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Sky Bandits (1940 film)

February 21, 2024

Sky Bandits, also known as Renfrew of the Royal Mounted in Sky Bandits, is a 1940 American action film directed by Ralph Staub and released by Monogram Pictures, starring James Newill, Louise Stanley, Dewey Robinson and William Pawley.[1] The film is a remake of the film Ghost Patrol (1936) with a musical/action formula, similar to the format of the "singing cowboy" films of the era.[2]

Sky Bandits
Film poster
Directed byRalph Staub
Written byEdward Halperin (screenplay)
Based onRenfrew Rides the Sky (novel)
by Laurie York Erskine
Produced byPhil Goldstone
Starring
CinematographyMack Stengler
Edited byMartin G. Cohn
Music by
Production
company
Criterion Pictures Corp.
Distributed byMonogram Pictures
Release date
  • July 7, 1940 (1940-07-07)
Running time
62 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Plot edit

Sergeant Renfrew (James Newill) of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Constable Kelly (Dave O'Brien) fly in search of a missing aircraft flown by Buzz Murphy (Eddie Featherston). Murphy was carrying a shipment of gold from the Yukon Mine Company. Local radio announcer Uncle Dimwittie (Dewey Robinson), has bugged the mine office, and is secretly transmitting information about gold shipments, in the guise of reading children's stories on the air.

The messages are picked up by a gang led by a crook named Morgan (William Pawley). They have forced Professor Lewis (Joe De Stefani) to work on a powerful ray gun invented by a scientist named Speavy (Dwight Frye). The radio beam the weapon sends out disables aircraft engines. Speavy is worried that his invention is being used by the crooks, and tries to warn Renfrew, but the scientist is killed by Morgan.

Madeleine (Louise Stanley), the daughter of Professor Lewis, tries to help Renfrew who finds a laboratory that Morgan is operating but it is destroyed. When no one on the force believes he has discovered the secret of the lost aircraft, Renfrew volunteers to fly the next gold shipment. Madeleine stows away on board the aircraft Renfrew is piloting. Morgan and his gang are also in the air, and while the professor can bring down Renfrew with the ray gun, but he turns it, instead on Morgan's aircraft. Constable Kelly then rides to Morgan's hideout and, with the professor's help, arrests the rest of the gang.

Cast edit

Production edit

Sky Bandits was the last of eight films to feature James Newill in the role of Sergeant Douglas Renfrew. The fictional character appeared in print in 1921 and would spawn a series of ten novels. Phil Goldstone of Criterion Pictures produced the film, released theatrically in April 1940, and would later be re-released for additional box office by Monogram Studios. Some of the scenes were filmed on location at Big Bear Lake, California, standing in for the Yukon. Sky Bandits was not the last time James Newill and Dave O'Brien would work together. Two years later they signed with Alexander Stern Productions for a series of Westerns known as the Texas Rangers, released through PRC Studios. In 1951, this movie would be edited into a 25-minute television episode for a weekly Renfrew of the Mounted series, with James Newill reprising his role for newly-filmed opening and closing.[3]

Soundtrack edit

  • James Newill - "Mounted Men" (Written by Betty Laidlaw and Robert Lively)
  • James Newill - "Lady in the Clouds" (Written by Betty Laidlaw and Robert Lively)
  • James Newill - "Alley-Oop" (Written by Betty Laidlaw and Robert Lively)

Reception edit

Sky Bandits was not reviewed in trade sources.[4]

See also edit

References edit

Notes edit

Citations edit

  1. ^ Farmer 1984, p. 323.
  2. ^ ""Movie connections for Sky Bandits." IMDb. Retrieved: December 28, 2011.
  3. ^ Grams, Martin. Renfrew of the Mounted: A History of Laurie York Erskine's Canadian Mountie Franchise, OTR Publishing, 2020. ISBN 979-8699041442.
  4. ^ "Notes: Sky Bandits (1940)." Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved: November 2, 2014.

Bibliography edit

  • Farmer, James H. Celluloid Wings: The Impact of Movies on Aviation. Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania: Tab Books Inc., 1984. ISBN 978-0-83062-374-7.

External links edit

February 21, 2024
bandits, 1940, film, bandits, also, known, renfrew, royal, mounted, bandits, 1940, american, action, film, directed, ralph, staub, released, monogram, pictures, starring, james, newill, louise, stanley, dewey, robinson, william, pawley, film, remake, film, gho. Sky Bandits also known as Renfrew of the Royal Mounted in Sky Bandits is a 1940 American action film directed by Ralph Staub and released by Monogram Pictures starring James Newill Louise Stanley Dewey Robinson and William Pawley 1 The film is a remake of the film Ghost Patrol 1936 with a musical action formula similar to the format of the singing cowboy films of the era 2 Sky BanditsFilm posterDirected byRalph StaubWritten byEdward Halperin screenplay Based onRenfrew Rides the Sky novel by Laurie York ErskineProduced byPhil GoldstoneStarringJames Newill Louise Stanley Dewey Robinson William PawleyCinematographyMack StenglerEdited byMartin G CohnMusic byBetty Laidlaw Robert Lively Lew Porter Johnny LangeProductioncompanyCriterion Pictures Corp Distributed byMonogram PicturesRelease dateJuly 7 1940 1940 07 07 Running time62 minutesCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishContents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Production 4 Soundtrack 5 Reception 6 See also 7 References 7 1 Notes 7 2 Citations 7 3 Bibliography 8 External linksPlot editSergeant Renfrew James Newill of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Constable Kelly Dave O Brien fly in search of a missing aircraft flown by Buzz Murphy Eddie Featherston Murphy was carrying a shipment of gold from the Yukon Mine Company Local radio announcer Uncle Dimwittie Dewey Robinson has bugged the mine office and is secretly transmitting information about gold shipments in the guise of reading children s stories on the air The messages are picked up by a gang led by a crook named Morgan William Pawley They have forced Professor Lewis Joe De Stefani to work on a powerful ray gun invented by a scientist named Speavy Dwight Frye The radio beam the weapon sends out disables aircraft engines Speavy is worried that his invention is being used by the crooks and tries to warn Renfrew but the scientist is killed by Morgan Madeleine Louise Stanley the daughter of Professor Lewis tries to help Renfrew who finds a laboratory that Morgan is operating but it is destroyed When no one on the force believes he has discovered the secret of the lost aircraft Renfrew volunteers to fly the next gold shipment Madeleine stows away on board the aircraft Renfrew is piloting Morgan and his gang are also in the air and while the professor can bring down Renfrew with the ray gun but he turns it instead on Morgan s aircraft Constable Kelly then rides to Morgan s hideout and with the professor s help arrests the rest of the gang Cast editJames Newill as Sgt Renfrew Louise Stanley as Madeleine Lewis Dewey Robinson as Uncle Dinwiddie William Pawley as Morgan Joe De Stefani as Professor Burton Lewis Jim Farley as Inspector Warner RCMP Dave O Brien as Constable Kelly Karl Hackett as Hawthorne Ted Adams as Henchman Gary Dwight Frye as Speavy Jack Clifford as Whispering Smith Bob Terry as Henchman Hutchins Kenne Duncan as Henchman Brownie Eddie Featherston as Pilot Buzz MurphyProduction editSky Bandits was the last of eight films to feature James Newill in the role of Sergeant Douglas Renfrew The fictional character appeared in print in 1921 and would spawn a series of ten novels Phil Goldstone of Criterion Pictures produced the film released theatrically in April 1940 and would later be re released for additional box office by Monogram Studios Some of the scenes were filmed on location at Big Bear Lake California standing in for the Yukon Sky Bandits was not the last time James Newill and Dave O Brien would work together Two years later they signed with Alexander Stern Productions for a series of Westerns known as the Texas Rangers released through PRC Studios In 1951 this movie would be edited into a 25 minute television episode for a weekly Renfrew of the Mounted series with James Newill reprising his role for newly filmed opening and closing 3 Soundtrack editJames Newill Mounted Men Written by Betty Laidlaw and Robert Lively James Newill Lady in the Clouds Written by Betty Laidlaw and Robert Lively James Newill Alley Oop Written by Betty Laidlaw and Robert Lively Reception editSky Bandits was not reviewed in trade sources 4 See also editRenfrew of the Royal Mounted 1937 film On the Great White Trail 1938 film Fighting Mad 1939 Yukon Flight 1940 film References editNotes edit Citations edit Farmer 1984 p 323 Movie connections for Sky Bandits IMDb Retrieved December 28 2011 Grams Martin Renfrew of the Mounted A History of Laurie York Erskine s Canadian Mountie Franchise OTR Publishing 2020 ISBN 979 8699041442 Notes Sky Bandits 1940 Turner Classic Movies Retrieved November 2 2014 Bibliography edit Farmer James H Celluloid Wings The Impact of Movies on Aviation Blue Ridge Summit Pennsylvania Tab Books Inc 1984 ISBN 978 0 83062 374 7 External links editSky Bandits at the TCM Movie Database Sky Bandits at IMDb nbsp Sky Bandits is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sky Bandits 1940 film amp oldid 1192620632, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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