L'Aviateur (1931)

Based on the stage comedy The Hottentot (filmed under that title in 1928), L'Aviateur is the French-language version of the 1930 Hollywood production The Aviator. The original film starred Edward Everett Horton as Robin Street, the author of a book on aviation who's forced to pose as a pilot, even though he's terrified of heights. Taking over in Horton's role is Douglas Fairbanks Jr., who speaks French like a native, even though comedically he isn't quite in Horton's league. The slapstick-comedy plane race finale is lifted almost verbatim from The Aviator, with newly filmed close-ups of Fairbanks. Director Jean Daumery does an able job matching the style and pace of Aviator helmsman Roy Del Ruth. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi