LOST IN THE STRATOSPHERE (1934) William Cagney & June Collyer | Action, Adventure, Comedy | B&W

Lost in the Stratosphere is a 1934 American aviation drama film directed by Melville W. Brown and starring William Cagney, Edward J. Nugent, and June Collyer. In one of his few roles in front of the cameras, Cagney was the lookalike younger brother of James Cagney.

SYNOPSIS
Two military pilots are close friends, and share in a lot of hazardous missions while engaging in a series of good-natured romantic rivalries.

In the mid-1930s, in the early days of military aviation, an era of open cockpits and biplanes, two U.S. Army pilots, in a friendly rivalry, are always trying to get the best of each other.

2nd Lt. Tom Cooper (William Cagney) gets the nickname "Soapy", from his friend, 1st Lt. Richard "Dick" Wood, "Woody" (Edward J. Nugent). Tom's trademark gift to a female friend is an inscribed bar of soap. Tom finds out that "Ida Johnson", the girl he's been seeing while Dick has been off the base, is really Dick's fiancée, Evelyn Worthington (June Collyer). She introduced herself as Ida (Hattie McDaniel), using her maid's name as a lark. When Dick finds the tell-tale bar of soap from Tom, it's no joke to him, and two friends are at odds. Dick breaks off the engagement while Evelyn is torn between two loves.

The two pilots are picked to go on a dangerous balloon mission launched into the stratosphere, to evaluate high altitude flight capability. Before they get off the ground, the tense relationship has caused friction between the former friends. The generals keep reminding them that the equipment on board is more important than they are.

When a thunderstorm takes them thousands of miles off course, the two flyers are "lost in the stratosphere". It does not look like either of them will survive until Evelyn begs them to bail out.

CAST & CREW
William Cagney as Lt. Tom "Soapy" Cooper
Edward J. Nugent as Lt. Richard "Woody" Wood (credited as Eddie Nugent)
June Collyer as Evelyn Worthington
Edmund Breese as Col. Brooks
Lona Andre as Sophie
Frank McGlynn Sr. as Col. Worthington (credited as Frank McGlynn)
Pauline Garon as Hilda Garon
Matt McHugh as Matt O'Toole
Russ Clark as Sgt. Enfield
John Mack as Sgt. Baker (credited as Jack Mack)
June Gittelson as Gretchen
Hattie McDaniel as Ida Johnson

Directed by Melville W. Brown
Written by Albert DeMond (writer), Tristram Tupper (story)
Produced by William T. Lackey
Cinematography Ira H. Morgan
Edited by Carl Pierson
Production company Monogram Pictures Corp.
Distributed by Monogram Pictures
Release date November 15, 1934
Running time 64 minutes
Country United States
Language English

NOTES
Principal photography on Lost in the Stratosphere began August 10, 1934 at RKO Pathé Studios.

Location shots also took place at Mines Field at Los Angeles playing the role of a military air base. Both stock and studio cinematography utilized a Stearman M-2 Speedmail and Alexander Eaglerock biplane.

Lost in the Stratosphere also uses news clips showing helium inflation of a balloon and the flight of the first Explorer USAAC balloon with the oversized spherical cabin reconstructed in the studio.

Aviation film historian Christian Santoir reviewed Lost in the Stratosphere as a "period piece". He noted: "At the beginning of the film, mention was made of the cancellation by Franklin D. Roosevelt of contracts for the carriage of mail by private companies in February 1934. This decision proved disastrous, 'Being unprepared to fly in all weather. After the death of 12 military pilots, in 78 days of operations, the mail was returned to private carriers. Three-quarters of the film is concentrated on the love affairs of the two pilots who constitute the background of this rather mediocre comedy. The balloon flight occupies only the last 10 minutes of the film."

Lost in the Stratosphere is in the Public Domain and is available online at the Internet Archive. Released on DVD on August 23, 2005, the film is in widespread release due to its status as a public domain film.

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