Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines Review

1965 moving picture by Ken Annakin

Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines; Or, How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours and xi Minutes
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Ken Annakin
Written by	Ken Annakin Jack Davies
Produced by	Stan Margulies
Starring	Stuart Whitman Sarah Miles Terry-Thomas Robert Morley James Fox
Cinematography	Christopher Challis
Edited by	Gordon Rock Anne 5. Coates
Music by	Ron Goodwin
Production visitor	Twentieth Century-Fox Productions Ltd[i]
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release date	16 June 1965 (1965-06-sixteen)
Running time	138 minutes
Countries	United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland Italian republic United states of america Germany French republic
Languages	English Italian German French
Upkeep	$six.five million[2]
Box office	$31 million[iii]

Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines; Or, How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours and eleven Minutes is a 1965 period epic comedy film featuring an international ensemble bandage including Stuart Whitman, Sarah Miles, Robert Morley, Terry-Thomas, James Trick, Red Skelton, Benny Hill, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Gert Fröbe and Alberto Sordi. The film, revolving around the craze of early aviation, was directed and co-written by Ken Annakin, with a musical score past Ron Goodwin.

Based on a screenplay entitled Flying Crazy, the fictional account is set up in 1910, when English press magnate Lord Rawnsley offers £10,000 (equivalent to £1,040,000 in 2020^[4]) to the winner of the Daily Postal service air race from London to Paris to prove that Britain is "number one in the air".^[five]

Plot [edit]

Prologue [edit]

A brief narration outlines human being's first attempts to fly since the Rock Historic period inspired past a bird's flying, seen with footage from the silent film era, and man beingness represented by a "test pilot" (Red Skelton) encountering periodic misfortune in his attempts.

Story [edit]

In 1910, just seven years afterward the kickoff heavier-than-air flying, shipping are fragile and unreliable contraptions, piloted by "intrepid birdmen". Pompous British paper magnate Lord Rawnsley (Robert Morley) forbids his would-be aviatrix daughter, ardent suffragette Patricia (Sarah Miles), to fly. Aviator Richard Mays (James Trick), a immature regular army officeholder and (at least in his own eyes) Patricia's fiancé, conceives the thought of an air race from London to Paris to advance the cause of British aviation and his career. With Patricia's support, he persuades Lord Rawnsley to sponsor the race as a publicity stunt for his paper.

Rawnsley, who takes full credit for the thought, announces the result to the printing. Invitations and newspaper advertising leave worldwide, and dozens of participants go far in England with their aircraft. The aircraft are housed and maintained in the hangars at the airfield on the "Brookley" Motor Racing Rail, where the fliers make practice runs in the days prior to the race. During this time, a wildly mixed international assembly of aviators begins rubbing shoulders with each other, almost of them befitting to national stereotypes: The by-the-book, monocle-wearing Prussian officeholder Colonel Manfred von Holstein (Gert Fröbe), who becomes the victim of Frenchman Pierre Dubois' (Jean-Pierre Cassel) various pranks; the impetuous Italian Count Emilio Ponticelli (Alberto Sordi), who buys various aircraft from designer Harry Popperwell (Tony Hancock) and wrecks them in test flights; the unscrupulous British baronet Sir Percy Ware-Armitage (Terry-Thomas), aided by his bullied servant, Courtney (Eric Sykes); and the rugged American cowboy Orvil Newton (Stuart Whitman) who falls for Patricia, forming a love triangle with her and Mays.

As the teams exam and improve their aircraft in the days before the race, Newton gets caught in the rigging of Sir Percy'due south airplane, which crashes in the nearby sewage farm. Newton later stops the German's aircraft after its tail breaks off and runs out of control. This leads to Patricia falling for him fifty-fifty more and Mays to become more jealous. At a celebration in Brighton, Mays confronts Newton, sparking a trigger-happy rivalry between them for Patricia'south hand, just before Nippon'southward official contestant, naval officer Yamamoto, arrives at the airfield.

As Yamamoto is officially greeted, Patricia finally convinces Newton to take her flying and they race back to the airfield, followed by Mays and her father, who are intent on stopping them. Non long afterwards taking off, one of the struts on Newton'due south plane breaks, and Patricia has to wing the aeroplane while Newton repairs information technology with his belt. When Newton lands, Lord Rawnsley throws him out of the race. Patricia apologizes to Newton, and Rawnsley gives in afterward Patricia threatens to start an international incident. Meanwhile, Holstein, insulted by the French squad's mockery, challenges Dubois to a duel. Dubois agrees, and opts for gas balloons and blunderbusses equally his weapons of choice. Both balloons and their pilots end upward in the filthy waters of the sewage farm.

At the political party the night earlier the race, Sir Percy gain to demolition Yamamoto and Newton's planes, and Rumpelstoss, the designated German airplane pilot, is incapacitated by a laxative meant for Yamamoto. Equally the competitors have off the next day (with Holstein standing in for Rumpelstoss, using the plane's education manual), Yamamoto's shipping crashes while Newton loses a wheel, although Mays is able to alert him. Fuel blockages and other technical mishaps additionally hamper the fliers, until well-nigh of them safely arrive at Dover, their checkpoint before the terminal flight beyond the English Aqueduct.

That night, Sir Percy cheats by having his aircraft taken across by boat, but is delayed by excited locals when he arrives. Well-nigh other contestants, including Holstein, end up crash-landing in the Aqueduct. Sir Percy gets his comeuppance when he becomes disoriented past the smoke from the locomotive of a passenger train between Calais and Paris, forcing him to state his shipping on one of the cars. As he runs along the top trying to get the commuter'south attention, the train passes through a tunnel, destroying his aircraft's wings.

Coming into Paris, Ponticelli's plane catches fire, and Newton slows down to rescue him as Mays is landing, winning for Uk. Mays recognises Newton'southward heroism and insists on sharing the glory and the prize with the penniless American, while Ponticelli agrees to give up flight for his family. The but other successful aviator is Dubois, completing his race for France after stopping for more fuel.

Patricia chooses Newton in the final scene, breaking the love triangle. Their final kiss is interrupted by a foreign noise: they and the others at the field expect upwards to see a flyover by half-dozen English Electric Lightning jet fighters, as the time period leaps forward to the "present" (1965).

Epilogue [edit]

Outlined are the still-persisting hazards of modern flying despite today's advanced engineering science, equally a night-fourth dimension civilian flight across the English Channel is cancelled owing to heavy fog. One of the delayed passengers (Skelton) gets the idea of learning to wing under his own ability, perpetuating man's pioneering spirit.

Cast [edit]

• Stuart Whitman as Orvil Newton^{[Note 1]}
• Sarah Miles as Patricia Rawnsley
• James Fox equally Richard Mays
• Alberto Sordi as Count Emilio Ponticelli
• Robert Morley as Lord Rawnsley
• Gert Fröbe every bit Colonel Manfred von Holstein
• Jean-Pierre Cassel as Pierre Dubois
• Irina Demick as Brigitte/Ingrid/Marlene/Françoise/Yvette/Betty^{[Note ii]}
• Red Skelton as Neanderthal Man, Roman birdman, Middle Ages inventor, Victorian-era pilot, Rocket pack inventor, Modern airline rider
• Terry-Thomas every bit Sir Percy Ware-Armitage
• Eric Sykes every bit Courtney
• Benny Hill as Burn Chief Perkins
• Yūjirō Ishihara as Yamamoto (vocalism dubbed past James Villiers)^[eight]
• Dame Flora Robson as Mother Superior
• Karl Michael Vogler as Captain Rumpelstoss
• Sam Wanamaker as George Gruber
• Tony Hancock equally Harry Popperwell (Aircraft Designer)
• Eric Barker as French Postman
• Maurice Denham as Trawler Skipper
• Fred Emney every bit Colonel
• Gordon Jackson equally MacDougal
• Davy Kaye as Jean, Primary mechanic for Pierre Dubois
• John Le Mesurier as French Painter
• Jeremy Lloyd as Lieutenant Parsons
• Zena Marshall every bit Countess Sophia Ponticelli
• Millicent Martin as Air Hostess
• Eric Pohlmann as Italian Mayor
• Marjorie Rhodes equally Waitress
• Norman Rossington equally Assistant Burn Master
• Willie Rushton equally Tremayne Gascoyne
• Graham Stark equally Fireman
• Jimmy Thompson as Photographer
• Michael Trubshawe equally Niven, Lord Rawnsley'southward aide^{[Notation 3]}
• Cicely Courtneidge every bit Colonel'southward Wife
• Ronnie Stevens as Reporter
• Ferdy Mayne equally French Official
• Vernon Dobtcheff every bit French Squad Member

Production [edit]

Origins [edit]

Manager Ken Annakin had been interested in aviation from his early on years when pioneering aviator, Sir Alan Cobham took him up in a flight in a biplane. Later in the 2d World War, Annakin had served in the RAF when he had begun his career in picture show documentaries. In 1963, with co-writer Jack Davies, Annakin had been working on an run a risk flick nearly transatlantic flights when the producer's bankruptcy aborted the production. Fresh from his part every bit managing director of the British exterior segments in The Longest 24-hour interval (1962), Annakin suggested an event from early aviation to Darryl F. Zanuck, his producer on The Longest Twenty-four hour period.^{[vi] [Note 4]}

Zanuck financed an epic faithful to the era, with a £100,000 stake, deciding on the name, Those Magnificent Men in their Flight Machines after Elmo Williams, managing director of 20th Century Play tricks in Europe, told him his wife Lorraine Williams had written an opening for a song that Annakin complained would "seal the fate of the moving picture":

Those magnificent men in their flight machines,
They get up, Tiddley up, upwardly,
They go downward, Tiddley downwards, down.^[10]

After being put to music by Ron Goodwin, the "Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines" song was released as a single in 1965 on the Stateside label (SS 422), together with an accompanying soundtrack album (SL 10136).^[11]

An international cast plays the array of contestants with the pic opening with a brief, comic prologue on the history of flight, narrated by James Robertson Justice and featuring American comedian Reddish Skelton.^[12] In a serial of silent blackout vignettes that comprise stock footage of unsuccessful attempts at early on aircraft, Skelton depicted a recurring character whose adventures span the centuries. The early aviation history sequence that begins the motion picture is followed past a whimsical animated opening credit sequence drawn past caricaturist Ronald Searle, accompanied by the championship vocal.^[13]

Those Magnificent Men in their Flight Machines ... concludes with an epilogue in a fogbound 1960s London airport when cancellation of flights to Paris is appear. The narrator remarks that today a jet makes the trip in 7 minutes, just "information technology can take longer". One frustrated passenger (Skelton, over again) starts wing-flapping motions with his artillery, and the scene morphs into the animation from the title sequence for the closing credits. This was Skelton's last feature film appearance; he was in Europe filming the 1964–65 flavor of his tv set serial, The Crimson Skelton Prove.^[13]

One of the features of the moving-picture show was British and international character actors who enlivened the foibles of each contestant's nationality. The entertainment comes from the dialogue and characterisations and the aerial stunts, with heroism and gentlemanly conduct. British comedy actors of the day, Benny Hill, Eric Sykes, Terry-Thomas and Tony Hancock, among others, provided madcap misadventures.^[14] While Terry-Thomas had a substantial leading part as a "bounder", Hill, Sykes and Hancock played lesser cameos.^[15] Although Hancock had broken his leg off-set, 2 days into filming, Annakin wrote his infirmity into the story, and his leg bound in a cast figured in a number of scenes.^[9]

In a recurring gag suggested by Zanuck, Irina Demick plays a series of flirts who are all pursued by the French pilot. First, she is Brigitte (French), then Ingrid (Swedish), Marlene (German), Françoise (Belgian), Yvette (Bulgarian), and finally, Betty (British).^[13]

Some other attribute was the fluid writing and directing with Annakin and Davies feeding off each other. They had worked together on Very Of import Person (1961), The Fast Lady (1962) and Crooks Bearding (1962). Annakin and Davies connected to develop the script with zany interpretations. When the German language graphic symbol played past Gert Fröbe contemplates piloting his state's entry, he climbs into the cockpit and retrieves a manual. Annakin and Davies devised a quip on the spot, having him read out: "No. i. Sit down."^[16] Although a comedy, elements of Annakin'southward documentary background were evident with accurate sets, props and costumes. More than than 2,000 extras out in authentic costumes were in the climactic race launch which was combined with entrants in the London to Brighton Veteran Machine Run being invited on set as office of their 1964 almanac run, an unexpected coup in gaining numerous period vehicles to clothes the gear up.^[9]

A troublesome on-set distraction occurred when the ii lead actors, Stuart Whitman and Sarah Miles, fell out early in the production.^[17] Director Ken Annakin commented that it began with an ill-timed laissez passer by Whitman. (Whitman was married at the time, although he would divorce in 1966.) Miles "hated his guts" and rarely deigned to speak to him afterward unless the interaction was required by the script.^[vi] Annakin employed a variety of manipulations to ensure the production still proceeded smoothly. The stars made peace with each other after on-ready filming concluded; their interactions were ceremonious during final re-takes of scenes and voice-overs.^[9]

The film played in cinemas as the space race betwixt the United States and the Soviet Matrimony hit a new gear. For its first audiences the film's depiction of an international flight contest taking identify in an earlier, lower-tech era offered a fun-business firm mirror reflection of contemporary adventures by Space Historic period pioneers.

Locations [edit]

The picture show used period authentic, life-size working aeroplane models and replicas to create an early 20th century airfield, the 'Brookley Motor Racing Track' (fashioned after Brooklands where early automotive racing and aviators shared the facilities for testing).^[18] All Brookley'due south associated trappings of structures, aircraft and vehicles (including a rare 1907 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, subsequently estimated to be worth 50 1000000 dollars)^[9] were part of the exterior set at Booker Airfield, Loftier Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England.^[half-dozen]

The completed set featured a windmill as a picket tower too as serving as a restaurant (the "Quondam Mill Cafe"). A circular, banked rail was also built and featured in a runaway motorcycle sequence in the film. In addition, the field adjacent to the windmill was used every bit the location for a number of aerial close-upwards shots of the pilots. Hangars were constructed in rows, bearing the names of real and fictional manufacturers: A.V. Roe & Co., Bristol: The British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, Humber, three Sopwith hangars, Vickers and Ware-Armitage Manufacturing Co (a British in-joke, equally Armitage Ware was the U.k.'s largest manufacturer of toilets and urinals). A grandstand was added for spectators.^[six]

When the product was unable to obtain rights to motion-picture show main sequences over Paris, models of the shipping and a miniature Parisian fix played a prominent office in sequences depicting Paris. A mock-upwardly of Calais was as well constructed.^[vii] Interior and studio sets at Pinewood Studios were used for bluescreen and special effects while exterior and interior footage of Rawnsley's Manor House were shot at Pinewood Studios in Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire. Other principal photography used location shooting in Kent at Dover Castle, along with The White Cliffs of Dover and Dover beach.^[19] In the scene where the aircraft start near Dover to pursue the race, modernistic ferries were visible in one harbour.

The location where Sir Percy's aircraft lands on a train is the now closed line from Bedford to Hitchin. The tunnel into which they fly is the Old Warden Tunnel nearly the village of the aforementioned name in Bedfordshire; the tunnel had only recently been airtight, and in the panning shot through the railway cut, the cooling towers of the now-demolished Goldington power station tin exist seen. The locomotive is former Highland Railway Jones Goods Grade No 103. Almost 1910, French Railways built duplicates of a Highland Railway Class "The Castles" which were a passenger version of the Jones Goods.^[xx]

The Royal Air Force base at the village of Henlow, RAF Henlow, was another Bedfordshire location used for filming.^[21]

The opening shot of the moving-picture show is of The Long Walk leading to Windsor Castle filmed in Windsor, Berkshire, England.

Don Precipitous shot second unit with flight and stunts.^{[22] [23]}

Principal photography [edit]

The motion picture was photographed in 65 mm Todd-AO (which produces a 70 mm print once the sound tracks are added) by Christopher Challis. The head technical consultant during planning was Air Commodore Allen H. Wheeler from the Royal Air Forcefulness. Wheeler had previously restored a 1910-era Blériot with his son, and provided invaluable help in the restoration and recreation of period aircraft for the motion-picture show.

The camera platforms included a modified Citroën sedan, camera trucks, helicopters and a flying rig constructed by Dick Parker. Parker had built information technology for model sequences in Strategic Air Command (1955). The rig consisted of 2 construction cranes and a hydraulically operated device to tilt and position a model, along with 200 ft (61 m) of cables. Parker's rig allowed actors to sit inside full-scale models suspended 50 ft (15 m) above the ground, yet provide safety and realism for staged flight sequences, with the heaven realistically in the background. A further hydraulic platform did abroad with matte shots of aircraft in flying. The platform was big enough to mountain an aircraft and Parker or stunt pilots could manipulate its controls for realistic bluescreen sequences. Blended photography was used when scenes called for difficult shots; these were completed at Pinewood Studios. Some shots were created with rudimentary cockpits and noses grafted to an Alouette helicopter. One scene over Paris was staged with small models when Paris refused an overflight. However, for the majority of flying scenes, full-scale flying aircraft were employed.^[9]

Aircraft [edit]

The motion picture includes reproductions of 1910-era aircraft, including a triplane, monoplanes, biplanes and also Horatio Phillips'due south twenty-winged multiplane from 1904.^[24] Wheeler insisted on authentic materials but allowed the use of modernistic engines and modifications necessary to ensure safety. Of 20 types built in 1964 at £5,000 each, six could fly, flown by six stunt pilots and maintained by 14 mechanics.^{[half dozen]} The race take-off scene where vii aircraft are in the air at one time included a composite improver of one aircraft. Flying conditions were monitored advisedly, with aerial scenes filmed earlier 10 am or in early evening when the air was least turbulent, as the replicas, true to the originals, were flimsy, and control, specially in the lateral plane, tended to exist marginal. When weather conditions were poor, interiors or other incidental sequences were shot instead. Wheeler eventually served not only every bit the technical adviser but also as the aerial supervisor throughout the production, and, later wrote a comprehensive background account of the film and the replicas that were constructed to portray period shipping.^[25]

The following competitors were listed:^{[ commendation needed ]}

1. Richard Mays: Antoinette 4 (Aircraft number 8: flying replica)
2. Sir Percy Ware-Armitage: Avro Triplane IV (Aircraft number 12: flying replica)
3. Orvil Newton: Bristol Boxkite, nicknamed "The Phoenix Flyer" and inaccurately referred to as a Curtiss (Aircraft number 7: flying replica)
4. Lieutenant Parsons: Picat Dubreuil nicknamed "HMS Victory" (Aircraft number four)
5. Harry Popperwell: Dixon Nipper "Trivial Fiddler" (Shipping number 5)
6. Colonel Manfred von Holstein and Helm Rumpelstoss: Eardley Billing Tractor Biplane (Shipping number xi: flight replica)
7. Mr Wallace: Edwards Rhomboidal (Shipping number 14)
8. Charles Wade: (Shipping number unknown)
9. Mr Yamamoto: Japanese Eardley Billing Tractor Biplane (Aircraft number ane: indistinguishable flying replica)
10. Count Emilio Ponticelli: Philips Multiplane, Passat Ornithopter, Lee-Richards Annular Biplane and Vickers 22 Monoplane (Aircraft number two: flying replica)
11. Henri Monteux: (Aircraft number unknown)
12. Pierre Dubois: Santos-Dumont Demoiselle (Aircraft number 9: flight replica)
13. Mr Mac Dougall: Blackburn Monoplane nicknamed "Wake up Scotland" (Aircraft number vi: original vintage aircraft)
14. Harry Walton (no number assigned).

While each shipping was an accurate reproduction, some "impersonated" other types. For case, The Phoenix Flyer was a Bristol Boxkite built by F.M. Miles Engineering Co. at Ford, Sussex, representing a Curtiss biplane of 1910 vintage. Annakin had apparently expressed a want to have a Wright Flyer in the film.^[seven] The Bristol (a British derivative of the French 1909 Farman biplane) was called instead, because information technology shared a common general layout with a Wright or Curtiss pusher biplane of the era, and had an splendid reputation for tractability.^[26] For the impersonation, the replica had "The Phoenix Flyer" painted on its outer rudder surfaces and was as well called a "Gruber-Newton Flyer" adding the name of its chief capitalist to the nomenclature; although the American airplane pilot graphic symbol, Orvil Newton inaccurately describes his aircraft to Patricia Rawnsley as a "Curtiss with an Anzani engine."^[9]

F. G. Miles, chiefly responsible for its design and manufacture, built the replica Bristol Boxkite with the original standard twin rudder installation and powered the replica with a Rolls-Royce-manufactured version of the 65 hp Continental A65. In the class of testing, Wheeler had a third rudder inserted between the other 2 (some original Boxkites also had this fitting) to improve directional control, and substituted a more powerful 90 hp Rolls-Royce C90 that still barely delivered the power of the original 50 hp Gnome rotary at the ability settings used for the Boxkite. The replica achieved a 45 mph top speed.^[27] The Boxkite was tractable, nevertheless, and the scene in the film when the aircraft loses a pair of main wheels just after have off but lands smoothly, was repeated 20 times for the cameras. In the penultimate flying scene, a stuntman was carried in the Boxkite'due south undercarriage and carried out a fall and coil (the stunt had to be repeated to match the principal actor's ringlet and revival). Slapstick stunts on the ground and in the air were a major element and frequently the directors requested repeated stunts; the stuntmen were more accommodating; it meant more pay.^[vii]

The Eardley Billing Tractor Biplane replica flown past David Watson appeared in two guises, in more than or less accurate form, impersonating an early on High german tractor biplane, and also every bit the Japanese airplane pilot's mount, modified with boxkite-like side defunction over the interplane struts, a covered fuselage, and colourful "oriental" decorations.^[28]

In add-on to the flying aircraft, several unsuccessful aircraft of the period were represented past non-flying replicas – including contraptions such as an ornithopter (the Passat Ornithopter) flown past the Italian contender, the Walton Edwards Rhomboidal, Picat Dubreuil, Philips Multiplane and the Little Fiddler (a canard, or tail-first pattern). Several of the "non-flight" types flew with the help of "movie magic". The Lee Richards Annular Biplane with round wings (built by Denton Partners on Woodley Drome, near Reading) was "flown on wires" during the filming.^[29]

The flying replicas were specifically called to be unlike enough that an ordinary audience fellow member could distinguish them. They were all types reputed to have flown well, in or about 1910. In virtually cases this worked well, but at that place were a few surprises, calculation to an authentic historical reassessment of the shipping concerned. For example, in its early course, the replica of the Santos-Dumont Demoiselle, a forerunner of today's ultralight aircraft, was unable to leave the footing except in short hops. Extending the wingspan and plumbing fixtures a more than powerful Ardem 50 hp engine produced only marginal improvement. When Doug Bianchi and the Personal Planes product staff who synthetic the replica consulted with Allen Wheeler, he recalled that the Demoiselle's designer and start pilot, Alberto Santos-Dumont was a very curt, slightly built human. A suitably small airplane pilot, Joan Hughes, a wartime member of the Air Ship Auxiliary who was the Airways Flight Guild principal instructor, was hired. With the reduced payload, the diminutive Demoiselle flew very well, and Hughes proved a complete stunt flyer, able to undertake exacting manoeuvres.^[6]

The Shuttleworth Collection's replica A.V. Roe Four Triplane

In 1960, Bianchi had created a one-off Vickers 22 (Blériot blazon) Monoplane, using Vickers Visitor drawings intended for the Vickers Flying Club in 1910. 20th Century Fox purchased the completed replica although it required a new engine and modifications including replacing the wooden fuselage construction with welded steel tubing too as incorporating ailerons instead of wing-warping. The Vickers 22 became the final type used by the Italian contestant.^[xxx] Sometime later on the film wrapped, the Vickers was sold to a buyer in New Zealand. It is believed to take flown one time, at Wellington Airport in the hands of Keith Trillo, a test pilot involved in a number of aircraft certification programmes, and is now at the S Motorcar Museum, Otaihanga, New Zealand.^[31]

Peter Hillwood of Hampshire Aero Gild synthetic an Avro Triplane Mk Four, using drawings provided by Geoffrey Verdon Roe, son of A.V. Roe, the designer. The structure of the triplane followed A.V. Roe'southward specifications and was the only replica that utilised fly-warping successfully. With a more powerful ninety hp Cirrus II replacing the 35 hp Green engine that was in the original pattern, the Avro Triplane proved to be a lively performer even with a stuntman dangling from the fuselage.^[seven]

Original Daguerreotype of an Antoinette Four c. 1910 – note triangular ailerons hinged on abaft edge of fly

The Antoinette IV motion picture model closely replicated the slim, graceful monoplane that was very nearly the first shipping to wing the English Channel, in the easily of Hubert Latham, and won several prizes in early competitions. When the Hants and Sussex Aviation Company from Portsmouth Aerodrome undertook its construction, the company followed the original structural specifications carefully, although an out-of-period de Havilland Gypsy I engine was used. The Antoinette'southward fly structure proved, however, to be dangerously flexible, and lateral control was very poor, even after the wing bracing was reinforced with extra wires, and the original wing-warping was replaced with ailerons (hinged on the rear spar rather than from the trailing border, as in the original Antoinette). All the same, even in its final configuration the Antoinette was marginal in terms of stability and lateral control and dandy care had to exist taken during its flight sequences, near flights being directly "hops".^[32]

The realism and the attention to detail in the replicas of vintage machines are a major contributor to the enjoyment of the flick, and although a few of the "flying" stunts were accomplished through the employ of models and cleverly disguised wires, most aerial scenes featured bodily flight shipping. The few genuine vintage aircraft used included a Deperdussin used every bit set dressing, and the flyable 1912 Blackburn Monoplane "D" (the oldest 18-carat British aircraft still flying^[33]), belonged to the Shuttleworth Trust based at Sometime Warden, Bedfordshire. When the filming was completed, the "1910 Bristol Boxkite" and the "1911 Roe IV Triplane" were retained in the Shuttleworth Collection,^[34] Both replicas are even so in flyable condition, albeit flying with different engines.^[35] For his role in promoting the movie, the not-flying "Passat Ornithopter" was given to aircraft restorer and preservationist, Cole Palen who displayed it at his Sometime Rhinebeck Aerodrome, New York, where information technology is even so on display.^[36]

Despite the reliance on flight stunts and their inherent danger, the one nigh-tragedy occurred on the basis when a stunt went incorrect. Stuntman Ken Buckle inadvertently turned the throttle to full on a runaway motorbike and sidecar, launching himself through the retaining wall on the sloped Brookley racing track and crashing into the adjoining cesspool, off-camera. Thinking quickly, the special effects human on the other side of the wall saw the motorbike hurtling towards him and set off the accompanying explosion, creating a realistic waterspout. Lucky to escape with merely facial bruises and a confused collarbone, as he struggled to his anxiety, Buckle apologised for having messed upwards, just the shot "was in the can".^[ix]

During the promotional junkets accompanying the picture in 1965, a number of the vintage aircraft and film replicas used in the production were flown in both the Uk and the U.s.. The pilots who had been function of the aerial team readily agreed to accompany the promotional tour to have a chance to wing these aircraft again.^[7]

Reception [edit]

Critical [edit]

Those Magnificent Men In their Flying Machines ... had its Royal Earth Premiere on 3 June 1965 at the Astoria Theatre in the West End of London in the presence of H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh. Gimmicky reviews judged Those Magnificent Men In their Flight Machines ... equally "proficient fun." In The New York Times, Bosley Crowther thought it "a funny picture, highly colorful, and information technology does move".^[37] Variety felt similarly: "Every bit fanciful and nostalgic a piece of clever motion-picture show-making as has hitting the screen in recent years, this backward look into the pioneer days of aviation, when most planes were built with spit and bailing wire, is a warming entertainment experience."^[38] When the film turned up on television for the showtime time in 1969, Telly Guide summed up most disquisitional reviews: "Good, make clean fun, with fast and furious action, good cinematography, well-baked dialogue, wonderful planes, and a host of some of the funniest people in movies in the cast."^[39]

At 85 characters, Those Magnificent Men ... was the longest-titled motion picture to be nominated for an University Honor until the 2021 nominations of Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Biggy Ransom to American Regime for Brand Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Republic of kazakhstan.^[40]

Box-office [edit]

At over ii hours, Those Magnificent Men In their Flying Machines ... (almost cinemas abbreviated the full title, and it was eventually re-released with the shorter title) was treated as a major product, ane of three full-length 70 mm Todd-AO Fox releases in 1965 with an intermission and musical interlude part of the original screenings.^[ix] The film was initially an exclusive roadshow presentation where customers needed reserved seats purchased ahead of time. It was an immediate box-function success, out-grossing the similar motorcar-race comedy The Great Race (1965). Information technology stood upward well confronting the slightly earlier It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963).^[sixteen]

According to Fox records, the motion picture needed to earn $xv,300,000 in worldwide rentals to break even and made $29,950,000.^[41] In the U.s.a., the motion picture earned $14,000,000 in rentals,^[42] becoming the fourth highest-grossing film of 1965. Past September 1970, it had earned Flim-flam an estimated profit of $10,683,000.^[43]

Pseudo-sequel [edit]

The success of the film prompted Annakin to write (again with Jack Davies) and direct another race film, Monte Carlo or Bust! (1969), this fourth dimension involving vintage cars, with the story set around the Monte Carlo Rally.^{[Note 5]} Ron Goodwin composed the music for both films.

Awards [edit]

Award	Category	Nominee	Effect
Academy Award	Best Writing, Story and Screenplay	Ken Annakin and Jack Davies	Nominated
British University of Picture show and Television Arts Awards	Best British Costume (Color)	Osbert Lancaster and Dinah Greet	Won
British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards	Best British Fine art Direction (Colour)	Thomas N. Morahan	Nominated
British Academy of Pic and Television Arts Awards	Best British Cinematography (Colour)	Christopher Challis	Nominated
Golden Globes	Best Motion Picture – Musical/One-act		Nominated
Golden Globes	All-time Pic Role player – Musical/One-act	Alberto Sordi	Nominated
Aureate Globes	Near Promising Newcomer – Male	James Flim-flam	Nominated

Meet also [edit]

• Aéro-Club de France
• Gordon Bennett Aviation Trophy

References [edit]

Notes [edit]

1. ^ Whitman, the American pb, was selected over the first choice, Dick Van Dyke, whose agents never contacted him about the offer.^[6]
2. ^ Irina Demick was rumored to exist romantically involved with Darryl F. Zanuck, who had campaigned for her casting.^[7]
3. ^ Character thespian Michael Trubshawe and David Niven served together in the Highland Light Infantry during the 2d World War; they made it a signal to refer to uncredited characters in their films equally "Trubshawe" or "Niven" as an inside joke.^[9]
4. ^ Annakin was born in 1914, just as the era of aviation depicted in this picture show was catastrophe, and although the flick is a farce, the behaviour of the various aviators depicts the tensions between the European countries prior to the First World State of war. This sense of civility between European nationalities is remembered as the Entente cordiale.^[ix]
5. ^ Monte Carlo or Bosom was released in the US equally Those Daring Immature Men in their Jaunty Jalopies to capitalise on the popularity of the earlier film.^[44]

Citations [edit]

1. ^ "Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours and 11 Minutes (1965)". BFI Moving-picture show Forever . Retrieved 20 Oct 2018.
2. ^ Solomon (1989), p. 254.
3. ^ "Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines, Box Office Information". The Numbers . Retrieved 7 Feb 2013.
4. ^ Uk Retail Price Index aggrandizement figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Almanac RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Serial)". MeasuringWorth . Retrieved 2 December 2021.
5. ^ "Review: 'Those Magnificent Men in their Flight Machines'". Britmovie.co.britain . Retrieved 7 Feb 2013.
6. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} "Conversations with Ken Annakin". Those Magnificent Men in their Flight Machines DVD, 2003.
7. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "Behind the Scenes" featurette, Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines (DVD bonus), 20th Century Pull a fast one on, 2004.
8. ^ "Cast: 'Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew From London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes'". Film & TV Database. British Film Constitute. Archived from the original on xv January 2009. Retrieved nine May 2013.
9. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j} "Director'due south Voice-over Commentary". Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines DVD, 2004.
10. ^ Kaufman, Richard. "Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines: Ron Goodwin Lyrics". Lyricszoo . Retrieved xi May 2013.
11. ^ Lysy, Craig (24 March 2011). "Those Magnificent Men in their Flight Machines – Ron Goodwin". Movie Music U.k. . Retrieved viii May 2013. ^{[ failed verification ]}
12. ^ Lee (1974), p. 490.
13. ^ ^{a b c} Carr, Jay. "Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines". Turner Archetype Movies . Retrieved 9 May 2013.
14. ^ Novick (2002), p. 75.
15. ^ McCann (2009), p. 190.
16. ^ ^{a b} Munn (1983), p. 161.
17. ^ Miles (1994), p. 124.
18. ^ "Flight at Brooklands". Flight. 1 (45): 705–706. 6 November 1909.
19. ^ "Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines (1965)". Kent Movie Function. 10 Oct 1965. Retrieved 24 Nov 2015.
20. ^ "Locations: Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines". IMDb . Retrieved 18 February 2010.
21. ^ "RAF Henlow - The Picture Set". Henlow Parish Council . Retrieved 24 Dec 2017.
22. ^ Vagg, Stephen (27 July 2019). "Unsung Aussie Filmmakers: Don Abrupt – A Top 25". Filmink.
23. ^ Precipitous, Don (ii November 1993). "Don Abrupt Side 4" (Interview). Interviewed by Teddy Darvas and Alan Lawson. London: History Project. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
24. ^ "Horatio Philipps and the Cambered Fly Design". The U.S. Centennial of Flight Committee. 2003. Archived from the original on 28 May 2010. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
25. ^ Wheeler (1965).
26. ^ Wheeler (1965), pp.44-49.
27. ^ Carlson (2012), p. 325.
28. ^ Carlson (2012), p. 328.
29. ^ Wheeler (1965), pp. 92-93
30. ^ Wheeler (1965), p. 62
31. ^ "Collection". Due south Car Museum . Retrieved 8 May 2013.
32. ^ Wheeler (1965), pp. 27-35
33. ^ Ellis (2005), p. 38.
34. ^ Bowles, Robert (2006). "Avro Triplane". Airsceneuk.org.uk . Retrieved eighteen February 2010.
35. ^ Ellis (2005), p. 39.
36. ^ Dowsett, Barry (2012). "James Henry 'Cole' Palen, (1925–1993)". Onetime Rhinebeck Aerodrome . Retrieved 8 May 2013.
37. ^ Crowther, Bosley (17 June 1965). "Film Review: Those Magnificent Men In their Flying Machines (1965)". The New York Times.
38. ^ "Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines – Or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes (UK)". Variety. 1 January 1965. Retrieved xviii February 2010.
39. ^ "Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines – Or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours eleven Minutes: Television Guide Review". Tv Guide.com . Retrieved xviii February 2010.
40. ^ Haring, Bruce (27 March 2021). "'Borat Subsequent Moviefilm' Sets Guinness World Record For Oscar-Nominated Motion-picture show With Longest Championship". Deadline . Retrieved 28 March 2021.
41. ^ Silverman, Stephen Thousand (1988). The Fox that got away : the last days of the Zanuck dynasty at Twentieth Century-Fox . 50. Stuart. p. 324.
42. ^ Aubrey Solomon, Twentieth Century-Fob: A Corporate and Financial History Rowman & Littlefield, 2002 p 229
43. ^ Silverman p 258
44. ^ Hidick, Eastward. West. (1969). Monte Carlo or Bust!. London: Sphere. ISBN978-0-7221-4550-0.

Bibliography [edit]

• Annakin, Ken. And so You Wanna Be a Director? Sheffield, Great britain: Tomahawk Press, 2001. ISBN 978-0-9531926-5-half dozen.
• Burke, John. Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes. New York: Pocket Key, Pocket Books, 1965.
• Carlson, Mark. Flying on Film: A Century of Aviation in the Movies, 1912–2012. Duncan, Oklahoma: BearManor Media, 2012. ISBN 978-1-59393-219-0.
• Edgerton, David. "England and the Aeroplane: Militarism, Modernity and Machines". Harmondsworth: Penguin, 2013 ISBN 978-0141975160
• Ellis, Ken. "Evenin' All." Flypast No. 284, April 2005.
• Hallion, Richard P. Taking Flight: Inventing the Aerial Age from Antiquity through the Commencement World War. New York: Oxford Academy Press, 2003. ISBN 0-19-516035-5.
• Hardwick, Jack and Ed Schnepf. "A Viewer'south Guide to Aviation Movies". The Making of the Great Aviation Films, General Aviation Serial, Volume 2, 1989.
• Hodgens, R.M. "Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in Twenty-Five Hours and Eleven Minutes." Film Quarterly Oct 1965, Vol. 19, No. 1, p. 63.
• Lee, Walt. Reference Guide to Fantastic Films: Scientific discipline Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. Los Angeles, California: Chelsea-Lee Books, 1974. ISBN 0-913974-03-X.
• McCann, Graham. Bounder!: The Biography of Terry-Thomas. London: Arum Press, 2009. ISBN 978-1-84513-441-9.
• Miles, Sarah. Serves Me Correct. London: Macmillan, 1994. ISBN 978-0-333-60141-9.
• Munn, Mike. Great Ballsy Films: The Stories Behind the Scenes. New York: Frederick Ungar, 1983. ISBN 0-85242-729-eight.
• Novick, Jeremy. Benny Hill: Rex Lear. London, Carlton Books, 2002. ISBN 978-1-84222-214-0.
• Those Magnificent Men In their Flying Machines (1965) DVD (Including bonus features on the background of the film.) 20th Century Fox, 2004.
• Those Magnificent Men In their Flight Machines (1965) VHS Record. 20th Century Fox Home Amusement, 1969.
• Searle, Ronald, Beak Richardson and Allen Andrews. Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines: Or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes. New York: Dennis Dobson/ W.W. Norton, 1965.
• Solomon, Aubrey. Twentieth Century Play a joke on: A Corporate and Financial History (The Scarecrow Filmmakers Serial). Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1989. ISBN 978-0-8108-4244-1.
• Temple, Julian C. Wings Over Woodley – The Story of Miles Aircraft and the Adwest Group. Bourne Cease, Bucks, UK: Aston Publications, 1987. ISBN 0-946627-12-6.
• Wheeler, Allen H. Edifice Aeroplanes for "Those Magnificent Men.". London: One thousand.T. Foulis, 1965.

External links [edit]

• Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines at IMDb
• Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines at the TCM Movie Database
• Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines at AllMovie
• Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines at Rotten Tomatoes

mcallisterowareasti.blogspot.com

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Those_Magnificent_Men_in_Their_Flying_Machines

Share this post