Forced Landing
Cast & Crew
Gordon Wiles
Richard Arlen
Eva Gabor
J. Carrol Naish
Nils Asther
Evelyn Brent
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
American pilot Dan Kendall joins the Mosaque Air Corps but is thrown in the military prison with his mechanic Christmas after he picks a fight with Colonel Jan Golas at a cantina where he had been buying Golas' fiancée, Johanna Van Deuren, a drink. Golas agrees to release Dan after he learns that he saved Johanna from being hit by a car, but insists that Dan resign his commission and fly for Mosaque Civil Airlines instead. Unknown to Dan, Golas sabotaged the last two civil flights that were to deliver the payroll to workers at the fort, which resulted in the death of Dan's friend, pilot Petchnikoff. Golas asks Dan to fly Johanna to the local fort to visit her sick father, who is the foreman, and there they discover the workers are rebelling because they have not been paid in two months because of the payroll sabotage. Dan heads off the revolt by promising to deliver their payroll within three days. On their return flight, Dan lands the plane in a field because he sights a downed plane. He discovers it is Petchnikoff's plane, but does not find his friend. Dan and Johanna are captured by Andros Banshek, a revolutionary leader who plans to kill them so that they will not reveal his hideout. During an escape attempt, Banshek's little son Nando is shot, and Banshek agrees to allow Dan to fly them to Mosaque so that Nando can be treated by a doctor. Nando is saved, but someone sees Banshek and informs on him. In order to save his son, Banshek surrenders, but the brutal police kill him anyway. When the workers at the fort rebel, Golas convinces the chief general to allow him to fly as an escort while Dan flies the payroll to the fort. Johanna, fearing for her father, stows away on Dan's plane and, during the flight, notices that the payroll box is smoking. She tells Dan who, as she flies the plane, dumps the box out just before it explodes. Golas, realizing his plan has been foiled, shoots at Dan's plane, and Dan finally outwits him by throwing a box of metal parts into Golas' flight path. The parts damage the propeller and Golas crashes to his death. Dan returns to Mosaque to get the real payroll. Later, Golas' confederates are executed, and the general declares Banshek to have been a true patriot. Dan and Johanna marry and return to the United States.
Director
Gordon Wiles
Cast
Richard Arlen
Eva Gabor
J. Carrol Naish
Nils Asther
Evelyn Brent
Mikhail Rasumny
Victor Varconi
John Miljan
Frank Yaconelli
Harold Goodwin
Thornton Edwards
Bobby Dillon
John Gallaudet
Harry Worth
Crew
John Alton
Ben Berk
Bart Carré
Edward Churchill
Robert Crandall
W. M. Dalgleish
Fred Jackman [jr.]
Garland Lincoln
Frank Loesser
L. B. Merman
William H. Pine
Richard Probert
Farrell Redd
John W. Rogers
Maxwell Shane
F. Paul Sylos
William C. Thomas
Joel Thorne
Dimitri Tiomkin
James Wade
Herb White
Victor Young
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Although most sources credit writers Maxwell Shane and Edward Churchill with the original story, SAB credits Blake McVey. The Daily Variety review indicates that an imaginary country, Mosaque, was named in the film to "avoid offending any nationality." This film marked the American motion picture debut of Hungarian-born actress Eva Gabor (1921-1995). Hollywood Reporter news items reveal the following: Susan Hayward was screen tested for a role in this film; a TWA mascot, "Strato Lizzie", was signed to perform in the film; however, the cat's appearance in the film has not been confirmed; some scenes were shot on location in Gopher Valley, CA.
