The Aviator (2004)

"For some men, the sky was the limit. For him, it was just the beginning."

Directed by Martin Scorsese
Produced by Michael Mann, Sandy Climan, Graham King, Charles Evans, Jr.
Screenplay by John Logan
Based on "Howard Hughes: The Secret Life" by Charles Higham
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale, John C. Reilly, Alec Baldwin, Alan Alda, Ian Holm, Danny Huston, Gwen Stefani, Jude Law
Music by Howard Shore
Cinematography: Robert Richardson
Edited by Thelma Schoonmaker
Production companies: Forward Pass, Appian Way, Miramax Films, Intermedia, Initial Entertainment Group, Cappa Productions
Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
Release date: 25 December 2004 (Canada)
Running time: 170 minutes
Country: United States
Budget: $110 million
Box office: $213.7 million

"The Aviator" is a biographical drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and based on the non-fiction book "Howard Hughes: The Secret Life" by Charles Higham. The story is about the life of Howard Hughes, an aviation pioneer and director of Hell's Angels, which is depicting the early years of his career, from the late 1920s to the mid-1940s.

Cast

• Leonardo DiCaprio as Howard Hughes
• Cate Blanchett as Katharine Hepburn
• John C. Reilly as Noah Dietrich
• Kate Beckinsale as Ava Gardner
• Alec Baldwin as Juan Trippe
• Alan Alda as Senator Owen Brewster
• Ian Holm as Professor Fitz
• Danny Huston as Jack Frye
• Gwen Stefani as Jean Harlow
• Jude Law as Errol Flynn
• Willem Dafoe as Roland Sweet
• Adam Scott as Johnny Meyer
• Matt Ross as Glenn "Odie" Odekirk
• Kevin O'Rourke as Spencer Tracy
• Kelli Garner as Faith Domergue
• Frances Conroy as Katharine Houghton
• Brent Spiner as Robert E. Gross
• Stanley DeSantis as Louis B. Mayer
• Edward Herrmann as Joseph Breen
• J. C. MacKenzie as Ludlow Ogden Smith
• Josie Maran as Thelma the Cigarette Girl

"The Avator" is one of the best Martin Scorsese's film, in my opinion. An incredible plot, an excellent screenplay, wonderful acting, bewitching music, the splendid atmosphere of my love, Jazz Age - that's the perfection for me. 

Everyone can say that Leonardo DiCaprio is a very talented actor, probably except the Oscar's commission. His Howard turned so thought-out that makes possible to believe in reality of Hughes suffering from OCD. Moreover, signs and symptoms of obsessive–compulsive disorder are shown quite plausible in spite the fact that its presence of Howard haven't been proven. Cate Blanchett is so amazing that I can see in her play Katharine Hepburn.

Broken glass is the most important detail of the picture as it shows how hard DiCaprio's character fractures.

Advantages

• Leonardo DiCaprio as Howard Hughes
• Cate Blanchett as Katharine Hepburn
• Kate Beckinsale as Ava Gardner
• Alec Baldwin as Juan Trippe
• The atmosphere

Disadvantages

• A little too slow moving

"Strangenesses"

• Howard is ill or not?

Clue Moments

• Going mad
• The crash

According to Wiki, Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. (1905 – 1976) was an American business tycoon, investor, aviator, aerospace engineer, inventor, filmmaker and philanthropist. During his lifetime, he was one of the wealthiest people in the world. As a maverick film tycoon, Hughes gained prominence in Hollywood from the late 1920s, making big-budget and often controversial films like The Racket (1928), Hell's Angels (1930), Scarface (1932), and The Outlaw (1943).

Subsequently, he formed the Hughes Aircraft Company and hired numerous engineers and designers. He spent the rest of the 1930s setting multiple world air speed records, built the Hughes H-1 Racer and H-4 "Hercules" (better known to history as the "Spruce Goose" aircraft), and acquired and expanded Trans World Airlines, which later merged with American Airlines. He was included in the Flying magazine list of the 51 Heroes of Aviation, ranking at No. 25. Hughes is also remembered for his eccentric behavior and reclusive lifestyle in later life, caused in part by a worsening obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and chronic pain.

Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts that produce uneasiness, apprehension, fear or worry (obsessions), repetitive behaviors aimed at reducing the associated anxiety (compulsions), or a combination of such obsessions and compulsions. Symptoms of the disorder include excessive washing or cleaning, repeated checking, extreme hoarding, preoccupation with sexual, violent or religious thoughts, relationship-related obsessions, aversion to particular numbers and nervous rituals such as opening and closing a door a certain number of times before entering or leaving a room. These symptoms are time-consuming, might result in loss of relationships with others, and often cause severe emotional and financial distress. The acts of those who have OCD may appear paranoid and potentially psychotic. However, people with OCD generally recognize their obsessions and compulsions as irrational and may become further distressed by this realization. Despite the irrational behaviour, OCD is associated with above-average intelligence.

Soundtracks

1. Howard Shore - Icarus
2. Howard Shore - There Is No Great Genius Without Some Form Of Madness
3. Howard Shore - Muirfield
4. Howard Shore - H-1 Racer Plane
5. Howard Shore - Quarantine
6. Howard Shore - Hollywood 1927
7. Howard Shore - The Mighty Hercules
8. Howard Shore - Howard Robard Hughes, Jr.
9. Howard Shore - America's Aviation Hero
10. Howard Shore - 7000 Romaine
11. Howard Shore - The Germ Free Zone
12. Howard Shore - Screening Room
13. Howard Shore - Long Beach Harbour 1947
14. Howard Shore - The Way Of The Future

Quotations

* * *

Howard Hughes: The way of the future...

* * *

Katharine Hepburn: Men can't be friends with women, Howard. They must posses them or leave them be. It's a primitive urge from caveman days. It's all in Darwin. Hunt the flesh. Kill the flesh. Eat the flesh. That's the, ah, male sex all over.

* * *

Howard Hughes: Does that look clean to you?
Ava Gardner: Nothing's clean, Howard. But we do our best, right?

* * *

Howard Hughes: I want ten chocolate chip cookies. Medium chips. None too close to the outside.

* * *

Howard Hughes: You don't care about money because you've always had it.

* * *

Howard Hughes: Come in with the milk. Come in with the milk. Come in with the milk.

* * *

Katharine Hepburn: What's that on the steering wheel?
Howard Hughes: Cellophane. If you had any idea of the crap that people carry around on their hands.
Katharine Hepburn: What kind of crap?
Howard Hughes: You don't wanna know.

* * *

Doctor: [after detailing Hughes's terrible injuries in the plane crash] He's getting blood transfusions now, but, uh...
Noah Dietrich: Whose blood?
Doctor: I'm sorry?
Noah Dietrich: Whose blood?
Doctor: From our stock.
Noah Dietrich: Oh, he's not gonna like that.
Doctor: Mr. Dietrich... I doubt he's ever gonna like or dislike anything again. I'm terribly sorry.

* * *

Jack Frye: So you want me to bribe senators?
Howard Hughes: I don't want them bribed, Jack. I want it done legally. I want them bought.

* * *

Mrs. Hepburn: We don't care about money here.
Howard Hughes: That's because you have it.

* * *

Howard Hughes: Find me some clouds!

* * *

Howard Hughes: Do you know those men? Do they work for me?
Noah Dietrich: Everybody works for you, Howard.

* * *

Howard Hughes: [Attempting a take-off of the Spruce Goose] Power coming up!
Glenn Odekirk: Power coming up!
[Howard pushes on the throttles]
James McNamara: [On the radio] Howard Hughes has just alerted us. Asked everyone to hold on. Tremendous horsepower kicking up.
Howard Hughes: [Continuing to push on the throttles] Let me hear it, Odie!
Glenn Odekirk: 25 miles per hour! 30!
James McNamara: Here we go. Here we go...
Glenn Odekirk: 35!
James McNamara: ...The airspeed indicator has moved up to 25... 30... 35...
Glenn Odekirk: 40!
James McNamara: ...As he pushes the throttle, that's 40...
Glenn Odekirk: 45!
James McNamara: ...45. More throttle. That's 45...
Glenn Odekirk: 50!
James McNamara: ...50. It's 50 over a choppy sea...
Glenn Odekirk: 55!
James McNamara: ...55. That's 55...
Glenn Odekirk: 60!
James McNamara: ...More throttle, that's 60...
Glenn Odekirk: 65!
James McNamara: ...65!
Glenn Odekirk: 70!
James McNamara: ...That's 70...
Glenn Odekirk: 75!
James McNamara: ...75!
[Howard finishes pushing the throttles forward, the plane suddenly stops shaking as it takes off. There's a pause before everyone on the plane starts applauding]
James McNamara: And something momentarily cuts out, I believe we are airborne. We are airborne, ladies and gentlemen. I don't believe Howard Hughes meant this to be, I don't know. And we were up in the air. We were clearly up in the air.
James McNamara: Ladies and gentlemen, the Hughes mammoth aircraft has flown this afternoon in Los Angeles harbor. And it will personally look, at this moment, that Howard Hughes will be around in the United States for some time to come.

* * *

James McNamara: Well, it certainly looks at this moment that Howard Hughes will be around the United States for quite some time to come.

* * *

You may see the trailer here.

Plot: 8/10

Entertainment: 8/10

Acting: 9/10

Originality: 9/10

Music and Sound: 8/10

8/10