OVERLAY REPORT

The plot of the 1930 film *Hell's Angels* is set in motion by a series of character-driven incidents at Oxford University and a scandalous romantic entanglement in Germany, all occurring just as World War I begins. The specific actions that start the plot include: ### 1. The Scandal in Munich and the Mistaken Identity Duel Before the war officially breaks out, the brothers—**Roy Rutledge** (the dutiful, serious brother) and **Monte Rutledge** (the reckless, womanizing brother)—are students at Oxford. The plot's first major catalyst occurs when Monte travels to Munich and has an affair with the wife of a German officer. * **The Action:** The officer catches Monte in his wife's arms and challenges him to a duel the following morning. * **The Consequence:** Showing his cowardly nature, Monte flees the scene. When the officer arrives for the duel, he mistakes Roy for Monte. To protect his brother's reputation and family honor, Roy does not correct the mistake and proceeds with the duel. Roy is shot in the arm, an injury that establishes the stark contrast between his self-sacrifice and Monte's selfishness. ### 2. The Outbreak of World War I The declaration of war serves as the external catalyst that forces the characters out of their academic lives and into conflict. * **The Action:** Upon the start of the war, the brothers enlist in the **British Royal Flying Corps (RFC)**. * **The Motivations:** Their reasons for enlisting further drive the plot: Roy enlists out of a sense of patriotic duty and honor. Monte, however, is initially reluctant and only enlists after being enticed by a girl who mocks him or promises a kiss (sources vary slightly on the specific flirtation, but his motive is consistently shown as superficial rather than heroic). ### 3. The Enlistment of Karl Armstedt A crucial subplot that sets up the emotional stakes of the first act involves their close friend and fellow Oxford student, **Karl Armstedt**. * **The Action:** As a German national, Karl is forced to return home to join the German military (the Luftstreitkräfte). * **The Consequence:** This creates a "brother against brother" dynamic before the aerial combat even begins. Karl’s loyalty to his English friends later leads to a pivotal scene where, as a bombardier on a Zeppelin raid over London, he intentionally drops his bombs into a lake to avoid killing civilians, leading to his tragic death at the hands of his own commander. ### 4. The Introduction of Helen (The Love Triangle) Early in the film, the introduction of **Helen** (Jean Harlow) initiates the romantic conflict. * **The Action:** Roy is deeply in love with Helen, whom he views as an idealized, demure "angel." * **The Subversion:** Behind Roy’s back, Helen pursues and seduces Monte (famously asking if he would be "shocked" if she "put on something more comfortable"). This betrayal creates the internal tension between the brothers that persists throughout the war sequences, culminating in Roy’s eventual discovery of her true nature.