ID

FBW001262      Fiction

Country / Year

USA, 1940

Original Title

Murder in the Air

Directed by

Lewis Seiler

Produced by

Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc., Burbank, CA / New York, NY; in partnership with First National Pictures, Burbank, CA

Staff

Producer: Bryan Foy; Script: Raymond L. Schrock; Based on: Raymond L. Schrock (based on the story "Uncle Sam Awakens"); Camera: Ted McCord; Editing: Frank Magee; Production design: Stanley Fleischer; Costume design: Howard Shoup

Cast

Ronald Reagan (Brass Bancroft); John Litel (Saxby); James Stephenson (Joe Garvey); Eddie Foy, Jr. (Gabby Watters); Lya Lys (Hilda Riker); Robert Warwick (Dr. Finchley); Victor Zimmermann (Rumford); William Gould (Adm. Winfield); Kenneth Harlan (Cmdr. Wayne); Frank Wilcox (Jerry the Hotel Clerk); Owen King (George Hayden); Dick Rich (John Kramer); Charles Brokaw (Otto); Helen Lynd (Dolly); Jeffrey Sayre (Prescott the Radio Man); Carlyle Moore, Jr. (Sunnyvale Radio Operator); Cliff Clark (Police Chief); Edwin Stanley (Congressman Courtney Rice); Selmer Jackson (Capt. Riddel); John Hamilton (Hargrave); Alexander Lockwood (Navigation Officer); Garland Smith (Navigation Officer); Alan Davis (Lt. Bell); Jack Mower (Chemist); Claude Wisberg (Bellboy); John "Skins" Miller (Taxi Driver); Julie Stevens (Nurse); Frank Mayo (Dr. Delby); Paul Panzer (Hans); John Deering (Radio Announcer); Paul Phillips (Sailor); Richard Clayton (Sailor); Reid Kilpatrick (Radio Operator at Continental Airport); Lane Chandler (Flagship Radio Operator); David Newell (Man); Wedgwood Nowell (Admiral); Charles Sherlock (Orderly); Mike Lally (Operative)

Length

55'

Format

35mm/sw/1:1,37

Abstract

Bass Bancroft takes on the identity of a known spy who was killed in a train wreck. The agency sees this as a perfect opportunity to expose suspected spy Joe Garvey. Upon meeting, Garvey tells Bancroft to board a Navy dirigible and obtain information on a new "inertia projector" being developed by the Americans, which will knock airplanes out of the sky. Bancroft soon discovers one of the officials on the ship is working for Garvey and intends to steal the blueprints for the new weapon. Bancroft manages to save the machine from harm, but the spy escapes with the plans for the weapon. Bancroft then is forced to shoot down the crook's plane with the "inertia projector."

Subject Terms

Anti-Nazi films (US)