Movie Review: High Road to China

[Scott Rose]

Tom Selleck and a very beautiful Bess Armstrong star in this aviation tale. Tom was a pilot in WWI. He now has a pair of Jenny biplanes that he uses different ways. He's also sufffering from alcoholism related to PTSD from the war. Bess plays an heiress who has to find her daddy to rescue her inheritance. So, after offering a reluctant Tom a large sum of money, they set off across continents to the heart of China to find daddy. When they get there, they find daddy is helping defend a village from a local warlord. Daddy suddenly realizes the value of air superiority. The movie never lags and is interesting start to end. I give it four and a half stars out of five.

Last edited by Scott Rose on Sun Nov 04, 2018 1:16 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: +poll

[Simon Beck]

Terrible film! Aviation scenes though do have some merit.

[shrike]

I wouldn't call it terrible.
Shallow, yes, but very pretty and fun to watch as long as you don't expect a lot. Rather like Bess Armstrong's character, really.

[Simon Beck]

Good point

After Tom Selleck's much publicized failure to keep the role of Indiana Jones, its interesting to note he played similar roles in much lesser
"adventure" films for many years afterward and High Road to China was one of these.

[shrike]

Good point

After Tom Selleck's much publicized failure to keep the role of Indiana Jones, its interesting to note he played similar roles in much lesser
"adventure" films for many years afterward and High Road to China was one of these.

High Road to China was one, Lassiter was another. A lush, beautiful heist movie that, provided you can overlook Lauren Hutton's execrable German, rewards an eye for tiny details. You also get Jane Seymour nekid.

[Scott Rose]

Terrible film! Aviation scenes though do have some merit.

I agree Simon.

[JohnB]

I can't believe no one has mentioned the aircraft used!

Despite what the script may call them, they're not Curtiss Jennys...
They're French Stampes....which are several years too new for the story.
(A bit like the Boeing 75 Stearmans subbing for 1920s mail planes in the so-so" The Aviator...where Yugoslavia subs for Idaho.

[bdk]

Tom Selleck and a very beautiful Bess Armstrong star in this aviation tale. Tom was a pilot in WWI. He now has a pair of Jenny biplanes that he uses different ways.

I believe the full-size replica Bristol F2Bs with the inverted Ranger engines were built for this film but not used. Some are under restoration to airworthy now in NZ.

[ErrolC]

Tom Selleck and a very beautiful Bess Armstrong star in this aviation tale. Tom was a pilot in WWI. He now has a pair of Jenny biplanes that he uses different ways.

I believe the full-size replica Bristol F2Bs with the inverted Ranger engines were built for this film but not used. Some are under restoration to airworthy now in NZ.

One now sold to Australia, one being returned to flight (not really restored) for a syndicate at Omaka, and the one for NZ Warbirds was being weighed prior to CoB and certification today.