Don't Make a Scene: -Only Angels Have Wings

The Story: Writer-director Howard Hawks called it "three-corner dialog." People don't come out and get to the point when they talk. They don't talk about their feelings and say what's on their mind "like in the movies" (where film-time is expensive and can't be wasted). No, they dance around it, looking for openings where they can bring things up, talk nonsense until the subject can come up and even then not directly.

So, in -Only Angels Have Wings, Bonnie Lee (Jean Arthur) doesn't say "I made a fool of myself and feel bad about it." She says "Mister, can you kick real hard?" She doesn't say "I feel sad that that pilot died and I feel responsible for it," she starts talking about how she's always thought funerals are useless, but now that the same sentiment is thrown at her, she feels like a fool. People aren't consistent and when confronted with new situations we become flummoxed and our instincts countermand previously held-thought. Gut-punches do that. They turn blow-hards into weaklings.

The fact is, we're all hypocrites about something even if the worst thing you think you can be is a hypocrite.

 

F. Scott Fitzgerald said "The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function."

 

Like if you love flying but still know "there's not much future in it." You're playing the odds (unless you're like "Kid" Dabb and flip a two-headed coin). "There's not much future in it." But, you can say that about life, too. We get some future, but it seems like never enough. And as sure as you're living, you're gonna die. Some day. Not today, maybe. Tomorrow's another day—another victory.

 

And these pilots keep doing what they do, even if they know what goes up, must come down. They love it, even if it might not love them back. 

 

And here's the funny thing about Bonnie, the hope about Bonnie—she may wonder at the pilots who love flying even with its risks "like being in love with a buzzsaw." But, she'll still go back in—without a net—and face the guy who just gave her a dressing-down. Even with the benefit of "Kid" Dabb's warning ("he's a good guy for gals to stay away from"). Because, like the pilots, that's what you do.

The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/f-scott-fitzgerald-quotes

The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/f-scott-fitzgerald-quotes

The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/f-scott-fitzgerald-quotes

 

You go back in and face the buzz-saw. Even if "there's not much future in it."

 

Because that's what you do. Every day you're alive.

But, no one comes right out and says it.

 

The Set-Up: Bonnie Lee (Jean Arthur) just got off the boat in the squalid little South American town Barranca near the Andes. She's got a bit of a lay-over so she lets herself be treated by a couple of brash pilots (Noah Beery Jr., Allyn Joslyn) into a date of sorts. But, one of them had to take a flight flying mail and he didn't make it back. He took too many chances trying to get back to his "date." This weighs on Bonnie as it does everybody else at the airport watering hole, but the pilots don't get all weepy about it, they get on with their lives. "Who's Joe?" Bonnie protests and makes a scene and the head of the air service Geoff Carter (Cary Grant) marches her out and reads her the riot act before she causes any real damage. She's consigned to the outside to take the air. And maybe get some perspective (Victor Kilian, Thomas Mitchell).

 

Action!

EXT. CAFE - NIGHT

LONG SHOT

Bonnie on porch walks towards camera from Carter in doorway.

He turns and exits into cafe.

Bonnie sits on the porch as Radio Operator enters - 

walks down steps to her - crowd in b.g.

SPARKY: Was that you they were razzing in there? 

SPARKY: Well, don't feel too bad about it. 

SPARKY: I did the same thing when I first come out here. 

MED. LONG SHOT

Sparky standing by Bonnie seated on porch, his back to CAMERA left f.g.

BONNIE LEE: Say, Mister, 

BONNIE LEE: ...can you kick real hard?- 

SPARKY: Maybe you won't need it.

MED. CLOSE SHOT

Bonnie seated on porch

BONNIE LEE: I think I'd feel better. 

BONNIE LEE: All my life, I've hated funerals. The fuss and bother never brings anybody back. It just spoils remembering them as they really are. 

BONNIE LEE: When I see people actually facing it that way, I have to act like a sap. 

BONNIE LEE: This flying business is new to me.

MED. SHOT SPARKY

SPARKY:  You have to have some crazy way of looking at it to go on.

MED. LONG SHOT

Bonnie seated - back of Sparky left f.g. - people in cafe b.g.

BONNIE LEE: Does this sort of thing happen often? 

SPARKY: That depends on weather and luck. We've drawn spades twice in the last three months, 

SPARKY: ...not counting this one. 

BONNIE LEE: I suppose they'll be at it again tomorrow. 

SPARKY: Tonight if it clears. - 

BONNIE LEE: They must love it, flying, I mean. - 

SPARKY: Why do you think they come down to this kind of a place?

MED. CLOSE SHOT

Bonnie seated

BONNIE LEE: It's like being in love with a buzz saw. 

MED. SHOT SPARKY

SPARKY: Not much future in it. 

MED. LONG SHOT

Sparky seated on steps by Bonnie seated

BONNIE LEE: What is there about it that gets them?

Kid enter from cafe door and walks to them.

SPARKY: I'm not a flier, myself. 

SPARKY: You better ask the Kid. 

SPARKY: Miss Lee, Mr. Dabb. 

BONNIE LEE: How do you do?

SPARKY: She wants to know why you like flying.

MED. CLOSE SHOT KID

"KID" DABB: I been in it 22 years, Miss Lee. 

"KID" DABB: I couldn't give you an answer that would make sense. 

MED. CLOSE SHOT

Bonnie seated  

DABB: What's so funny about that? - 

BONNIE LEE: That's what my dad used to say. - 

DABB: Flier? 

BONNIE LEE: No, trapeze. High stuff. He wouldn't use a net.

MED. SHOT SPARKY

SPARKY: Not much future in that, either. 

MED. SHOT

Bonnie seated - starts to rise

BONNIE LEE: Yes. 

BONNIE LEE: We found that out. 

LONG SHOT

Kid standing by Bonnie and Sparky seated - she rises, turning back to CAMERA

BONNIE LEE: Tell me about this headman, this Geoff. 

BONNIE LEE: Does he go up, too? 

DABB: Only when he thinks it's too tough for anyone else. 

BONNIE LEE: Well, 

BONNIE LEE: ...just goes to show you how wrong you can be. 

MED. SHOT SPARKY

seated

SPARKY: The Kid could tell ya. He's Geoff's best friend.

MED. SHOT KID AND BONNIE

DABB: The only thing I can tell you about him, he's a good guy for gals to stay away from. 

BONNIE LEE: (patting his arm) Thank you. 

BONNIE LEE: I'll remember that.

Bonnie starts to exit through door b.g. 

as Kid turns back to camera, watching her.

-Only Angels Have Wings

Words by Howard Hawks and Jules Furthman

Pictures by Joseph Walker and Howard Hawks

-Only Angels Have Wings is available on DVD from Sony Home Video.

Today's scene starts at about 2:00 into this clip. 

The preceding scene gives context. The following scene gives resolve.