Cock of the Air (1930)
Chester Morris and Billie Dove in a Wild War Romance With Some Rowdy Humor.
By Mordaunt Hall
Published: January 25, 1932
A mad war romance, known as "Cock of the Air," which has something of the moods of "The Last Flight" and "Private Lives," is now sojourning at the Rialto. In one of its many strange interludes Lilli de Rosseau, a French actress, whom Lieutenant Roger Craig, of the American flying force, knows only as Whatever, expresses a longing for a champagne cocktail at the Ritz bar in Paris. At the same time she is in Italy and the dauntless aviator, defying all army regulations, takes off with the very attractive girl in the direction of the French capital. And as soon as they arrive, Craig, with Whatever at his elbow, orders a dozen champagne cocktails.
The table on which they are placed is a checker pattern and therefore Craig and Whatever are inspired to play a game of checkers with the cocktails, imbibing one of the concoctions when they lose a "man" in the game.
The military police are interested in the peculiar actions of Terry, Craig's orderly. While Craig is indulging in a shower bath, the M. P.s enter his hotel apartment and leave with Terry and his master's uniform. It is rather awkward for Craig as he has no other clothes and therefore he decides to strip a well-dressed waiter and use the menial's suit for the evening
This wild tale springs from the pens of Robert E. Sherwood and Charles Lederer, with some jabs of fun inserted by Tom Buckingham, the director. Howard Hughes, producer of "Hell's Angels," is chiefly responsible for the offering, which stirred up many a hearty laugh from an audience yesterday afternoon. There was a loud outburst of mirth when Craig, played by Chester Morris, squirts a seltzer syphon at Lilli, impersonated by Billie Dove. A second or so later further merriment was elicited when Lilli slaps Craig's face with a most convenient pancake.
Assuredly it is a film which conveys surprises, for the unexpected invariably happens. It has a flight from Italy to France with comedy relief furnished by Terry, acted by Matt Moore, who until he espies his master in a passing plane, believes that Craig is in his machine, ready to give him a hand, in the event that he, a crass amateur, should lose his head. In the take-off and landing by Terry, the scene gives a pretty good idea of a "cowboy" aviator, what with clumsy banking in the first instance and a grasshopper jump on returning to earth.
Lilli finds herself in Italy for the simple reason that she is too charming to be permitted to stay in Paris. Representatives of the Allies have voted that Lilli is too dangerous*and she is forthwith instructed that she must leave for some other country and permit an understudy to continue in her place in the drama of Joan of Arc. Judging by what happens while she is in Italy, Lilli is bent on causing trouble, in spite of the fact that most of her time is monopolized by Craig.
Miss Dove does extremely well. She out-Eugénies any one in the line of hats and in a closing scene she dons a suit of shining armor. Mr. Morris is alert and reckless as the ace of lovers and the devil among flyers. Another player who seizes all the opportunities offered in this nightmare is Mr. Moore.
Whatever has been deleted from this picture by the censor does not seem to have made any difference to the story, for it is not one of those sensitive works that could be any the worse or any less coherent for a generous pruning.
COCK OF THE AIR, a screen story by Robert E. Sherwood and Charles Lederer; directed by Tom Buckingham; produced by Howard Hughes; released by United Artists Pictures.
Lieutenant Roger Craig . . . . . Chester Morris
Lilli de Rosseau . . . . . Billie Dove
Terry . . . . . Matt Moore
Colonel Benjamin Wallace . . . . . Walter Catlett
Captain Tonnino . . . . . Louis Alberni
1st Italian Girl . . . . . Katya Sergeiva
2d Italian Girl . . . . . Yola D'Avril
Irate Woman . . . . . Vivian Oakland
French Ambassador . . . . . Emile Chautard
Lilli's Companion . . . . . Ethel Sutherland
Lilli's Maid . . . . . Peggy Watts
