Only Angels Have Wings (1939)

Only Angels Have Wings (1939) is one of the most defining and enduring films of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Directed by Howard Hawks and featuring a remarkable cast led by Cary Grant and Jean Arthur, the film is a rich mixture of adventure, romance, drama, and moral clarity, set against the thrilling—and perilous—backdrop of South American mail aviation. At its core, the film is less about airplanes and more about character, camaraderie, and the stoic courage of men (and women) facing danger head-on.

Released in the fabled year of 1939—often cited as Hollywood’s greatest—the film is a quintessential Hawksian work, full of themes that would become staples of his filmography: professionalism under pressure, gender tension, group loyalty, and romantic fatalism. It stands as one of the director’s finest achievements and remains a benchmark of classical Hollywood storytelling.

Plot Summary

Set in the fictional port town of Barranca, somewhere in South America, Only Angels Have Wings revolves around a group of rugged pilots working for a struggling airmail company. These fliers risk their lives daily by flying over the treacherous Andes mountains to deliver mail on schedule—a dangerous endeavor that demands nerve, experience, and a cool detachment from the fear of death.

The story begins when Bonnie Lee (Jean Arthur), a traveling American entertainer, arrives in Barranca and is drawn into the world of the pilots—particularly the charismatic and emotionally guarded operations chief, Geoff Carter (Cary Grant). Geoff leads the team with iron control and nerves of steel, refusing to show emotion even when his men die in the line of duty.

As Bonnie becomes entangled in the lives of these flyers, another drama unfolds: the arrival of Bat MacPherson (Richard Barthelmess), a disgraced former pilot seeking redemption, and his wife Judy (Rita Hayworth), who has a romantic history with Geoff. As the planes take off and crash, and loyalties are tested in the air and on the ground, Bonnie must decide whether she can live in a world where love always plays second fiddle to duty and danger.

Cary Grant as Geoff Carter

In one of his best and most complex roles, Cary Grant abandons his usual suave, urbane persona to portray a tough, emotionally distant leader of men. Geoff Carter is the embodiment of the Hawksian hero: competent, cool under pressure, emotionally repressed, and unwilling to form attachments that might interfere with his duties.

Grant’s performance is magnetic and layered. His charisma remains intact, but there’s a flinty hardness beneath the surface. He delivers his lines with clipped precision, and his body language communicates the immense emotional burden he carries while keeping his outfit running. His interactions with Jean Arthur are filled with frustration and unspoken longing—a mix of attraction and the fear of vulnerability.

Geoff’s ultimate challenge is not surviving the next dangerous flight, but allowing himself to love—and accept love—without losing the edge that keeps him alive.

Jean Arthur as Bonnie Lee

Jean Arthur, known for her ability to blend spunk and sweetness, provides the emotional heart of the film. As Bonnie Lee, she represents the outside world—warmth, stability, and romantic hope—entering a closed, masculine environment governed by risk and repression.

Arthur plays Bonnie with humor and intelligence. Her initial fish-out-of-water reaction to Barranca gives way to a deeper understanding of the pilots’ code. She is never merely a love interest; Bonnie is active, observant, and emotionally perceptive. Her biggest conflict is whether she can accept the dangers and emotional distance that come with loving a man like Geoff.

Arthur's chemistry with Grant is undeniable, and her character's growth—from dazzled newcomer to mature woman—is subtle yet powerful. Bonnie may not change the world of the pilots, but she learns how to exist within it on her own terms.

The Supporting Cast

The ensemble in Only Angels Have Wings is exceptionally strong, each supporting player adding depth and dimension to the world of Barranca.

Thomas Mitchell as Kid Dabb, Geoff’s right-hand man, is the soul of the team—a wise, loyal flyer whose failing eyesight eventually grounds him. Mitchell brings warmth and sadness to the role, and his friendship with Geoff forms one of the film’s most poignant emotional anchors.

Richard Barthelmess plays Bat MacPherson with subdued intensity. A former pilot whose past cowardice cost a man’s life, Bat is haunted by guilt and determined to redeem himself. Barthelmess, a silent-era star, brings gravitas to the part and a quiet dignity that contrasts with Geoff’s bravado.

Rita Hayworth, in her first major role, plays Judy MacPherson. Though her screen time is limited, Hayworth makes a memorable impression. Her luminous beauty and sensuality hint at the star she would soon become, and her scenes with Grant crackle with tension from their characters’ unresolved past.

The pilots and ground crew are a band of brothers, each distinct yet part of a cohesive whole. Their banter, gallows humor, and rituals—like the piano-playing wake after a death—lend authenticity and emotional resonance to the film.

Howard Hawks' Direction

Howard Hawks was a master of genre filmmaking, and Only Angels Have Wings is one of his most personal works. As in later films like To Have and Have Not (1944) and Rio Bravo (1959), Hawks focuses less on plot than on relationships and codes of behavior.

The film’s tone is remarkable: it moves effortlessly from high adventure to intimate character moments to dry humor without ever feeling disjointed. Hawks keeps the pace tight and the dialogue sharp. He’s particularly skilled at suggesting emotions without overplaying them—Grant’s silent reactions often say more than pages of dialogue could.

One of Hawks’ trademarks is his celebration of professionalism. In Only Angels Have Wings, flying the mail becomes a metaphor for courage, integrity, and honor. These men don’t fly for money or glory; they do it because they are the best at what they do, and doing it well defines them.

Cinematography and Special Effects

While the aerial sequences may seem tame by today’s standards, they were thrilling for 1939 and remain compelling for their artistry and staging. The flying scenes are a mix of miniatures, real planes, and rear-projection photography, blended seamlessly with careful editing and sound design to create genuine tension.

Cinematographer Joseph Walker (a frequent collaborator with Frank Capra) gives the film a visual richness, balancing the shadowy interiors of the cantina and control room with the luminous danger of the skies. The foggy airfields, drenched with rain and suspense, add atmosphere and realism to the action.

Themes and Subtext

Only Angels Have Wings operates on multiple thematic levels:

Duty vs. Emotion: Geoff refuses to let personal feelings cloud his judgment—an admirable, but isolating, stance. The film interrogates whether such emotional suppression is noble or tragic.

Masculinity and Brotherhood: The film explores a male world defined by loyalty, courage, and honor. Yet it doesn’t glorify this code uncritically. The emotional toll is evident, and Hawks lets the cost be felt.

Redemption and Trust: MacPherson’s arc is one of the film’s most quietly powerful. His efforts to earn back the respect of his peers—and ultimately himself—are handled with subtlety and grace.

Women in a Male World: Bonnie is not marginalized, but she must adapt to survive in a world where men don’t speak their feelings and love is implied, not declared.

Reception and Legacy

Only Angels Have Wings was both a critical and commercial success upon release. Audiences were captivated by the mixture of romance and high-stakes adventure, and critics praised Hawks’ direction and the maturity of the film’s emotional content.

Today, it is widely regarded as one of the best films of 1939 and one of Hawks’ greatest works. The American Film Institute includes it on several of its “100 Years” lists, and it remains a favorite among film historians and directors for its character-driven narrative and sophisticated tone.

The film has influenced everything from WWII aviation dramas to modern ensemble action films, and its DNA can be seen in works like The Right Stuff (1983) and Top Gun (1986), though none quite capture its unique mix of fatalism and camaraderie.

Conclusion: A Masterwork of Character and Adventure

Only Angels Have Wings is a film of extraordinary richness—an adventure tale that thrills not just with airplanes, but with ideas, relationships, and deeply human struggles. Cary Grant and Jean Arthur lead an ensemble cast that brings authenticity to their world, while Howard Hawks guides the film with an unerring sense of tone, tension, and emotional truth.

It is a film about the nobility of doing a hard, dangerous job well, and the emotional armor people wear to get through life’s turbulence. At once rousing and introspective, Only Angels Have Wings soars not just because of its planes, but because of its people.

Over eight decades later, it still flies high.