Hell's Angels (1930)
Two British brothers serving as WWI aviators clash over honor and a woman they both love, before flying into a suicidal bombing raid over Germany that will decide both their fates.
Howard Hughes spent millions and reshot much of Hell’s Angels from scratch after sound arrived mid-production, replacing his heavily accented leading lady with an unknown named Jean Harlow — the role that made her a star, alongside aerial battle sequences that still anchor the film’s reputation.
Background
Hell’s Angels was one of the most expensive films of its era, a passion project for producer and director Howard Hughes, who reshot much of the film from scratch after sound technology arrived partway through its long production. Hughes replaced his original leading lady, whose accent did not suit sound recording, with a then-unknown actress named Jean Harlow, a decision that launched her into stardom. The story follows two British brothers serving as aviators in the First World War, whose rivalry over a woman they both love is set against an elaborate aerial bombing raid sequence.
What to watch for
Watch for the aerial combat footage, shot using real aircraft and considered spectacular for its time, which remains the film’s most enduring legacy even as its romantic plot has aged less well. The production’s scale and cost, along with the years-long effort required to adapt it for the arrival of sound film, made it one of the more notorious examples of Hollywood extravagance in the early sound era.
