DownGoesFrazier Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 After Cary Grant turned down A STAR IS BORN (1954), Bogart was the next actor considered, but they decided he was looking too wasted by then. Link to post Share on other sites
twinkeee Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 TCM is featuring CAPTAINS OF THE CLOUDS (1942) with James Cagney next Wednesday at 8 PM. I have never seen this movie. What peaked my interest was the mentioning of the RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force). Being Canadian, I am curious if this movie is based on a true story and If so, if anyone knows anything about it. Twink Link to post Share on other sites
jamesjazzguitar Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 Bogie would of been fine for the last half of the movie but not for the first half. Link to post Share on other sites
mrroberts Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 Being a Canadian you have to watch for WW1 flying ace Billy Bishop in this film. I've been to the Bishop museum, its really interesting. --- I tend to believe the storyline here is made to order for the star of the picture. Link to post Share on other sites
twinkeee Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 Where is the BISHOP MUSEUM ? I've been to the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton, Ontario, (I live about 45 miles from there). Link to post Share on other sites
brackenhe Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 Twinkeee--I've seen Captain of the Clouds a couple of times and it's a pretty good movie, but there are times when Cagney is not so likeable. Plus, Dennis Morgan has an equally large role in the film if that matters to you. It is beautifully photographed. Link to post Share on other sites
mrroberts Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 The Billy Bishop museum is his boyhood home in Owen Sound, Ontario. ( I have family who live near there. ) No aircraft, just the home and a lot of exhibits inside. Some info about the Cagney movie and Bishop's involvement in it. Link to post Share on other sites
twinkeee Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 Owen Sound is way up North, I live near the Falls. Sounds very interesting and I will watch for Billy Bishop in the movie. Thank You for the information ! Twink Link to post Share on other sites
jimred99 Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 Twink, The color and scenery capture the beauty of Canada. The Far North Lakes and Forests mostly. The story isn't a true story but a good movie for many reasons. Billy Bishop as someone mentioned is in the movie. He was a WW1 Great Air Ace. In one scene he he awards wings. It was a real ceremony that was filmed. Many Americans enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air Force because of this movie. Cagney, Hale and Tobias are always fun to watch. Cagney does a great job as usual. Warner's built a whole little town at North Bay which remained that way after the war. Is it still there today? Brenda Marshall is the leading lady. She was married to William Holden. She does a great job portraying her charactor. Twink do you live near North Bay? Link to post Share on other sites
twinkeee Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 No, I live near the Falls. North Bay is way up north from here. As far as the town that was build for the movie, I have no idea if it is still there but I would not at all be surprised that it is. Another poster, Mr.Roberts, mentioned a Billy Bishop Museum he had visited up there and he would probably know. Cagney has always been one of my favourite actors and I was quite surprised when TCM showed the preview tonight for CAPTAINS OF THE CLOUDS (shown next Wed. at 8 PM ) since I have never seen that movie but as well, that it has a Canadian connection, so of course, I'm more anxious then ever to see it. As I mentioned, I was not sure if it was based on a true story or not but I am going to read up on Billy Bishop Before I watch the movie. Thank You for the information and enlightening me, I appreciate it. Twink Link to post Share on other sites
misswonderly3 Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 While North Bay is indeed relatively far north in Ontario (although a town like, say, Cochrane is even more so), I would not say that Owen Sound was "way up north". Owen Sound is in fact in Grey County, which is regarded as part of Southern Ontario (just not as "south" as Hamilton.) It is certainly not "way up north". (I'm sure that Tom, himself a Canadian, is aware of his own province's geography.) Edited by: misswonderly on Aug 30, 2013 9:27 AM Link to post Share on other sites
DownGoesFrazier Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 Americans enlisted in the RCAF just from seeing this movie? That seems to fall into the category of "overreaction". How soon before they could get out of their enlistment? Link to post Share on other sites
jimred99 Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 Finance, It is mentioned in Cagney's bio that many Americans enlisted after seeing movie. Link to post Share on other sites
brackenhe Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 Nevermind. What I wrote was entirely incorrect. Edited by: helenbaby on Aug 30, 2013 11:59 AM Link to post Share on other sites
mrroberts Posted August 31, 2013 Share Posted August 31, 2013 Some Americans also went to fight for the Allies in WW1 before the U.S. entered the war. Link to post Share on other sites
twinkeee Posted August 31, 2013 Share Posted August 31, 2013 Since you are familiar with the 'Billy Bishop Museum', I am curious to know if you are also familiar with the little town Warner's built in North Bay for the CAPTAINS OF THE CLOUDS Movie ? Twink Link to post Share on other sites
mrroberts Posted August 31, 2013 Share Posted August 31, 2013 No, as was pointed out North Bay is way north of Owen Sound. I can't recall if the Bishop museum mentioned anything about any sets built in North Bay for the movie. I'm sure the people at the museum might know some info. Check the Bishop museum site and maybe you can inquire there about North Bay. Owen Sound is about 3-4 hour drive for you from Niagara area, Its really nice up there, very scenic and if you're in to boating/fishing.... Link to post Share on other sites
twinkeee Posted August 31, 2013 Share Posted August 31, 2013 Thanks for your information Twink Link to post Share on other sites
mrroberts Posted August 31, 2013 Share Posted August 31, 2013 Twinkeee, see this; http://www.pastforward.ca/perspectives/august_292003.htm Link to post Share on other sites
twinkeee Posted August 31, 2013 Share Posted August 31, 2013 Wow, Thanks for the forward mrroberts! I had a friend who used to be a reporter for that Newspaper. Unfortunately, he passed away when he was only 50 yrs old. Now I'm Really looking forward to watching CAPTAINS OF THE CLOUDS on Wednesday ! Twink Link to post Share on other sites
jimred99 Posted August 31, 2013 Share Posted August 31, 2013 Thanks for posting that article mrroberts. Anyway, Canada looks beautiful! Twinkeee it must be beautiful where you live also. Link to post Share on other sites
jimred99 Posted August 31, 2013 Share Posted August 31, 2013 Cagney is in 2 movies from 1935 where he is a pilot. Devil Dogs of the Air and Ceiling Zero. Ceiling Zero is one of my favorites! Cagney as a dashing pilot and womenizer. He plays the part excellent. The leading lady in the film June Travis admitted to being in love with Cagney when she made this film. Link to post Share on other sites
DownGoesFrazier Posted August 31, 2013 Share Posted August 31, 2013 Talk of the beuaty of Canada brings to mind the song, "Canadian Sunset". Any other songs in the same vein? Link to post Share on other sites
TomJH Posted August 31, 2013 Author Share Posted August 31, 2013 The character that Cagney played in Captains of the Clouds was a throwback to that same cocky mutt that he had played in numerous other films for Warners (ie. Here Comes the Navy, Devil Dogs of the Air, Fighting 69th). While Jimmy was perhaps getting a little long in the tooth to be playing the same kind of part by the time the cameras started rolling for this production in 1941, the fact still remains that no one did it better than Cagney, whose energy and intelligence makes the cliche part seem so alive. The first half of the film, in particular, when dealing with the bush pilots in a Technicolored North Bay Trout Lake backdrop, is quite a lot of fun to watch. Not only does the film offer you the familiar but entertaining sight of a cocky Cagney, but it also has the usual wonderful support by Warners character characters, George Tobias, Reginald Gardiner and the always-marvelous Alan Hale. Dennis Morgan is solid as a co-star and, I must say, I NEVER saw Brenda Marshall play another role in which she was quite so sexy as in this production. (Particularly after seeing her cold impersonation of a statue in The Sea Hawk just the year before). The film, as other posters have already stated, has a guest appearance by Canadian WWI flying ace Billy Bishop (Cagney has one of his most entertaining scenes buzzing the air field over which Bishop is in attendance "Oh, Billy, Billy Bishop," Cagney shouts from his plane, "Watch ME fly! Watch Brian McLean fly!"). Finally, Max Steiner contributed a rousing patriotic musical song, "Captains of the Clouds," to cap the whole thing off. And the film's climax, which I will not reveal, of course, is Warners at its most melodramatic and patriotic! If Captains of the Clouds doesn't offer any real surprises, it's still a most pleasant way to spend a couple of hours. Link to post Share on other sites
twinkeee Posted August 31, 2013 Share Posted August 31, 2013 financeu wrote: "Talk of the beauty of Canada brings to mind the song "A Canadian Sunset". Any other songs in the same vein ? Yes, Neil Young's "Helpless", it's about Northern Ontario. btw, Neil Young is Canadian. Speaking of Canadian Sunset financeu, I live a 1/2 block from the beach, Lake Ontario and sometimes we have some of the most spectacular Sunsets imaginable ! Twink Link to post Share on other sites
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