Chain Lightning (1950)

Too much of everything

i must have seen a different film!!

Admirable film.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

I must say right up front that Humphrey Bogart is my favorite film actor of all time.That said, Chain Lightning won't be remembered as one of his best. In "Chain Lightning," Bogart is a World War H bomber pilot hired as a test-pilot who, after the death of his designer friend (Richard Whorf), successfully tries out a newly designed ejection cockpit...His fans may be able to suspend all disbelief and take some interest in Bogey testing jet planes and romancing the company secretary. Even so, Chain Lightning gives us the great Bogart one more time.Conclusion - This is not the best Humphrey Bogart movie ever. But that's like saying the sun isn't shining as well as it should. If you love Bogart, you will love this film!

Dull, and Bogart's Age Doesn't Help. He is Miscast and Shows Few Signs of doing Anything more than Going Through the Motions here. It's an Awkward attempt at Introducing Jet Aircraft and the Aviation Problems/Advantages the "New" Planes Presented.The Aircraft seen seem like Comic Book Versions, as do the Flight Sequences. Bogart's Flight Suits are certainly Comical and He looks Hilarious and Appears to be Elsewhere in most of His Scenes.The Cast all Seem to be Clueless Ranting and Raving about This and That. Flight Limitations, Records are Made to be Broken Speeches, and the Romantic elements are Hard to Take in this bit of Clunky Cinema.For Those that Think that The Return of Dr. X (1939) is Bogart's Worst Movie, Check this one out Before You Cast Your Vote. Nothing much Works in this Misfire.

From 1950, "Chain Lightning" stars Humphrey Bogart, Eleanor Parker, Raymond Massey, Richard Whorf, and James Brown. Brown played Lt. Rip Masters on Rin Tin Tin and I believe was my first crush.This is one of those films Bogart probably made to fulfill his contract obligations with Warners, the other one being "The Two Mrs. Carrolls," a scream of a film in which he's really terrible. He's so rarely bad, and he's certainly not bad in this.Bogart plays Matt Brennan, a pilot, and in the beginning, he's testing a plane. His girlfriend Joan (Eleanor Parker) rushes up and begs her boss (Raymond Massey) to order him down, as she's afraid for him.The story then goes into flashback, with Matt and Joan during World War II. He was a bomber pilot, in love with Joan. He flew hazardous missions from England to Germany, while Joan is a nurse. He leaves for the states first - they want to get married, but he is unable to find anyone who can give him permission.Once back in the states, after bouncing around for a bit, Matt is hired as a test pilot by Leland Willis (Raymond Massey) an aircraft manufacturer.There, he re-connects with Carl Troxell (Whorf) who is now dating Joan, Willis' secretary. Apparently after he left England, Matt never contacted Joan, even though he wrote letters that he never sent. He felt the life that he could offer her wasn't good enough.Matt takes the new jet JA-4 on a hazardous flight, and that brings us back to the first scene.This is a pretty ordinary film, with Parker looking beautiful and Bogart acting tough - kind of Rick Blaine as a pilot. I will take issue with what one person on this board said, that Massey was playing Howard Hughes and doing a bad job. If the studio had wanted someone to play Howard Hughes, they would have hired someone else and named the character Howard Hughes. Massey was playing a Howard Hughes type, and he was fine.The aviation part of this film was ahead of its time for sure. The rest of it was not special. I've always loved Bogart's acting, and even though he's probably going through the motions here, I'd rather watch him go through the motions than almost anyone. Eleanor Parker, another favorite of mine, gives a lovely performance and is absolutely beautiful.

Humphrey Bogart sometimes must have been desperate for proper roles and earning his meal ticket, how could we otherwise explain he fills roles like this one ? Decidedly overaged for the physical stress he is exposed to in his bomber- and test pilot roles as well as for the chase for the much to young Red Cross Nurse he is wooing, he moves in really thin air literally in this role. We know he can make it, but it is a real thin layer of substance over this heroic vs. business conflict designing new jet planes. Only for the died-in-the-wool Bogey Fans.