THE STANFORD THEATRE
Only Angels Have Wings poster

Only Angels Have Wings

1939 ★ 121 min
Starring: Cary Grant, Jean Arthur, Richard Barthelmess
Director: Howard Hawks
Writer: Jules Furthman, Eleanore Griffin, Howard Hawks
Producer: Howard Hawks

Only Angels Have Wings is a 1939 American adventure romantic drama film directed by Howard Hawks. Starring Cary Grant and Jean Arthur, it is based on a story written by Hawks. The plot follows the manager of an air freight company in a remote South American port town who is forced to risk his pilots' lives while vying for a major contract.

Trivia

  • Nominated for: Academy Award for Best Cinematography, Black-and-White; Academy Award for Best Special Effects.
  • The film's original script outline was written by Anne Wigton; the working title originally was Plane No. 4. Howard Hawks re-wrote the film's scenario himself, based on a story that he wrote in 1938 titled Plane from Barranca.
  • The film's final script was written and re-written throughout the film's production, mostly by Hawks and Jules Furthman, but also with contributions by Eleanore Griffin and William Rankin.
  • Hawks had previously worked with Cary Grant the year before on Bringing Up Baby and this was the second of five collaborations between the director and the star.

Filming Locations

  • Shooting of Only Angels Have Wings began on December 19, 1938, at the Columbia Studio Ranch and Hawks shot the film in chronological sequence whenever possible.
  • A few re-takes were shot in April with Cary Grant and Victor Kilian.

Previous Showings

18 Runs • 14 Festivals

19,932 tickets sold

Original Billings: 1 run (June 22, 1939)

Original Run: June 22, 1939 (Thursday - Saturday)

All runs on record (18):

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