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For me Dawn Patrol, the 1938 version is the best WW1 film I have seen. Obviously I have not seen them all but have viewed a great many.
The one I have never seen is the previous version 1930 with Richard Barthelmess and D. Fairbanks jnr.
How does it compare? I understand it is called Flight Commander which is the same title as the story by John Monk Saunders. Is this a novel or a short story?
I thought the screenplay with its incisive dialogue has not dated as much as other pictures of the same ilk.
It used to be fashionable to say Errol Flyn couldn't act his way out of a paper bag which seemed to me unfair. He did learn his trade in England in repetory theatre. I notice with interest that he says in the film to David Niven's brother (whoever that was) "My Father was a professor of Biology at Queens and he used to say..." Flyn's Father was a university professor.
Sorry if you have discussed both these films endlessly.
I do know about 1915, previous footage, Marlin guns and other errors.
I still like the film.
Excellent acting from Basil Rathbone but then he was an O & G who got the M.C. You could tell he'd been in by the way he put on the Sam Browne.
Regards
Peter S
I accept all the criticism
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