POWER DIVE (1941) Richard Arlen, Jean Parker & Helen Mack | Adventure, Drama | B&W

Power Dive is a 1941 American film directed by James P. Hogan. The film stars Richard Arlen, Jean Parker and Helen Mack

Synopsis

Ace test pilot Bradley Farrell (Richard Arlen), flying for McMasters Aviation Corp., breaks his leg when an overweight prototype crashes. Brad's younger brother Douglas (Don Castle), a recent graduate in aeronautical engineering, thinks Doug's flying is too dangerous and is hired as a design engineer at McMasters. Carol Blake (Jean Parker) wants to interest Brad in her father's design for an aircraft made of plastic. Doug pretends to be Brad because he is attracted to her but Brad meets Carol and takes her out flying. She introduces him to her blind father, Professor Blake (Thomas W. Ross), resulting in Brad becoming immersed in the professor's new designs.

Brad's friend, Johnny Coles (Louis Jean Heydt), loses his life test flying his own, similar design, that breaks apart in the air, leaving behind his wife and child. Despite his friend's death, Brad convinces the company to build Blake's "geodetic" aircraft design, with his brother put in charge of the project.

After Brad returns from setting a new cross-country speed record, he proposes to Carol, but she is in love with Doug. Doug doesn't know Carol's true feelings and with the test of the professor's aircraft imminent, he is at odds with Brad over the new aircraft's design. Brad has to fly the aircraft for US Army officials but is worried that the heavy test equipment will make the aircraft dangerous to fly. Doug will fly with him on the test and when a 9g power dive is scheduled, Doug passes out. The test equipment breaks free, jamming the rudder. Brad forces Doug to parachute to safety, and then cuts the rudder wires, grabbing them with his bare hands. He manages to land the aircraft safely although his hands are cut badly. With the aircraft accepted, Brad gives up test flying to become a vice-president of McMasters Aviation. Doug and Carol find happiness and marry.

Cast & Crew

Richard Arlen as Brad Farrell
Jean Parker as Carol Blake
Helen Mack as Betty Coles
Don Castle as Doug Farrell
Cliff Edwards as Squid Watkins
Roger Pryor as Dan McMasters, company president
Thomas W. Ross as Professor Blake
Billy Lee as Brad Coles
Louis Jean Heydt as Johnny Coles
Alan Baldwin as Young Reporter
Pat West as Burly Mechanic
Ralph Byrd as Jackson, fellow draftsman
Tom Dugan as The Waiter
Helen Lynd as Giggly Blonde
James Seay as Army Radio Operator

Directed by: James P. Hogan
Written by: Edward Churchill & Maxwell Shane
Based on story by: Paul Franklin
Produced by: William H. Pine & William C. Thomas

Cinematography: John Alton
Edited by: Robert O. Crandall
Music by: C. Bakaleinikoff
Production company: Picture Corporation of America
Distributed by: Paramount Pictures, Inc.
Release date : May 28, 1941
Running time: 68 minutes
Country: United States
Language: English
Budget: $86,000
Box office: $1 million