Copyright 1 February 1935 by Paramount Pictures, Inc. New York opening at the Paramount: 1 February 1935. Australian release: 8 May 1935. Sydney opening at the Prince Edward: 4 May 1935 (ran 2 weeks). 8 reels. 75 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Ken Gordon is a flier attempting to perfect instruments for safe flying in the dark or fog. Sheila Mason, barnstorming sky-writing stunter, managed by Nick Williams, falls in love with him. Her affection is coldly received. At the moment when triumph for his devices seems just ahead, Gordon is blinded by a gas explosion. Gordon, who has retired to the country accompanied only by his faithful mechanic, Mac, gets a seeing-eye dog to lead him around. Trying to be a writer, but only getting rejection slips, he never knows that the checks he cashes are the result of Sheila's taking any kind of a breakneck job that manager Williams can conceive. COMMENT: Attractive photography by William Mellor on the ground and Dewey Wrigley in the air; but otherwise this is a somewhat less than routine suds opera, pedestrianly directed by James Flood. Admittedly, the script is no help. It's one of those turns in which the characters stand around and talk a lot, but actually say nothing of real interest at all.The movie starts off quite promisingly too. The director gives the opening scenes extra liveliness by using a large number of camera set-ups, employing angles that are very smoothly edited. The players are not unattractive either. This first teaming of Loy and Grant (later to pair in such box-office winners as The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer and Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House) has considerable curiosity value.Alas, once the Grant character goes blind, the soap opera takes over, leading direction, performances - and audience interest - right down into a deep, dark decline.

Wings in the Dark (1935) *** (out of 4) Ken Gordon (Cary Grant) is a pilot who is trying to use technology so that other pilots will be able to fly blind. He meets stunt pilot Sheila Mason (Myrna Loy) but soon afterwards Ken is blinded in an accident. He soon hits depression but he believes now that he's really blind he can prove his technology.WINGS IN THE DARK isn't a masterpiece or even a classic Hollywood picture but it's certainly an entertaining if rather routine drama that features two great stars and enough entertainment to make it worth watching. The film isn't one that was made to be an "A" picture but as far as a "B" film goes there's no doubt that it's very much worth watching.There are a lot of cliché things in the picture even for 1935 standards. For starters, the entire story is rather predictable and especially in the way that it plays out. I'm not going to ruin the ending but you'll see it coming from a mile away and what happens at the very end was silly enough to where you'd have to right to boo it. Yes, the closing moments are really that bad! I'd also argue that the romance in the film really doesn't work either.With that said, there are some terrific moments with the stunt sequences. The aerial flying sequences are extremely good and if you enjoy Hollywood films with real stunts then you'll certainly enjoy what's on display here. I'd also argue that both Grant and Loy were very good in their roles. Loy got the top-billing since Grant wasn't yet a star but it's his performance that steals the picture. I wouldn't say he gave one of the greatest performances by an actor playing someone who is blind but I thought the actor did a really good job in the scenes where his character acts out his frustration.WINGS IN THE DARK will certainly appeal to fans of the two stars and they're both good enough to make it worth watching.

A rather preposterous melodrama on the surface, WINGS IN THE DARK manages to retain a surprising amount of credibility due to solid direction and convincing performances. The far-fetched storyline of a recently blinded pilot Ken Gordon (Cary Grant) relying on newly-created aviation software to guide fellow pilot and girlfriend Sheila Mason (Myrna Loy) through deadly fog is brimming full with gaping plot holes and ham-fisted dialogue, which typically spell serious trouble for most productions. However, the film is salvaged, and even made thoroughly enjoyable, by the compelling, believable performances of Loy and Grant and director James Flood's brisk direction, which moves the picture along at a steady rate and helps to minimize much of the script's potential schmaltz. The combined efforts of Loy, Grant, and Flood make an entertaining and sometimes compelling little aviation drama out of what could have been a total disaster, which is quite an amazing feat on each individual's part!

Fans of Grant are in for a treat in this lovely movie about finding love among the skies. Grant is joined by Myrna Loy as a flier who finds love with him, although they first have to overcome a series of terrible events that threaten the two. There are some beautiful scenes between the two leads and a sense of genuine emotion on the screen before you. This is only one of three times that Grant and Loy acted together but is one of their best onscreen efforts. It took me a long time to hunt out this movie but it was well worth it and I'd heartily recommend it to anyone.