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''The Lost Squadron'' is a 1932 American Pre-Code action film starring Richard Dix, Mary Astor, and Robert Armstrong, with Erich von Stroheim and Joel McCrea in supporting roles, and released by RKO Radio Pictures. The film is about three World War I pilots who find jobs after the war as Hollywood stunt fliers. The much-later ''The Great Waldo Pepper'' (1975) employed a similar theme.〔Evans 2000, p. 87.〕 ''The Lost Squadron'' was the first RKO production to carry the screen credit "Executive Producer, David O. Selznick". ==Plot== Captain "Gibby" Gibson (Richard Dix) and his close friend "Red" (Joel McCrea) spend the last hours of World War I in the air, shooting down more of the enemy. They then return to America with fellow pilot and comrade "Woody" Curwood (Robert Armstrong) and their mechanic Fritz (Hugh Herbert) to an uncertain future. Gibby finds his ambitious actress girlfriend Follette Marsh (Mary Astor) with a new boyfriend, one who can do more for her career. Good-natured braggart Red decides not to take back his old job, as it would mean the firing of a married man with a new baby. They and Fritz eventually hop a freight train for Hollywood to look for work in the lean times. At a movie premiere, they spot a prosperous Woody, who is working as a stunt flier. He offers them well-paying jobs working for dictatorial director Arthur von Furst (Eric von Stroheim). Gibby is reluctant, as Follette is now married to von Furst, but finally gives in. Woody introduces his two comrades-in-arms to his sister, "the Pest" (Dorothy Jordan). She worries constantly about him, as von Furst utilizes dangerously worn-out aircraft and Woody drinks a lot. Both Gibby and Red are attracted to her. Gibby misinterprets her concern for him when he barely survives a crash (caused by parts of his aircraft falling off) as love. When Red impulsively asks the Pest to marry him, she agrees, and Gibby accepts the situation with grace. Meanwhile, von Furst is aware that his wife still has strong feelings for Gibby. He sabotages the aircraft Gibby is to fly for a dangerous stunt, secretly applying acid to a control wire, not only out of jealousy, but also to add to the realism of his film with a real crash. However, unbeknownst to him, Woody decides to do the stunt in Gibby's place. Red sees von Furst tampering with the wires and alerts Gibby. Gibby takes off in another aircraft and catches up to Woody, but cannot make himself understood over the roar of their engines. The cable breaks, and Woody crashes and is killed. Red takes von Furst captive at gunpoint, determined to apply vigilante justice. Gibby and Fritz find out. Gibby starts to telephone the police to report a murder over Red's objections. While they are arguing, von Furst tries to escape, and is shot and killed by Red. When police detective Jettick (Ralph Ince) shows up in answer to Gibby's interrupted call, the men hide the body. Sensing something wrong, Jettick insists on searching for von Furst. When he leaves, Gibby loads the corpse into an aircraft and takes off. He then deliberately crashes, killing himself and taking the blame for the crime. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア(Wikipedia)』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Lost Squadron」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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