The Tarnished Angels (1957)

Set against the thrilling backdrop of 1930's air show circuit, The Tarnished Angels unfolds the gripping saga of the Flying Schumanns, a family living precariously on the edge of danger and destitution. Once a celebrated Great War fighter pilot, Roger Schumann now soars through the skies, performing death-defying stunts while his audacious parachutist wife, LaVerne, and their nine-year-old son, Jack, watch from below, their lives hanging in the balance as much as Roger's. Their only source of sustenance is the prize money from these airborne spectacles, their existence reduced to the nomadic lives of stunt performers. In the midst of their latest daredevil act at the Delta Field Air Show in New Orleans, they cross paths with Burke Devlin, a reporter from New Orleans Picayune. Intrigued by the Schumanns' turbulent lives and the complex dynamics brewing between Roger, LaVerne, and their mechanic Jiggs, Burke offers them a haven in his small apartment and decides to pen a story about their unconventional lives. However, as Burke delves deeper into this complex narrative, he finds himself drawn towards the stunning LaVerne, and repulsed by the harsh reality of Roger's fallen glory. The entrance of businessman Matt Ord brings another layer of complication, further straining the already fragile equilibrium of the Schumanns' life. As the plot twists and turns, Burke is compelled to question the nature of his duty as a reporter, navigating the blurred lines between objective storytelling and personal involvement. The Tarnished Angels is a potent exploration of ambition, survival, and the human spirit, set amidst the roaring engines and spiraling smoke trails of the air show circuit. It captures the stark contrast between the glamour of flight and the gritty reality on the ground, painting a vivid picture of a family's struggle to stay airborne in the face of adversity.

The Tarnished Angels is a drama movie featuring Bess Flowers.

The Tarnished Angels is currently streaming on DIRECTV and TCM.