
Ceiling Zero
Ceiling Zero is a 1936 American adventure drama film directed by Howard Hawks and starring James Cagney and Pat O'Brien. The picture stars Cagney as daredevil womanizing pilot "Dizzy" Davis and O'Brien as Jake Lee, his war veteran buddy and the operations manager of an airline company. Based on a stage play of the same name, the film blends drama with some light comedy. The title, as defined at the beginning of the picture, is an insider term referring to those moments when the sky is so thick with fog that navigating an aircraft is nearly impossible.
Plot
Old pals Jake Lee, Tex Clarke and Dizzy Davis flew together in the Army during World War I. Almost 20 years later, Jake is the manager of the Newark, New Jersey branch of Federal Airlines, a New York-based airline company. Tex works as an airmail pilot and Dizzy, also still flying aircraft, is seeking employment with his friends. Prior to his hot-shot arrival (Dizzy does a few tricks in the air before landing), a New York associate warns Jake about Dizzy, calling him unreliable and troublesome. Insulted, Jake replies that Dizzy is one of the best pilots in the country, telling a few stories about his fearlessness and bravery.
Awards
More details
author | Frank Wead Morrie Ryskind |
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award | National Board of Review: Top Ten Films |
director | Howard Hawks |
editor | William Holmes |
events | aviation |
genre | adventure comedy drama |
keywords | build cancel cleveland even fly land new jersey new york new york city snow storm world war i |
musicBy | Bernhard Kaun |
producer | Hal Wallis Jack L. Warner |
productionCompany | Cosmopolitan Productions |
publisher | Warner Bros. |