Year of Release: 2004
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale, John C. Reilly, Adam Baldwin, Alan Alda, Ian Holm, Danny Huston, Gwen Stefani, Jude Law, Adam Scott, Matt Ross, Kelli Garner, Frances Conroy, Brent Spinner, Edward Herrmann, Willem Dafoe, Kenneth Welsh, Josie Maran, J.C. MacKenzie
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review
The story of Howard Hughes is a magnet for storytellers and actors wanting to showcase their ability to play larger than life characters, particularly ones that marry glamour with obsessive compulsive and self destructive behaviors. Howard Hughes is well known for his role in the world of aviation, but also in the movie industry, since he was a film producer and director, responsible for the launch of certain movie star careers, namely Jane Russell. The film's narrative focuses on the life of Howard Hughes around the time of the release of "The Jazz Singer" (which became known for being the first "talkie"), when Hughes was in his early 20s. He decides to direct his film "Hell's Angels" with more realism, increasing the level of danger of the production. At the same time he delegates the operational aspect of his business empire to Noah Dietrich, one of his trustworthy team members. Already displaying some concerning behaviors regarding his OCD, Hughes starts a romantic entanglement with the charismatic Katherine Hepburn, herself a well known star in Hollywood. In parallel with his focus in the entertainment industry, Howard continues to be very involved in the aeronautics world, particularly with his desire to break speed (and world) records, which he eventually does by flying around the world in 4 days. His involvement in the airline TWA creates a seething rivalry with the chairman of Pan Am. While his workaholism eventually alienates Katherine Hepburn, who moves on to another relationship, his affection for her never dissipates, even if he has flings with other women, including Ava Gardner. His involvement with aviation increases in the 1940s, when he gets contracts with the Army Air Forces. While doing a test flight, he suffers a serious crash, from which he eventually recovers, but subsequently heightens his OCD which progressively leads to his isolation. Old rivalries resurface which forces him to present himself for Senate hearings.
"The Aviator" was originally a project to be directed by Michael Mann, who in the meantime went on to direct "Collateral" which also premiered in 2004. Martin Scorsese was coming off from his first collaboration with Leonardo DiCaprio in "Gangs of New York", which was a long shoot, and had its fair share of issues during the post-production and release due to the involvement of producer Harvey Weinstein. "The Aviator" is in a way a glossy love letter from Martin Scorsese to classic Hollywood and the movie making industry, something he has always loved, even if the industry itself is a backdrop for a tale of a character who is lost to his own demons, fears, and ultimately insecurities. The film has an interesting duality of reconciling the more outwardly and larger than life aspects of Howard Hughes' life (his directorial endeavors, his record breaking feats in aviation), with his more intimate aspects, which includes his approach to personal/romantic relationships, and also how his mental acumen, his OCD, eventually took over his life, preventing him from being able to fully function in life. Because it's a period piece, and one that takes place in Hollywood, it may seem that the glossiness topples the character study which is what the core of this film is all about. The ghosts, the fears pursuing Howard Hughes are probably not given as much prominence as they should, but Martin Scorsese is able to demonstrate how at the time these issues isolated someone who was always fearless, driven, and charismatic. The film could have benefited of giving some of the supporting characters a bit more dimension, as they risk being empty puppets mimicking previously existing individuals, including Errol Flynn, Katherine Hepburn, and Ava Gardner, though thanks to the talented cast they never fall into being a collection of tics and recognizable catchphrases. The cast of the film is impeccable, starting with Leonardo DiCaprio who creates one of his most indelible performances here, channeling his intensity to a character that is simultaneously ebullient, but also self-imploding, with great support from Cate Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale, Alan Alda, Alec Baldwin, Jude Law, Adam Scott, John C. Reilly, and Matt Ross. The production team is peerless, including the score from Howard Shore, cinematography from Robert Richardson, costumes from Sandy Powell, and production design from Dante Ferretti. A solid and entertaining film from a wonderful storyteller.
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