“Up in the Air” (1940) starring Frankie Darro & Mantan Moreland / Z-View

Up in the Air (1940)

Director: Howard Bretherton

Screenplay: Edmond Kelso

Stars: Frankie Darro, Mantan Moreland, Tristram Coffin, Dick Elliott, John Holland and Carleton Young

Tagline: Murder in a radio station…while the public listens!

The Plot…

Frankie Ryan (Darro) is a radio station page.  Jeff Jefferson (Moreland) is a janitor at the same station.  They dream of becoming a comedy team.  Their antics have almost gotten them fired more than once.  When one of the radio’s singers is murdered at the station, Frankie and Jeff hope to solve the crime before the cops.  What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Mantan Moreland was the reason I decided to check out Up in the Air.  Mantan is good, the movie less so.

Up in the Air is a low-budget production that clocks in at just 62 minutes.  If you’re a Mantan Moreland fan, then it’s worth a view.  Even so, be advised that there’s a scene where Darro and Moreland do a comedy bit with Darro in blackface. Darro and Moreland made several films together.  I plan to check out as many as possible.

Up in the Air earns 2 of 5 stars.