The Lost Squadron

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The Lost Squadron

1932

1h 19m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

100%

Tomatometer

6 Reviews

46%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

After World War I, Army flying ace "Gibby" Gibson (Richard Dix) follows his actress girlfriend (Mary Astor) to Hollywood, Calif., even though she's spurned him for the despotic Prussian film director Arthur von Furst (Erich von Stroheim). Gibby and his friends, Woody (Robert Armstrong) and Red (Joel McCrea), begin working as stunt pilots for von Furst, but the filmmaker's quest for realistic war footage leads them into life-or-death situations -- and soon, the jealous director goes too far.

Variety Staff

Variety

03/26/2009

It is not without authority, even though the dramatics are a bit strained.

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Geoff Andrew

Time Out

11/04/2006

With a cynically acidic script by Herman J Mankiewicz, among others, this early talkie is one of the most enjoyably scabrous examples of Hollywood on Hollywood.

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Mordaunt Hall

New York Times

11/04/2006

It is an excellent melodrama, ably directed, with a background familiar to producers -- for it is chiefly concerned with stunt flying before the cameras in Hollywood and a film director is the evil genius.

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Don Q.

Cine-Mundial

04/06/2020

The film had to come out entertaining. [Full review in Spanish]

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TV Guide

09/29/2014

3/4

Bizarre but absorbing.

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

08/04/2005

B

Penned in a delightfully nasty cynical way by Herman Mankiewicz.

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Steve D

05/05/2023

Ok flight film with little for its actors to do.

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Russ G

12/16/2022

Eric von Stroheim was often cast in the role of an imperious film director, and here he is filling in for Howard Hawks on the set of a rip-off of Dawn Patrol. Much of the story arc is predictable from the broken airplanes to the broken hearts, but Depression-era audiences must have eaten this B-movie fare up. OK for modern audiences looking to see Mary Astor in something other than The Maltese Falcon.

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01/10/2016

another good pre-code airplane picture

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09/22/2013

This is a decent early 30's flying drama with the backdrop of the film studios' employing out of work war pilots. It's only the flying scenes that really give it any edge as it's fairly dull tug-of-war relationship stories when their on the ground.

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George Archainbaud

Director

Richard Dix

Capt. 'Gibby' Gibson

Mary Astor

Follette Marsh

Erich von Stroheim

Arthur von Furst

Robert Armstrong

Lt. "Woody" Curwood

Dorothy Jordan

"Pest" Curwood

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Synopsis

After World War I, Army flying ace "Gibby" Gibson (Richard Dix) follows his actress girlfriend (Mary Astor) to Hollywood, Calif., even though she's spurned him for the despotic Prussian film director Arthur von Furst (Erich von Stroheim). Gibby and his friends, Woody (Robert Armstrong) and Red (Joel McCrea), begin working as stunt pilots for von Furst, but the filmmaker's quest for realistic war footage leads them into life-or-death situations -- and soon, the jealous director goes too far.

Director: George Archainbaud
Producer: Louis Sarecky
Screenwriter: Dick Grace, Wallace Smith, Herman J. Mankiewicz, Robert Presnell Sr., Humphrey Pearson
Distributor: RKO Radio Pictures
Production Co: RKO Radio Pictures Inc.
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 12, 1932, Wide
Runtime: 1h 19m