Film vs Film
Select two cult films to compare side by side.
The Sky Raider Synopsis
A mechanic with the French Air Force, Vanesse sabotages the plane of Capt. Charles Nungesser, France's Flying Fiend, by placing Paul Willard's flying insignia in Nungesser's intake manifold. Paul is accused of the deed and sentenced to 20 years in a military prison. Six years later, the Willards, a wealthy American family, arrive in France, searching for Paul, who had run away to war. They interview Vanesse, who informs them that Paul died like a hero in the war. The Willards then meet Nungesser, who falls in love with Lucille, Paul's sister, and makes a silent resolution to arrange for Paul's pardon. This he does, and then goes to the United States to find Vanesse and to discover the truth about Paul's case. Nungesser discovers that Vanesse is planning to rob the air mail; with Paul's help, he captures Vanesse and recovers the loot. Vanesse dies from the effects of a plane crash; Paul is cleared of all guilt and marries his former sweetheart, Marie, with Nungesser and Lucille are swept to the heights on the wings of happiness.
Desert Gold Synopsis
Hunting the desert for his daughter, Jonas Warren finds the man who took her away, who then produces a marriage certificate to pacify Warren's anger. After the husband finds a gold mine and uses the certificate to mark it, they die in a sandstorm. Later, Dick Gale, an Easterner in search of adventure, rescues his friend Captain George Thorne and the captain's sweetheart Mercedes Castenada from Mexican bandit Rojas. Dick takes Mercedes to Jim Belding's ranch, where Dick falls in love with Belding's adopted daughter Nell. When Rojas arrives with a band of outlaws, Dick and the ranch cowboys escort Mercedes to the mountains, led by Dick's Yaqui Indian friend. After the Yaqui throws Rojas off a cliff and locates a water source for the ranch, he shows Nell the gold mine. The marriage certificate of her parents proves that the mine is hers. Since she now knows she is not illegitimate, she can marry Dick.
"The Sky Raider" holds a slight edge in general audience appreciation, but "Desert Gold" offers its own unique cult appeal.
Suggested Watch:
The Sky Raider