Gloria (1931)
Directed by Hans Behrendt

Film Review

Despite a distinguished cast, this aeronautically themed melodrama has difficulty getting off the ground and seems to spend most of its time taxiing on the runway, burning up plenty of fuel with no discernible heat or motion being generated.  Gloria exists in two versions, both with the same title, both equally dull, and both directed by Hans Behrendt, who would tragically die on the way to Auschwitz during the Second World War.  In the German version, the lead roles were taken by Gustav Fröhlich and Brigitte Helm, who had previously appeared together in Fritz Lang's silent masterpiece Metropolis (1927).  For the French version, Fröhlich was replaced with a dapper André Luguet, with Jean Gabin drafted into a thankless supporting role.  Gloria is let down as much by its lacklustre storyline as by its poor production values (the later scenes depicting the transatlantic crossing are absurdly unconvincing), but the performances help to make up for this (Luguet outshines everyone else in the cast, even Helm).  Another plus is the extensive use of real locations, photographed almost as a documentary, which gives the film a realism that most films of this period lack.  Cheekily, Luguet would recycle a big chunk of the plot for his later film, Alexis gentleman chauffeur (1938), the idea of absconding with aeroplanes being something that presumably appealed to him.

Film Synopsis

Pierre Latour, a celebrated stunt aviator, enters himself in an aeronautical competition but he is persuaded to withdraw from the contest by his wife Jackie, who fears that he is risking his life for nothing.  The trophy is taken by Pierre's friend, Bob Deschamps, who celebrates his victory by taking Jackie up in a flight after the night's festivities.  When Pierre hears of this, he concludes that Bob and Jackie have been having an affair and immediately departs on a record-breaking flight across the Atlantic, with his trusty mechanic Robert Nourry.  During the flight, Pierre's plane is caught in a storm and he loses radio contact with the outside world.  His wife can only fear the worst...