Air Patrol

This has a bit of an air of the documentary to it as we follow the investigations of the LAPD as they try to track down the thieves of a valuable paining by 19th century French artist Fragonard. Now although we don't know who has done the deed, we know right from the start how this audacious crime was committed and so are, for a while, one step ahead of "Sgt. Castle" (Robert Dix) as he uses his new airborne sleuthing skills to work with "Lt. Taylor" (Willard Parker) to track down the picture before it's smuggled out of the country. The detective elements of the drama are quite dry, as is the acting and the writing - this is really just a sort of public information film that demonstrates to the audience (and to the criminal fraternity) that there is a new dynamic to policing and that makes tailing and surveillance much simpler. It passes an hour effortlessly enough, but it won't challenge your own grey cells in the least and I doubt you'll remember it for long afterwards, either.