Men with Wings
Reporter Nicholas Ranson is jubilant when, on 17 Dec 1903, in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, Orville and Wilbur Wright take their first airplane flight. Back home in Underwood, Maryland, however, his uncle Hiram F. Jenkins, owner and editor of the local newspaper, refuses to print the story. Nicholas quits and continues to work on his own airplane, with the devoted help of his little daughter Peggy. Peggy is actually the first in her family to fly when her friends, Patrick Falconer and Scott Barnes, induce her to get inside a large kite they have made, and run with it in a field until she is airborne. The kite is caught in a tree, however, and Peggy gets a black eye. Later, Nicholas dies when his experimental airplane crashes, leaving his wife and children alone. By Peggy's adulthood, planes are capable of flying at an altitude of 11,000 feet, and speeds of nearly 100 m.p.h. Peggy continues her father's obsession with flight by helping Scott and Pat to build a plane.
Insights
Plot Summary
The film chronicles the life of aviation pioneer "Wrong Way" Corrigan, following his early life, his passion for flying, and his eventual rise to fame after an unexpected transatlantic flight. It explores the challenges and triumphs associated with early aviation and the pursuit of dreams against all odds.
Critical Reception
Men with Wings was met with mixed to positive reviews upon its release. While praised for its visual spectacle and ambitious scope in depicting early aviation, some critics found the narrative somewhat idealized and the characterizations lacking depth. Audiences were generally entertained by the action and the inspirational story.
What Reviewers Say
- Praised for its visual presentation and depiction of flight.
- Criticized by some for a formulaic or overly sentimental narrative.
- The biographical elements were seen as engaging for the time.
Google audience: Audience reception data for this historical film is not readily available.
Fun Fact
The film was one of the earliest major Hollywood productions to attempt a somewhat accurate portrayal of the development of aviation and the lives of early aviators.
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