Night Flight (1933)

Night Flight (also known as Dark to Dawn) is a 1933 American Pre-Code aviation drama film produced by David O. Selznick and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and directed by Clarence Brown. The film stars Lionel Barrymore, John Barrymore, Clark Gable and Helen Hayes.

It is based on the 1931 novel of the same name which won the Prix Femina the same year, by French writer and pioneering aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Based on Saint-Exupéry's personal experiences while flying on South American mail routes, Night Flight recreates a 24-hour period of the operations of the fictional airline, Trans-Andean European Air Mail.

In 1942, Night Flight was withdrawn from circulation as a result of a dispute between MGM and Saint Exupéry. Its public re-release had to wait until 2011, when legal obstacles were overcome.

Synopsis

In South America, the daunting mountains and dangerous weather have hampered the operations of Trans-Andean European Air Mail, a 1930s-era airline. Charged with delivering a serum to stem an outbreak of infantile paralysis in Rio de Janeiro, Auguste Pellerin (Robert Montgomery) conquers his fears, but is reprimanded by the airline's stern director, A. Riviére (John Barrymore) for coming in late.

Actors