I have written a few times before that I am a big fan of old time Classic movies and movie directors. I have also written here about a few of my personal favourites among the good old clips.
However, there was a movie I had inconspicuously missed, and today I happened to watch it. Well, maybe in retrospect it isn't really an "old" time classic, that is arguable at least. But it definitely is a classic, and it's plot certainly is built around an old time icon.
Directed by Martin Scorcese, the movie I refer to is none other than...
THE AVIATOR (2004)
The plot surrounds the late American business man and investor, Howard Hughes. Played by Leonardo Di Caprio, the movie begins with a young Howard being dressed up by his mother. She teaches him how to spell the word quarantine, and warns him about what the cholera outbreak can do to them. This then provides the background for Howard's Obsessive Compulsory Disorder (OCD) that permeates through the entire movie.
We are then taken through Howard's desire to revolutionize both the movie industry, and the aviation sector. His daring moves, his women, and his whimsical decisions which paid off superbly and made him even richer.
The movie then proceeds to his battle with a competitor (Pan Am Airlines), who with ties in the government, wanted to secure monopoly over international flights from The USA. Amidst all of these, Howard's love life is brought up in bits and pieces, with emphasis placed on the variance in his different relationships with the women in his life.
The movie climaxes with Howard flying the largest ever aircraft - The Hercules - which he had originally been contracted to build for the Airforce, but which had been cancelled.
But enough of the spoilers already. If you haven't watched this near three hour classic from Martin Scorcese, then you ought to. Trust me, it will have you opening google pages, and reading up the personal histories of the characters portrayed. It is also a movie that has a way of motivating you, either for good, or for worse. Who knows?
And did I mention... Howard Hughes directed the old time classic, Hell's Angels, and was also involved in the production of Scarface. Now why wouldn't you want to see a biopic about such a man?
Trust me, you will not regret it.
Thanks for stopping by. Cheers!
