The Lost Squadron

Released Mar 12, 1932

1h 19m

Drama

List

100%

Tomatometer

6 Reviews

46%

Audience Score

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.

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Variety Staff

Variety

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

Mar 26, 2009

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Geoff Andrew

Time Out

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.

Nov 4, 2006

Full Review

Mordaunt Hall

New York Times

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.

Nov 4, 2006

Full Review

Don Q.

Cine-Mundial

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

Apr 6, 2020

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TV Guide

Bizarre but absorbing.

Rated: 3/4

Sep 29, 2014

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Penned in a delightfully nasty cynical way by Herman Mankiewicz.

Rated: B

Aug 4, 2005

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Steve D

Ok flight film with little for its actors to do.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/05/23

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Russ G

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.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

12/16/22

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Audience Member

another good pre-code airplane picture

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

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.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

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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: David O. Selznick
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