does Howard Phillips really sound like mHumphrey Bogart or was he doing a good Bogey imitation?
And if that's not enough after the body is discovered Howard Phillips unmasks out of drag and is revealed to be Public Enemy Number 1. Phillips hijacks the plane and we have a situation.
When this film from Warner Brothers B picture unit gets going it doesn't lack for suspense. Nicely paced if a bit frantic.
My only question is, does Howard Phillips really sound like mHumphrey Bogart or was he doing a good Bogey imitation?
Smart & Fun Period Gem !
heroforhire-1962021 March 2016
The setting; A 1930's airliner (a classic Ford Tri-Motor!) on a cross-country flight.
The weather grows worse, with a mid-west dust storm threatening to bring down the aircraft.
Suddenly, the situation becomes much worse with two further complications:
1) A passenger is stabbed to death--while all are sleeping! Whodunit?
2) A notorious gunman, "Killer Madsen" is in disguise on board and fleeing from the law!
The crew and passengers must keep their cool as the weather gets worse and the desperate gunman takes over the aircraft, threatening everyone!
The kicker; The hard-as-nails, gun-pointing 'Killer Madsen' claims that he is NOT the murderer of the passenger !
So the question remains; Who killed the passenger?... ....And Why??
A fast-paced little film with sly, slick and sharp dialogue, great atmosphere, and a LOT of Fun !
The weather grows worse, with a mid-west dust storm threatening to bring down the aircraft.
Suddenly, the situation becomes much worse with two further complications:
1) A passenger is stabbed to death--while all are sleeping! Whodunit?
2) A notorious gunman, "Killer Madsen" is in disguise on board and fleeing from the law!
The crew and passengers must keep their cool as the weather gets worse and the desperate gunman takes over the aircraft, threatening everyone!
The kicker; The hard-as-nails, gun-pointing 'Killer Madsen' claims that he is NOT the murderer of the passenger !
So the question remains; Who killed the passenger?... ....And Why??
A fast-paced little film with sly, slick and sharp dialogue, great atmosphere, and a LOT of Fun !
Funny, great classic film
lhmcm16 August 2022
A fugitive takes the passengers of a blimp captive, until it crashes and they are all left to wander through the windy desert.
This film is hilarious and suspenseful. A great piece of film making that demonstrates what a good team can do with a small B-movie. Unlike most B-films, the characters are quite memorable, and for their personalities, as opposed to one random funny line.
Definitely watch this film if you are a fan of classic movies. It's not very dramatic or beautiful, but it is a solid film that's definitely worth an hour of your time.
This film is hilarious and suspenseful. A great piece of film making that demonstrates what a good team can do with a small B-movie. Unlike most B-films, the characters are quite memorable, and for their personalities, as opposed to one random funny line.
Definitely watch this film if you are a fan of classic movies. It's not very dramatic or beautiful, but it is a solid film that's definitely worth an hour of your time.
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