The Aviator (2004)
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The film depicts the life of aviation pioneer Howard Hughes as he navigates his rise to fame while battling a worsening obsessive-compulsive disorder.
The story
Set between 1927 and 1947, the film follows the life of Howard Hughes, an aviation pioneer and film director. As Hughes establishes himself as a successful film producer and an aviation magnate, he simultaneously struggles with a worsening obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The narrative explores his professional triumphs, including his work on the film Hell's Angels and his pursuit of aviation records, while depicting his personal descent into instability and germaphobia. The story captures his complex relationships and his growing isolation as his mental health begins to conflict with his public success and personal life.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1927, Howard Hughes begins directing Hell's Angels and hires Noah Dietrich to manage his empire. While becoming a hit, Hughes's obsession with perfection and his growing OCD lead him to various ventures, including breaking aviation records and acquiring TWA. He enters a relationship with Katharine Hepburn, who helps manage his germaphobia, but she eventually leaves him for Spencer Tracy. He later dates Ava Gardner, but his paranoia and OCD worsen, leading to a 'germ-free zone' and a legal battle over his aviation projects. After a near-fatal crash in a reconnaissance aircraft, he faces a Senate investigation. He eventually wins a legal battle to continue his work but ends the film in a state of mental collapse, hallucinating and repeating 'the way of the future' while his past and ambitions flash before him.
- First release year
- 2004
- Runtime (minutes)
- 170
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Martin Scorsese
- Writers
- John Logan · writer
- Cast and characters
- Leonardo DiCaprio · Howard Hughes; Cate Blanchett · Katharine Hepburn; Kate Beckinsale · Ava Gardner; John C. Reilly; Alec Baldwin; Alan Alda; Jude Law
- Genres
- biographical drama; epic
- Themes
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder; Aviation history; Ambition; Mental health
- Tone and mood
- Epic; Dramatic
- Premise and plot tags
- Biographical; Aviation; Historical; Mental Health
- Reception
- The film was released to positive reviews and was considered a moderate commercial success, grossing $214 million on a $110 million budget.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 86% · scale: percentage · review count: 227; Metacritic · score: 77 · scale: 100 · review count: 41
- Awards and nominations
- British Academy Film Awards · Best Film · win; British Academy Film Awards · Best Actress in a Supporting Role · win; Golden Globe Awards · Best Motion Picture – Drama · win; Golden Globe Awards · Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama · win; Screen Actors Guild Awards · Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role · win
- Production trivia
- The production used full-scale and scale models for flying scenes instead of CGI.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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