MURDER IN THE CLOUDS (1934) Lyle Talbot, Ann Dvorak, Gordon Westcott | Crime, Mystery, Romance | B&W

Murder in the Clouds is a 1934 American action film dealing with aviation. The film stars Lyle Talbot and Ann Dvorak, and is directed by D. Ross Lederman. Although standard formula "B" film fare, it was notable as the screenplay and original story was written by Dore Schary as a freelance writer, during one of his periods when he was fired from a more prestigious film job. Schary was a director, writer, producer and playwright who later became head of production at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and eventually president of the studio. Equally important on Murder in the Clouds was the work of Elmer Dyer who had become a preeminent aviation cinematographer.

SYNOPSIS
Bob "three star" is the hotshot pilot for Trans America Lines. When he is not flying for the airlines, he can get into trouble doing aerobatics over the field. His main squeeze is Judy Wagner, a stewardess for the airlines. Tom Wagner, her younger brother has just started flying for the line. Tom and Bob are to fly on a secret mission to carry a scientist with a new high explosive mixture to Washington. Unfortunately, Jason, secretary to Mr. Lackey, is working for a secret foreign power and hears about the flight. This causes Bob to get jumped before the flight so another pilot, George, volunteers to take Bob's place. When the plane explodes in flight, there is a race between government agents to get the mixture back and the bad guys to get the mixture out of the country.

Trans-America Air Lines pilot "Three Star" Bob Halsey (Lyle Talbot) is in love with stewardess Judy Wagner (Ann Dvorak), but she wants him to stop his daredevil ways. So does his boss, Lackey (Charles C. Wilson). Confident in his abilities and knowing that he is the airline's best pilot, he pays neither any mind.

Federal agent Brownell (Henry O'Neill) urgently requests Lackey's cooperation: Clement Williams (Edward McWade) must be flown from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., with a cylinder full of a revolutionary new explosive he has invented. However, Lackey's assistant Jason (Arthur Pierson) is eavesdropping on him for Taggart (Russell Hicks), a spy.

He eavesdrops again when Lackey chooses Bob as pilot and Judy's brother Tom (Robert Light) as co-pilot. Taggart sends three men to provoke Bob into a fistfight. While Bob is knocked out, another pilot, George Wexley (Gordon Westcott), chats casually with Tom, "learns" that Bob is late for the special trip, and offers to protect Bob's job by taking over.

Over the lower Sierras, the Ford Trimotor airliner explodes.

Bob and Lackey fly to the crash site and talk to Brownell. Tom's cap is there. Back in Los Angeles, they report that there are no survivors.

Frantic for news of her brother, Judy drives to the site before they return, evading the police roadblock. She is recognized by Jason, who is traveling with the spies to a nearby house they are using. Improvising a plan, they pose as federal agents and stop her.

Next day, back at Los Angeles, Bob learns Jason has left the office—with the three men who knocked him out. He and Lackey then discover Jason's eavesdropping device. Bob flies back to the crash area. As his co-pilot he takes Wings, who works as the airline's mechanic because when he got his pilot's license he learned he was afraid to fly. They see the three stars and land.

Bob tells Wings that if there is any sign of trouble he must fly away and alert the Air Patrol. When shots are fired, Wings does just that—not seeing Bob and Judy running for the plane. The spies capture them both.

CAST & CREW
Lyle Talbot as "Three Star" Bob Halsey
Ann Dvorak as Judy Wagner
Gordon Westcott as George Wexley
Robert Light as Tom Wagner
George Cooper as "Wings" Mahoney
Charles C. Wilson as William Lackey
Henry O'Neill as John Brownell
Russell Hicks as Taggart
Arthur Pierson as Jason
Edward McWade as Clement Williams
Clay Clement as Flight Commander
Eddie Shubert as Eddie, accomplice
Wheeler Oakman as Joe, accomplice
Nick Copeland as Accomplice

Directed by D. Ross Lederman
Written by Roy Chanslor (story and screenplay), Dore Schary (story and screenplay)
Produced by Samuel Bischoff
Cinematography Warren Lynch, Elmer Dyer (aerial scenes)
Edited by Thomas Pratt
Music by Leo F. Forbstein, conductor: Vitaphone Orchestra
Ray Heindorf, composer: music cues (uncredited)
Bernhard Kaun, composer: main and end title music (uncredited)
Production company First National Pictures
Distributed by Warner Brothers
Release date December 15, 1934
Running time 61 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $84,000
Box office $351,000

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