The Flying Fleet (1929) is basically the original Top Gun

If you have any interest in old planes or just want to see Ramon Novarro looking impossibly handsome in a uniform, you should probably watch this today. It is a slow burn, for sure, so if you hate silent movies where people stare intensely at each other for ten seconds too long, you will definitely hate this. ✈️

I went into this thinking it would be a dry documentary-style thing about the Navy. Instead, it’s more like a buddy movie that eventually turns into a survival drama.

The movie starts at Annapolis, and you get these shots of the grads that feel very staged but also kind of sweet. It’s that old-school sincerity that you don't really see anymore.

Ramon Novarro plays Tommy, and he has this smile that feels like it could light up a whole hangar. He’s the heart of the movie, even when the plot gets a little thin.

His best friend is Steve, played by Ralph Graves. They have that classic movie friendship where they punch each other on the arm to show they care.

They both head to Pensacola for flight training. This part of the movie is actually interesting because you’re seeing real 1920s flight tech.

The planes look like they are made of toothpicks and hope. I kept thinking about how brave (or crazy) those pilots had to be back then.

There is a lot of footage of planes taking off and landing. Like, a lot of it.

Sometimes the movie feels like a recruitment film, which it probably was. But the aerial photography is so good it doesn't matter.

You can see the wind whipping the pilots' faces. It’s not a green screen, and you can really tell the difference. 🌬️

Anita Page shows up as the love interest, Anita. She is great at looking conflicted, which is good because the two leads spend the whole movie fighting over her.

The romance is the weakest part, honestly. It feels like it’s just there because movies are supposed to have a girl in them.

I found myself more interested in the "Sea Hawks" flight team. They do these formations that are genuinely impressive for 1929.

There is a scene where they are flying in a tight triangle and you can see how close the wings are. My heart actually skipped a beat during one of the turns.

The movie takes a sharp turn when they try to fly from California to Honolulu. This was a big deal back then, like going to the moon.

Things go wrong, obviously. The movie gets much better once the characters are in actual danger.

There’s a crash in the ocean that feels surprisingly bleak. The silence of the film actually makes the isolation feel heavier.

Tommy and Steve end up stuck on the wreckage of their plane. The way they interact when they think they’re going to die is the best acting in the whole thing.

I noticed one weird thing: the makeup on the guys is very heavy. In some shots, they have more eyeliner than Anita Page does.

It’s just a quirk of the era, I guess. It makes the close-ups feel a bit like a doll’s house, but you get used to it after twenty minutes.

The pacing is a bit clunky in the middle. It feels like they had all this great plane footage and didn't want to cut any of it out, even if it didn't move the story forward.

If you’ve seen something like The Iron Mule, you know how these late 20s films can sometimes struggle with balance. They were still figuring out how to tell long stories without it feeling like a series of clips.

I also kept thinking about Duck Inn while watching the beach scenes. Something about the way the water looks on old film stock is just so texture-heavy and nice.

The ending is a bit predictable. You know exactly who is going to get the girl and who is going to be the hero.

But there’s a comfort in that. It’s a movie that knows exactly what it wants to be: a tribute to the guys in the sky.

I liked the supporting cast, too. Roscoe Karns provides some comedy relief that actually works, mostly because he has a very funny face.

There’s a bit with a radio that goes on too long, but it’s a small complaint. 📻

Is it a masterpiece? Probably not. It’s a bit too much like an advertisement for the Navy at times.

But as a piece of history, it’s fascinating. Those planes are the real stars, even if Novarro’s teeth are a close second.

I’d recommend it for a rainy afternoon when you want to turn your brain off but still see something beautiful. Just don't expect a fast-paced action movie.

It’s more of a vibe movie. A very high-altitude, windy, slightly dramatic vibe. 🌊

One more thing—the intertitles are actually pretty well written. They don't over-explain things, which I appreciate.

Sometimes they just let the actors' faces do the talking. Which is how it should be.

Anyway, I’m glad I watched it. It’s better than half the CGI-heavy stuff we get now because you know those guys were actually up there in those rickety planes.