Flight Angels 1940

Drama

Runtime

74 mins

Language

English

Directed by

Lewis Seiler

Made by

Warner Bros. Pictures

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Flight Angels Plot Summary

Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Flight Angels (1940). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.

Ace commercial airline pilot Chick Farber, Dennis Morgan, finds himself grounded after a routine flight physical reveals his eyesight is failing. Flight Superintendent Bill Graves, Ralph Bellamy, steps in and convinces Chick to take a steadier route by becoming a teacher in the school for stewardesses. While he remains with the airline, he teams up with engineer Artie Dixon, Wayne Morris, and works secretly on a bold new design he calls the “stratosphere ship”, a machine that could transform commercial aviation by flying far faster and higher than anything in use at the time.

As Chick’s life unfolds, he and Mary Norvell, Virginia Bruce, a stewardess, marry, and her friend Nan Hudson, Jane Wyman, becomes a trusted companion in their world. Yet teaching proves too restrictive for Chick’s restless ambitions, and the allure of his hidden project grows stronger. When he learns the US Army Air Corps plans to test the aircraft, he seeks permission to pilot the first flight, only to be denied because of his waning eyesight. Undeterred, he sneaks in after hours and pushes the stratosphere ship through a dangerous high-altitude test.

In flight, windows blow in and Chick fights to regain control, slipping into a near-unconscious dive before he can crash land back at his base. The harrowing experience pushes him to give up his pilot’s license, and he makes a painful choice: he leaves his wife and heads toward a distant fantasy, joining the newly formed Chinese mercenary air force fighting Japan. The dream of flight clashes with reality, and his path serendipitously intersects with the US military once more when Army Air Corps officers intercept him in San Francisco and urge him back to active duty to safeguard the secret of the stratosphere ship for the United States.

Back in the fold, Graves reorganizes Mary’s schedule, sending her to San Antonio where she encounters Chick’s reinvigorated career: he is now a flight instructor at Randolph Field and has earned the title of Captain. The two are reunited, and their bond steadies as they confront the twists of fate that kept them apart. The movie closes on a hopeful note, with the couple each finding a measure of peace in the balance between duty to country and devotion to one another, as their shared belief in a brighter future for aviation steadies their personal lives.

Overall, the story traces a pilot’s struggle between personal passion and professional duty, the allure and peril of pioneering technology, and the enduring pull of home and family even as a man fights to redefine the horizon of flight.

Flight Angels Timeline

Follow the complete movie timeline of Flight Angels (1940) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.

Chick Faber is grounded by a medical exam

Ace pilot Chick Faber undergoes a routine flight physical that reveals his eyesight is failing. The diagnosis stops him from flying and forces him to reassess his career. The grounding sets the stage for new roles and hidden ambitions.

early in the story Airline base

Assigned to teach stewardesses

Flight Superintendent Graves persuades Chick to take a job as a teacher in the airline's stewardess training program. He continues to be involved with aviation even while grounded. This new role introduces him to a different world of the industry.

shortly after grounding Airline training facility

Secret stratosphere ship project

While remaining at the airline, Chick, together with engineer Artie Dixon, works on the design of a secret research aircraft he calls the 'stratosphere ship'. The project promises to revolutionize aviation by flying higher and faster than existing craft. The dual track of teaching and building creates tension.

during the teaching period Hangar/Research lab

Chick marries Mary Norvell

Chick Faber marries Mary Norvell, strengthening his ties to the airline world. The couple face the restrictive nature of Chick's teaching assignment and growing restlessness about his future. Their wedding becomes a turning point in his personal life.

after meeting Mary Not specified; likely near airline setting

Teaching becomes too restrictive

The life in the classroom and steady duties feel restrictive to Chick. He grows increasingly eager to return to his secret project and take real action on the stratosphere ship. His restlessness foreshadows a bold, risky plan.

post-marriage Airline/School for stewardesses

Army Air Corps test permission denied

Chick learns that the US Army Air Corps will test his aircraft, but permission is refused because of his failing eyesight. The denial blocks the formal path to a first flight and deepens his frustration. The dream of official validation remains out of reach.

after marriage, prior to unauthorized test Military offices/US Air Corps

Unauthorized high-altitude test flight

Late one night, Chick takes off privately to test the stratosphere ship despite warnings. He pushes the aircraft into a dangerous high-speed dive, and windows blow in as he loses consciousness briefly. He crash-lands back at his base, narrowly surviving the ordeal.

after hours Test airbase

Gives up pilot's license and leaves Mary

Overwhelmed by the risks, Chick gives up his pilot's license and leaves his wife to join a newly formed Chinese mercenary air force fighting Japan. The drastic choice marks a turning point in his career and personal life. The story then pivots back toward the US for the sake of keeping the secret.

following the crash Various, including departure from home

Interception and recall to active duty

Air Corps officers intercept Chick in San Francisco and persuade him to return to active duty. The government wants to keep the stratosphere ship secret in American hands. The mission pulls him back into the military fold.

shortly after departure San Francisco / Military

Mary reassigned; Farber becomes instructor

Graves rearranges Mary's schedule and sends her to San Antonio, where she meets Chick again. He has returned as a flight instructor at Randolph Field, showing that life has moved forward in unexpected ways. The couple are unintentionally separated and then reunited by circumstance.

after recall to duty San Antonio and Randolph Field

Reunion and tentative peace

Chick and Mary are reunited at work and home, sharing a sense that things will turn out all right. The long road to balancing duty, ambition, and family ends on a hopeful note. The story closes with them grounded in each other's lives, if not in the air.

finale Home / Randolph Field

The secret remains in US hands

Throughout the various turns, the key objective is to keep the stratosphere ship secret within the United States. The military and Graves ensure the project stays under control even as Chick navigates personal upheaval. The aircraft development remains a cornerstone of the plot.

throughout USA

Flight Angels Characters

Explore all characters from Flight Angels (1940). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.

Chick Farber (Dennis Morgan)

An ace commercial airline pilot whose eyesight has begun to fail, forcing him to confront his own limits. He is also a brilliant engineer-in-progress, designing a secret high-altitude aircraft called the 'stratosphere ship.' His relentless ambition drives the story and puts his career and marriage at risk as he pursues the project.

🛩️ Pilot 🔬 Innovator ❤️ Husband

Bill Graves (Ralph Bellamy)

Flight Superintendent who grounds Chick after the flight physical. A pragmatic, authority-driven figure who strives to keep the company and nation safe, balancing ambition with caution. He orchestrates schedules and decisions to protect the secret project and the people involved.

🛡️ Authority 🧭 Steady 🤝 Guardian

Mary Norvell (Virginia Bruce)

A stewardess who supports Chick and becomes his wife, providing emotional stability amid the pressures of aviation innovation. Her relationship with Chick anchors the human side of the story as ambition collides with home life. She navigates the demands of travel and duty to stand by him.

👩‍✈️ Stewardess ❤️ Partner 🤝 Supportive

Nan Hudson (Jane Wyman)

Mary's friend and ally who embodies the social support network surrounding the aviators. She offers encouragement and perspective as the characters face personal and professional trials. Nan represents loyalty and practical optimism within the aviation milieu.

👩 Friend 💬 Supportive 🤝 Ally

Artie Dixon (Wayne Morris)

An engineer working on the secret 'stratosphere ship,' partnering with Farber to turn the dream into a feasible prototype. He embodies the technical drive behind aviation breakthroughs and the collaborative nature of innovation.

👨‍🔧 Engineer 🧠 Inventor 🤝 Colleague

Lt. Parsons (John Ridgely)

An Air Corps officer who intercepts Farber and calls him back to active duty, highlighting the military pull behind the project. His presence underscores the era's emphasis on national security and control over technological advances.

🧑‍✈️ Military Officer ⚖️ Duty 🗺️ Authority

Dr. Barclay (John Litel)

A physician who evaluates Chick's flight-readiness and ultimately confirms the eyesight impairment that anchors the central conflict. He represents medical authority and the limits health can impose on ambition.

🩺 Doctor ⚕️ Health 🔎 Examiner

Flight Angels Settings

Learn where and when Flight Angels (1940) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.

Time period

1930s

Set in the pre-World War II era, the late 1930s, when aviation technology was rapidly advancing. High-altitude testing of the secret 'stratosphere ship' reflects the period's push to expand the limits of flight. The story unfolds amid rising global tensions, framing personal ambition against safety and national priorities.

Location

San Francisco, California, Randolph Field, San Antonio, Texas, United States

The story moves through American aviation spaces, from a bustling commercial airline operation to a stewardess training environment and a military air base. It highlights the era's blend of civilian flight ambitions and military experimentation. Key locations include San Francisco for the initial high-altitude tests and Randolph Field in San Antonio, illustrating how civilian and military aviation intersect.

🏙️ City settings ✈️ Aviation 🏛️ Military bases

Flight Angels Themes

Discover the main themes in Flight Angels (1940). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.

🚀

Ambition

Chick Farber's dream of a faster, higher flight drives the plot from airline classrooms to a dangerous test program. His genius for innovation competes with the limits of his health, creating a constant push-pull between progress and risk. The pursuit of a revolutionary aircraft becomes a test of character as much as technology.

⚖️

Duty & Safety

Graves embodies institutional responsibility, enforcing safety protocols and calibrating the balance between ambition and risk. He weighs the need to advance a breakthrough project against the responsibility to protect pilots and national security. When the military demands Chick's return to duty, Graves's actions reveal how duty to country and secrecy can override personal ties. His decisions shape the course of the project and the lives involved.

💑

Love & Loyalty

Mary Norvell's marriage to Chick anchors the human side of the story, even as career pressures pull them apart. Nan Hudson's support highlights the social circle sustaining relationships under strain. Chick's choice between mercenary service and staying with his wife tests the bonds of trust, and the ending suggests loyalty and love can endure amid professional upheaval.

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Flight Angels Spoiler-Free Summary

Discover the spoiler-free summary of Flight Angels (1940). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.

In the golden age of commercial aviation, the sky feels both a promise and a frontier. Airlines bustle with sleek metal birds, stewardess schools hum with disciplined optimism, and the nation watches as engineers whisper about reaching the stratosphere. The film captures this high‑altitude world with a blend of romance, ambition and a hint of wartime urgency, letting the viewer feel the steady thrum of propellers and the restless yearning of those who live beneath them.

Chick Faber is introduced as an ace pilot whose reputation seems as sharp as the horizon he once chased. A routine medical exam reveals his eyesight is fading, and the airline grounds him, forcing a sudden, quiet retreat from the cockpit. Rather than surrender to inactivity, the seasoned flight superintendent Bill Graves persuades him to channel his experience into teaching at the airline’s stewardess school, a role that offers stability while keeping him close to the world he loves.

Within the school, Chick meets Mary Norvell, a diligent stewardess whose confidence soon turns into companionship, leading to a swift marriage that anchors his personal life. At the same time, Nan Hudson emerges as a trusted friend, sharing the bustle and camaraderie of the training program. Behind the scenes, Chick collaborates with inventive engineer Artie Dixon on a daring “stratosphere ship,” a concept that could rewrite the limits of commercial flight. The project fuels his imagination, and when the Army signals interest in testing the aircraft, his desire to pilot the inaugural run becomes a quiet, mounting obsession.

The story balances the glow of technological possibility with the weight of duty, hinting at the inner conflict between a pilot’s love of the sky and the responsibilities that keep him grounded. As the airline’s future hangs on daring innovation, Chick finds himself poised on the edge of a decision that could lift him back into the clouds—or keep him firmly on the runway.

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