Wings of Chance

[1][Note 1] Two Canadian bush pilots, Steve Kirby (James Brown) and Johnny Summers (Richard Tretter), are best friends and partners in a small flying business.When Steve goes to the mountain lodge where Arlene works, a jealous Johnny flies there, and against air regulations, lands on a nearby lake, attracting the attention of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.Canadian producer Larry Matanski had been aware of the scenic beauty of Alberta's national parks as the setting for River of No Return (1954), starring Robert Mitchum and Marilyn Monroe.In adapting the 1957 short story "Kirby's Gander" by John Patrick Gillese (later renamed "Wings of Chance") that was set in the Alberta bush, he thought he would be able to attract interest from a Hollywood production company.Later analysis by film reviewer Dr. Evelyn Ellerman was less kind: "'Wings of Chance' features touristic aerial views of the Canadian Rockies, it is nothing more than a feel-good animal story for a family audience.
A de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver bush plane was prominently featured in Wings of Chance .
Eddie DewMark HomerScreenplayJohn Patrick GilleseJames BrownFrances RaffertyWalter HannemannUniversal-Internationalactiondrama filmHollywoodbush pilotsRoyal Canadian Mounted Policeair forcede Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaverbush planeAlbertaRiver of No ReturnRobert MitchumMarilyn MonroeUniversal PicturesWesterntelevision seriesThe Adventures of Rin Tin TinList of American films of 1961Captains of the CloudsThe New York TimesTCM Movie Database