Review of The Dawn Patrol (1938) by Scott S — 08 Jan 2011
The Dawn Patrol (1938) -- [8.5] -- Errol Flynn and David Niven play WWI pilots confronting the grimmest odds of survival in this exciting and moving remake of Howard Hawks' 1930 original. With its wartime setting and nary a woman in the cast, "The Dawn Patrol" boils down to (let's face it and embrace it) love among men -- camraderie, brotherhood and sacrifice.
Watch Flynn when he learns Niven's plane went down. Watch Niven when he learns Flynn took his place on a suicide mission. Watch Basil Rathbone (in a rare, non-baddie role) struggle with his superiors over orders that most assuredly send fifteen and sixteen year old boys to their deaths.
It may not be romantic love, but there's more love in this movie than any romantic comedy I've ever seen. When a character suffers in anguish over nothing more than their concern for another character, I don't care who the characters are -- that movie is a love story, and it will have me in the palm of its hands.
But before you think "The Dawn Patrol" is nothing more than a male weepy, know that it's also got a healthy swashbuckling side. The sequence where Flynn and Niven betray orders and launch a daring, two-man bombing run on the enemy is one of the most thrilling scenes of 1930s cinema.
This review of The Dawn Patrol (1938) was written by Scott S on 08 Jan 2011.
The Dawn Patrol has generally received very positive reviews.
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