The Aviator: A Real Life Great Gatsby
Before films like the Great Gatsby, or the Wolf Of Wall-Street there was “The Aviator” which is a 2004 biographical drama film directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Howard Hughes. The film depicts the life of Hughes from the late 1920s to the mid-1940s, including his aviation career, film production, and personal life.
The real Howard Hughes was an extremely wealthy and eccentric businessman who made the majority of his money from oil fields which belonged to his family. He used this incredible wealth to fund films, develop new and innovative planes and flying technology, along with other side projects. Howard Hughes by today’s standards would be comparable to an “Elon Musk” or “Jeffrey Bezos.”
Who Was The Real Howard Hughes?
Howard Hughes was an American entrepreneur, investor, aviator, engineer, and filmmaker who lived from 1905 to 1976. He was a prominent figure in the aviation and film industries. Hughes inherited his father's company, the Hughes Tool Company, at the age of 19. He went on to expand the company and became one of the wealthiest people in the world.
Hughes was a pioneer in aviation, setting numerous world records, including the fastest flight around the world in 1938. He also designed and built several aircraft, including the H-1 Racer and the Spruce Goose, a massive seaplane that remains the largest flying boat ever built.
Hughes was also a successful filmmaker, producing and directing several movies, including the 1943 film "The Outlaw," which starred Jane Russell and was controversial for its sexual content.
In his later years, Hughes became increasingly reclusive and battled mental illness. He lived in seclusion for the last years of his life, and his death was surrounded by controversy and conspiracy theories.
Awards and accomplishments
The movie was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor for DiCaprio, and Best Director for Scorsese. It won five awards, including Best Supporting Actress for Cate Blanchett, who played Katharine Hepburn. The film's budget was $110 million, and it grossed over $213 million worldwide.
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, The Aviator has an approval rating of 86% based on 227 reviews, with an average rating of 7.80/10. The site's critical consensus reads: “With a rich sense of period detail, The Aviator succeeds thanks to typically assured direction from Martin Scorsese and a strong performance from Leonardo DiCaprio, who charts Howard Hughes' descent from eccentric billionaire to reclusive madman.”
The film's score was also composed by Howard Shore, who won an Academy Award for Best Original Score.
Accuracy and attention to detail
Director Scorsese used a combination of practical effects and digital technology to recreate the flying scenes, including building life-size replicas of Hughes' planes. The film was praised for its attention to detail and accuracy, with DiCaprio's portrayal of Hughes receiving particular acclaim.
DiCaprio spent months researching and preparing for his role, studying Hughes' mannerisms and voice by listening to hours of recordings of the real Hughes. Through his research, DiCaprio was able to capture his portrayal of Hughes with extraordinary accuracy.
The movie features several famous Hollywood figures, including Hepburn, played by Blanchett, and Ava Gardner, played by Kate Beckinsale.
"The Aviator" was the second collaboration between Scorsese and DiCaprio, who went on to work together on several other films, including "Gangs of New York," "The Departed," and "The Wolf of Wall Street."
