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Power Dive

  • 19411941
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 8m
IMDb RATING
5.2/10
67
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Richard Arlen, Don Castle, and Jean Parker in Power Dive (1941)
  • Adventure
  • Drama
Bradley Farrell, an ace test pilot for McMasters Aviation Corp., breaks his leg when a new airplane crashes because it is too heavy to get off the ground. When Brad's younger brother Douglas... Read allBradley Farrell, an ace test pilot for McMasters Aviation Corp., breaks his leg when a new airplane crashes because it is too heavy to get off the ground. When Brad's younger brother Douglas, who just graduated with a degree in aeronautical engineering, flies in, Brad argues that... Read allBradley Farrell, an ace test pilot for McMasters Aviation Corp., breaks his leg when a new airplane crashes because it is too heavy to get off the ground. When Brad's younger brother Douglas, who just graduated with a degree in aeronautical engineering, flies in, Brad argues that flying is too dangerous for his brother. Brad arranges for Doug to be hired as a design e... Read all
IMDb RATING
5.2/10
67
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • James P. Hogan
  • Writers
    • Maxwell Shane(screenplay)
    • Edward Churchill(screenplay)
    • Paul Franklin(story)
  • Stars
    • Richard Arlen
    • Jean Parker
    • Helen Mack
Top credits
  • Director
    • James P. Hogan
  • Writers
    • Maxwell Shane(screenplay)
    • Edward Churchill(screenplay)
    • Paul Franklin(story)
  • Stars
    • Richard Arlen
    • Jean Parker
    • Helen Mack
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 6User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos7

    Richard Arlen and Jean Parker in Power Dive (1941)
    Richard Arlen, Don Castle, and Cliff Edwards in Power Dive (1941)
    Richard Arlen, Don Castle, and Jean Parker in Power Dive (1941)
    Jean Parker in Power Dive (1941)
    Richard Arlen and Jean Parker in Power Dive (1941)
    Richard Arlen and Roger Pryor in Power Dive (1941)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Richard Arlen
    Richard Arlen
    • Brad Farrellas Brad Farrell
    Jean Parker
    Jean Parker
    • Carol Blakeas Carol Blake
    Helen Mack
    Helen Mack
    • Betty Colesas Betty Coles
    Roger Pryor
    Roger Pryor
    • Dan McMastersas Dan McMasters
    Don Castle
    Don Castle
    • Doug Farrellas Doug Farrell
    Cliff Edwards
    Cliff Edwards
    • Squid Watkinsas Squid Watkins
    Billy Lee
    Billy Lee
    • Brad Colesas Brad Coles
    Thomas W. Ross
    Thomas W. Ross
    • Prof. Blakeas Prof. Blake
    • (as Thomas Ross)
    Louis Jean Heydt
    Louis Jean Heydt
    • Johnny Colesas Johnny Coles
    Ralph Byrd
    Ralph Byrd
    • Jackson - Draftsmanas Jackson - Draftsman
    Helen Lynd
    Helen Lynd
    • Mabelas Mabel
    Tom Dugan
    Tom Dugan
    • Waiteras Waiter
    Alan Baldwin
    • Young Reporteras Young Reporter
    Pat West
    • Bob - Burly Mechanicas Bob - Burly Mechanic
    Edward Earle
    Edward Earle
    • Col. Ryanas Col. Ryan
    • (uncredited)
    Jack Gordon
    • Barflyas Barfly
    • (uncredited)
    William Hall
    William Hall
    • Army Sergeantas Army Sergeant
    • (uncredited)
    Wheeler Oakman
    Wheeler Oakman
    • Sam - 1st Bartenderas Sam - 1st Bartender
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • James P. Hogan
    • Writers
      • Maxwell Shane(screenplay)
      • Edward Churchill(screenplay)
      • Paul Franklin(story)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Bradley Farrell, an ace test pilot for McMasters Aviation Corp., breaks his leg when a new airplane crashes because it is too heavy to get off the ground. When Brad's younger brother Douglas, who just graduated with a degree in aeronautical engineering, flies in, Brad argues that flying is too dangerous for his brother. Brad arranges for Doug to be hired as a design engineer for McMasters. One afternoon, Doug runs into Carol Blake, who is looking for Brad to interest him in her father's design for a plastic plane. Doug pretends to be Brad because he is attracted to the pretty Carol, but his ruse is revealed later at The Flyers' Roost, a nightclub hangout for local pilots. Brad takes Carol out flying to impress her, but her only interest is in getting him to meet her father. Finally, she brings her blind father, Professor Blake, to The Flyers' Roost, and Brad becomes immersed in Blake's plane designs. That same evening, Brad's friend, Johnny Coles, loses his life test flying his own design for a plastic plane and leaves behind his wife and child. Despite Johnny's death, Brad convinces McMasters to build Blake's plane, and Doug is put in charge of the project. Trouble mounts between the brothers when Doug, just returning from a business trip, sees Carol kiss Brad before he takes off for a cross-country flight and does not realize the kiss was only a setup for a newspaper photograph. Brad sets a new cross-country speed record, and when he returns, he proposes to Carol. Carol gently rejects him because she is in love with Doug. Unaware of Carol's decision, Doug picks a fight with Brad and in a rage quits his job, but a talk with Professor Blake changes his mind. The construction on the plastic "geodetic" plane is completed, and Army officials, interested in the plane as a trainer, arrive for the test flight. An arrogant Brad balks at all the test equipment Doug has installed in the plane and also protests having his inexperienced brother fly with him as a test pilot. Once in the air, Doug orders Brad to execute a 9-G power dive, which causes Doug to pass out. His equipment breaks off and slides under the rudder, and Brad is unable to maneuver the plane. He forces Doug to parachute to safety, and then cuts the rudder wires and wraps them around his hands. Although his hands bleed profusely, Brad manually lands the plane safely. Relations between the brothers heal, Doug and Carol marry, and Brad finally gives up the hazards of being a test pilot to take a desk job as vice-president of McMasters Aviation.
    • deception
    • secret aircraft
    • test pilot
    • california
    • airport
    • 21 more
    • Add full plot
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • ON WINGS OF GLORY! (original print media ad - all caps)
    • Genres
      • Adventure
      • Drama
    • Certificate
      • Approved
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The failure of the original copyright holder to renew the film's copyright resulted in it falling into public domain, meaning that virtually anyone could duplicate and sell a VHS/DVD copy of the film. Therefore, many of the versions of this film available on the market are either severely (and usually badly) edited and/or of extremely poor quality, having been duped from second- or third-generation (or more) copies of the film.
    • Connections
      Referenced in American Experience: The Battle Over Citizen Kane (1996)

    User reviews6

    Review
    Top review
    3/10
    Plastic airplanes
    The dollar Bills of Paramount Studios, William Pine and William Thomas tackle a routine aviation drama something along the lines of Men With Wings and I Wanted Wings, A budget productions from their studio. Pine- Thomas couldn't do much with Power Dive however.

    The usual aviation clichés are all present with the rivalry between brothers Richard Arlen and Don Castle over aviation and over Jean Parker whose father Thomas Ross has invented a new plastic plane that he wants to sell to the army.

    That's not as silly as it sounds, if you'll remember Howard Hughes was also experimenting with a plywood airplane, the legendary Spruce Goose a few years later. Still when one says plastic airplanes I automatically think of the model ships and planes one glued together as a child back in the day.

    It's a weak story and Cliff Edwards as the airplane mechanic and comic relief was singularly unfunny. Aviation buffs will like it, few others.
    helpful•0
    4
    • bkoganbing
    • Feb 16, 2015

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 4, 1941 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Störtflygning
    • Filming locations
      • Metropolitan Airport - 6590 Hayvenhurst Avenue, Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Pine-Thomas Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 8 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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