1930 original "Dawn Patrol" on Youtube

[Gregvan]

The original 1930 version of “Dawn Patrol” was just posted on Youtube in its entirety:

The poster says it’s “refurbished”, but it looks just like my DVD copy which I bought years ago.

If you haven’t seen this original version, directed by Howard Hawks, it’s certainly worth a look. Instead of Flynn, Niven and Rathbone, you’ve got Richard Barthelmess, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., and Neil Hamilton in those roles. The acting may seem a bit stilted at times, and Barthelmess/Fairbanks don’t have as much chemistry and flair as Flynn/Niven, but it’s still great. If Neil Hamilton looks familiar, he would play Commissioner Gordon in the “Batman” TV series 36 years later!

The 1938 version was virtually a shot-for-shot remake, and all of the flying scenes, the airfield strafe, the final bombing raid by Courtney, were all simply lifted from the 1930 original. Thus, "von Richter" is exactly the same in each version. Only the close-ups of Flynn and Niven in the cockpits and some of the British airfield scenes were shot new, with refurbished Nieuport 28’s and Thomas-Morse Scouts.

If you look closely at the 1930 version, most of the close-ups of Barthelmess (Courtney) and Scott (Fairbanks) were actually filmed with a Sopwith Snipe. This Snipe doesn’t appear anywhere else that I can see, and of course it was not used in the 1938 remake. Flynn and Niven only appear “in” Nieuports or Tommies.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Gregvan

The original 1930 version of “Dawn Patrol” was just posted on Youtube in its entirety:

The poster says it’s “refurbished”, but it....

Just had a look. Both 1930 and 1938 versions available. Quiet eveing with a cuppa tea tonight.