Dirigible commander Jack Braden and Navy pilot 'Frisky' Pierce fight over the glory associated with a successful expedition to the South Pole and the love of beautiful Helen, Frisky's wife. After Braden's dirigible expedition fails, Frisky tries an expedition by plane. Unfortunately he crashes and strands his party at the South Pole. Braden must decide between a risky rescue attempt by dirigible and remaining safely at home with Helen.
Practical Effects
Real Navy airships! Actual Antarctic footage!
Direction
Capra wrangling massive scale on Columbia's dime
Acting
Jack Holt's mustache carries this film
Director
Frank Capra
Jack Holt
Jack Bradon
Ralph Graves
'Frisky' Pierce
Fay Wray
Helen Pierce
Hobart Bosworth
Louis Rondelle
Roscoe Karns
Sock McGuire
Harold Goodwin
Hansen
Clarence Muse
Clarence
Emmett Corrigan
Rear Adm. John S. Martin
Bess Flowers
Party Guest (uncredited)
George 'Gabby' Hayes
Parade Official (uncredited)
Richard Alexander
Radio Operator (uncredited)
Edward Hearn
Admiral's Aide (uncredited)
Selmer Jackson
Lt. Rowland (uncredited)
Eddie Kane
Lakehurst Radio Announcer (uncredited)
Kenneth MacDonald
Lt. Fogarty (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Columbia built a full-scale dirigible mockup and used real U.S. Navy airship footage—this was their attempt to compete with MGM's massive budgets.
Capra later disowned this as a 'programmer,' but it's fascinating watching him practice his later themes—community sacrifice, institutional corruption, ordinary heroes—within a studio-mandated spectacle.
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