Q Planes (1939)
1939 · Feature film · 78 min · dir. Tim Whelan
DRAMA OF THE WAR ON SPIES!
- Comedy
- Science Fiction
- spy film
Synopsis
In England, an eccentric police inspector, an earnest test pilot and a spunky female reporter team up to solve the mystery of a series of test aircraft which have disappeared without a trace while over the ocean on their maiden flights; unaware, as they are, that a spy ring has been shooting the planes down with a ray machine hidden aboard a salvage vessel which is on hand to haul the downed aircraft aboard, crews and all.
Synopsis from TMDb
Details
- Director
- Tim Whelan
- Writer
- Arthur Wimperis
- Cinematography
- Harry Stradling Sr.
- Studio
- Irving Asher Productions
- Released
- 1939-02-21
- Running time
- 78 minutes
Cast & crew
Tim Whelan Director
Leslie Bradley
John Longden
George Merritt
Valerie Hobson
John Laurie
Ralph Richardson- George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston
Pat Aherne
Reviews on the Internet Archive
★★★★★ · Hilarious · krishna kumar menon · 2011-02-03
Where has this rare gem been hiding for so long? This stiff upper lip screwball comedy is par-excellence. Ralph Richardson is hilarious in his role of a bumbling idiotic yet intelligent detective. The plot of aircraft secrets from Britain being stolen by a foreign power(with a noticeable German accent so that the viewer has no doubts on the nationality) serves as a perfect vehicle to exploit the comedy script for great entertainment. Ralph Richardson's repeated excuses to his girlfriend(ex that is ) tickles the funny bone. Valerie Hobson is great as the newspaper woman always looking for a…
★★★★★ · Richardson and Olivier together · DailySteve · 2011-12-10
Great movie, Olivier and Richardson are two of Britain's greatest. British stiff-upper-lip and comedy go together so well. As for the reviewer who complained of immodesty, I don't think the Amish would find it too immodest. If the level of passion in this movie is too much for you I suggest you don't watch movies at all - for your own good, of course.
★★★★★ · I thought the movie was too modest. · Kodachrome · 2011-12-12
No nudity, no vile language, no blood. Despite this, I found the play to be delightfully light and entertaining.
★★★★★ · Q Planes · bcourson · 2010-08-14
Great old movie, you can tell a lot of James Bond ideas came from this movie.
★★★★ · A terrific film, despite Larry Olivier! · Son of Rusty Shackleford · 2021-05-23
I always enjoy watching this film now and then to delight in (Sir) Ralph Richardson's performance and his wordplay with the gorgeous Valerie Hobson and his gentleman's gentleman. I've been told this film was a template for The Avengers TV series two decades later and can well believe it. It's too bad (Sir) Laurence Olivier is the "star" of this film, as his arrogant snarling hurts the first third of the movie, especially in his scenes with Hobson, and the "action" sequence in the last 15 minutes of this film starring Larry and a machine gun overpowering a ship with enough bad guys to man the…
★★★★ · Pre James Bond? · accalaurie49 · 2010-06-19
Enjoyable espionage story, not too serious, well acted by leads and supporting actors, good dialogues. Some of the sci-fi-like toys and the way the planes use to disappear remind me of James Bond movies.
