| The Pilots | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Russian:Лётчики | |
| Directed by |
|
| Written by | Aleksandr Macheret |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Leonid Kosmatov |
| Music by | Nikolai Kryukov |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Mosfilm |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 80 min. |
| Country | Soviet Union |
| Language | Russian |
Lyotchiki (Russian:Лётчики,romanized: Lyotchiki: ) (akaMen on Wings andThe Pilots) is a 1935Soviet romanticdrama film directed byYuli Raizman and Grigori Levkoyev.[1]Maxim Gorky called him among the best Soviet filmmakers of that time.[2]
School Commander Nikolai Rogachyov (Boris Shchukin) and famous aerobatic pilot, is in charge of a civilian flying school in Russia. Pilot Sergei Belyaev (Ivan Koval-Samborsky), showing recklessness trying to emulate the test pilotValery Chkalov), crashes the aircraft assigned to him.
Student flight school Galya Bystrova (Yevgenia Melnikova), who likes Belyaev, unfortunately, seeks to imitate him in the air. Commander Rogachyov falls for young student pilot Gayla, but their difference in age prevents him from declaring his love.
Rogachyov teaches that discipline in the air is necessary to survive as a pilot. Finally, that message begins to make sense to Sergei and Gayla.
Principal photography forLyotchiki took place in 1935 on the outskirts ofVoronezh, on the airfield (now Holzunov Street in the Northern residential area).[4][N 1]
Under the title,The Pilots,Lyotchiki was released worldwide, while in the United States, it was re-titledMen on Wings. Aviation film historian James H, Farmer inCelluloid Wings: The Impact of Movies on Aviation (1984) described the film's "poor production values."[5] Aviation film historian Stephen Pendo inAviation in the Cinema (1985) had a similar opinion, noting, "unexciting flying scenes."[6]
in theSoviet films of the time,Lyotchiki was considered a classic.[7]