Movie Reviews

‘Captains Of The Clouds’ Blu-Ray Review – High-Flying Michael Curtiz Aviation Melodrama Is A Showcase For Cagney

By Dillon Gonzales
April 17, 2022
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The incomparable James Cagney stars with Dennis Morgan, Brenda Marshall and Alan Hale in his first Technicolor feature, once again reunited with Warner Bros.’ legendary Michael Curtiz at the helm. Cagney portrays pilot Brian MacLean, a hot-shot Canadian pilot who is just as adept at stealing flying jobs from his competition as he is at stealing their girlfriend’s hearts. But when he hears a speech by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill about the looming Nazi threat, MacLean enlists in the Royal Canadian Air Force . . . only to find his superior is a man from whom he stole both a job and a girl–and to encounter action and adventure in aerial combat over the North Atlantic. This was the first Hollywood production to be filmed almost entirely on location in Canada and was released right after the U.S. entered WWII.

For thoughts on Captains Of The Clouds, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic here.

Video Quality

Warner Archive presents Captains Of The Clouds with a miraculous new 1080p master transfer sourced from a 4K scan of the original Nitrate Technicolor Camera Negative. As per the usual, Warner Archive continues its A+ output with this release ranking as a particular standout from the studio. The film features some wondrous colors within the costumes and backdrop that pop off the screen with a startling intensity. The black levels are also very deep with a pleasing stability throughout. There does not appear to be any pesky digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding or any other such nuisances. The level of detail and clarity is stunning with the appropriate amount of natural film grain intact. The film appears to be absent of dirt and damage which gives the feature a timeless quality. This presentation is a top-shelf effort from Warner Archive on all fronts.

Audio Quality

Warner Archive has delivered a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio presentation that is simply lovely. Dialogue is a key driving force of this film, and it comes through clearly from beginning to end. The track balances vocals with the environmental sounds with magnificent clarity. Even in the most active moments such as the numerous thrilling, high-flying sequences, there are no moments where the track ever appears as if it will fail to maintain its fidelity. When it comes to the music in this feature, the track shows its strength with its handling of the different core elements. The full-bodied score from Max Steiner feels like the beating pulse of the film and it comes through flawlessly with remarkable stability. Warner Archive has provided a flawless audio presentation that does not exhibit any glaring signs of age-related wear-and-tear. The disc also comes with optional English (SDH) subtitles.

Special Features

1942 Newsreel: A two-minute vintage newsreel featuring James Cagney selling war bonds.

Rocky Mountain Big Game: A ten-minute vintage Technicolor short of The Sports Parade which shows off some of the natural majesty of the Canadian Rockies and its wildlife as narrated by Knox Manning.

What’s Cookin’ Doc?: An eight-minute Merrie Melodies short from 1944 featuring Bugs Bunny, who is hoping to win an Oscar for Best Actor. This is featured in the Bugs Bunny 80th Anniversary Collection.

Hold The Lion, Please: A nearly nine-minute Merrie Melodies short from 1942 featuring Bugs Bunny being pursued by a lion in the jungle who is trying to save his reputation amongst the other animals. This is also featured in the Bugs Bunny 80th Anniversary Collection.

Theatrical Trailer: The three-minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Captains Of The Clouds is not the most narratively daring feature, but it does deliver when it comes to high-flying spectacle. The female presence in the film is given short shrift, but the camaraderie between the men provides a nice base from which to build. James Cagney delivers the confident performance needed for this character, and the rest of the ensemble balance him out appropriately with unique personality traits. Michael Curtiz is a reliable director no matter the genre, and this film is no different with everything it does so well. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray featuring a terrific A/V presentation and a couple of unique special features. If you enjoy old action-packed dramas, you will have a fun time with this release.

Captains Of The Clouds can be purchased directly through the Warner Archive Amazon Store or various other online retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.