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Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines
Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours and 11 Minutes is a 1965 British epic period comedy film that satirises the early years of aviation. Directed and co-written by Ken Annakin, the film stars an international ensemble cast, including Stuart Whitman, Sarah Miles, Robert Morley, Terry-Thomas, James Fox, Red Skelton, Benny Hill, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Gert Fröbe, and Alberto Sordi.
Set in 1910, the film follows a fictitious air race from London to Paris, with a £10,000 (equivalent to £1,300,000 in 2023) prize, intended to prove that Britain is "number one in the air". The film's flying scenes featured dozens of period-accurate, life-sized working aeroplanes. It was shot in 65 mm Todd-AO by cinematographer Christopher Challis, and features a film score composed by Ron Goodwin.
Released in the United Kingdom by 20th Century-Fox on 16 June 1965, the film was both a widespread critical and commercial success. It was nominated for three BAFTA Awards, winning for Best British Costume Design – Colour, as well as an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. The film also received three Golden Globe Award nominations, including for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
A brief narration outlines man's first attempts to fly since the Stone Age, seen with footage from the silent film era, and man being represented by a "test pilot" encountering periodic misfortune in his attempts.
In 1910, British newspaper magnate Lord Rawnsley forbids his would-be aviatrix daughter, ardent suffragette Patricia, to fly. Richard Mays, a young army officer and Patricia's fiancé, conceives the idea 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 newspaper.
Rawnsley announces the event to the press, and invitations are sent to leading aviators all over the world. Dozens of participants arrive at the airfield at the Brookley Motor Racing Track, where the fliers make practice runs in the days before the race. A wildly disparate international assembly of aviators begins rubbing shoulders with each other: Prussian officer Colonel Manfred von Holstein, who becomes the victim of Frenchman Pierre Dubois' various pranks; the impetuous Italian Count Emilio Ponticelli; the unscrupulous British baronet Sir Percy Ware-Armitage, aided by his bullied servant, Courtney; Japanese naval officer Yamamoto; and the rugged American cowboy Orvil Newton.
As the teams test their aircraft in the days before the race, Newton and Patricia meet and become romantically interested in each other. Mays becomes jealous, sparking a fierce rivalry between Newton and Mays for Patricia's hand. At a celebration in Dover, Patricia 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. Not long after taking off, one of the struts on the plane breaks, and Patricia has to fly while Newton repairs it with his belt. When Newton lands, Rawnsley throws him out of the race. Patricia apologises to Newton, and Rawnsley gives in after she threatens to start an international incident. Meanwhile, insulted by the French team's mockery, Holstein challenges Dubois to a duel. Dubois agrees and opts for gas balloons and blunderbusses. Both balloons and their pilots end up in the filthy waters of the adjacent sewage farm.
At the party the night before the race, Sir Percy sabotages Yamamoto's and Newton's planes, and Rumpelstrosse, the German pilot, is incapacitated by a laxative meant for Yamamoto. After the competitors take off the next day, with Holstein standing in for Rumpelstrosse, Sir Percy's sabotage and technical mishaps hamper the fliers until most of them safely arrive at Dover, their checkpoint before the final flight across the English Channel.
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Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines
Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours and 11 Minutes is a 1965 British epic period comedy film that satirises the early years of aviation. Directed and co-written by Ken Annakin, the film stars an international ensemble cast, including Stuart Whitman, Sarah Miles, Robert Morley, Terry-Thomas, James Fox, Red Skelton, Benny Hill, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Gert Fröbe, and Alberto Sordi.
Set in 1910, the film follows a fictitious air race from London to Paris, with a £10,000 (equivalent to £1,300,000 in 2023) prize, intended to prove that Britain is "number one in the air". The film's flying scenes featured dozens of period-accurate, life-sized working aeroplanes. It was shot in 65 mm Todd-AO by cinematographer Christopher Challis, and features a film score composed by Ron Goodwin.
Released in the United Kingdom by 20th Century-Fox on 16 June 1965, the film was both a widespread critical and commercial success. It was nominated for three BAFTA Awards, winning for Best British Costume Design – Colour, as well as an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. The film also received three Golden Globe Award nominations, including for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
A brief narration outlines man's first attempts to fly since the Stone Age, seen with footage from the silent film era, and man being represented by a "test pilot" encountering periodic misfortune in his attempts.
In 1910, British newspaper magnate Lord Rawnsley forbids his would-be aviatrix daughter, ardent suffragette Patricia, to fly. Richard Mays, a young army officer and Patricia's fiancé, conceives the idea 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 newspaper.
Rawnsley announces the event to the press, and invitations are sent to leading aviators all over the world. Dozens of participants arrive at the airfield at the Brookley Motor Racing Track, where the fliers make practice runs in the days before the race. A wildly disparate international assembly of aviators begins rubbing shoulders with each other: Prussian officer Colonel Manfred von Holstein, who becomes the victim of Frenchman Pierre Dubois' various pranks; the impetuous Italian Count Emilio Ponticelli; the unscrupulous British baronet Sir Percy Ware-Armitage, aided by his bullied servant, Courtney; Japanese naval officer Yamamoto; and the rugged American cowboy Orvil Newton.
As the teams test their aircraft in the days before the race, Newton and Patricia meet and become romantically interested in each other. Mays becomes jealous, sparking a fierce rivalry between Newton and Mays for Patricia's hand. At a celebration in Dover, Patricia 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. Not long after taking off, one of the struts on the plane breaks, and Patricia has to fly while Newton repairs it with his belt. When Newton lands, Rawnsley throws him out of the race. Patricia apologises to Newton, and Rawnsley gives in after she threatens to start an international incident. Meanwhile, insulted by the French team's mockery, Holstein challenges Dubois to a duel. Dubois agrees and opts for gas balloons and blunderbusses. Both balloons and their pilots end up in the filthy waters of the adjacent sewage farm.
At the party the night before the race, Sir Percy sabotages Yamamoto's and Newton's planes, and Rumpelstrosse, the German pilot, is incapacitated by a laxative meant for Yamamoto. After the competitors take off the next day, with Holstein standing in for Rumpelstrosse, Sir Percy's sabotage and technical mishaps hamper the fliers until most of them safely arrive at Dover, their checkpoint before the final flight across the English Channel.