The Rocketeer (1991)
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A stunt pilot in 1938 Los Angeles discovers a secret rocket pack and must protect it from Nazi operatives and the FBI.
The story
In 1938 Los Angeles, stunt pilot Cliff Secord discovers a hidden rocket pack that allows him to fly without an aircraft. His heroic deeds as the 'Rocketeer' quickly draw the attention of several parties: the FBI, the aviation magnate Howard Hughes, and a group of Nazi operatives who stole the technology. As Cliff navigates his new identity, he must navigate the dangers of the burgeoning conflict and the fact that his secret is being hunted by both law enforcement and enemy spies.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1938 Los Angeles, gangsters steal a prototype rocket pack from Howard Hughes. Stunt pilot Cliff Secord finds the device and begins using it to fly, becoming a sensation. His girlfriend, Jenny Blake, is an aspiring actress. The search for the rocket involves the FBI and a film star, Neville Sinclair, who is secretly a Nazi spy. After a series of confrontations with the local mob and the FBI, Cliff and Jenny are captured by Sinclair. Cliff is eventually taken to Howard Hughes, who reveals the Nazi threat. Cliff eventually confronts Sinclair and the mob at a rendezvous point. During a battle involving the FBI and the mob against a Nazi airship, Sinclair and his men are evacuated by the Germans. Cliff and Jenny end up on the airship, where a fight ensues. Sinclair steals the rocket but it explodes, killing him and his men. Cliff and Jenny are rescued by Hughes and Peevy. The film ends with Hughes giving Cliff a new plane and Jenny returning the stolen blueprints.
- Original title
- The Adventures of the Rocketeer
- First release year
- 1991
- Runtime (minutes)
- 108
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Joe Johnston
- Writers
- Danny Bilson · screenplay; Paul De Meo · screenplay; Danny Bilson · story; Paul De Meo · story; William Dear · story
- Cast and characters
- Billy Campbell · Cliff Secord; Alan Arkin · Peevy; Jennifer Connelly · Jenny Blake; Paul Sorvino · Eddie Valentine; Timothy Dalton · Neville Sinclair; Terry O'Quinn · Howard Hughes; Tiny Ron Taylor · Lothar
- Genres
- superhero; action; adventure; science fiction
- Themes
- heroism; espionage; aviation
- Tone and mood
- adventure; nostalgic
- Premise and plot tags
- period piece; superhero; dieselpunk
- Source material / true-story basis
- comic book by Dave Stevens
- Franchise connections
- The Rocketeer
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics, being described as an affectionate homage to adventure serials with high-spirited performances, though it was a commercial disappointment at the box office.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 73% · scale: percentage · review count: 160; Metacritic · score: 61 · scale: 100 · review count: 8
- Awards and nominations
- Saturn Award · Best Costumes · win
- Production trivia
- The production budget increased from $25 million to $35 million during filming.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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