The Aviator (1929 film)

For other uses, see Aviator (disambiguation).

The Aviator
275px theatrical poster
Directed by	Roy Del Ruth
Produced by	Irving Asher
Written by	Arthur Caesar Robert Lord De Leon Anthony (titles)
Based on	The Aviator (play) by James Montgomery
Starring	Edward Everett Horton Patsy Ruth Miller
Music by	Rex Dunn (uncredited)
Cinematography	Chick McGill (aka Barney McGill)
Edited by	William Holmes
Production company	Warner Bros.
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release dates	December 14, 1929 (1929-12-14)
Running time	75 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

The Aviator is a 1929 American Pre-Code Vitaphone comedy film produced and released by Warner Bros. Directed by Roy Del Ruth, the film was based on the play of the same name by James Montgomery and starred Edward Everett Horton and Patsy Ruth Miller. The Aviator is similar to the silent comedy The Hottentot (1922), where a hapless individual has to pretend to be a famous steeplehorse jockey.The Aviator today is considered a lost film.

Plot

Brooks (William Norton Bailey), a publisher and his publicist (Lee Moran) decide to boost the sales of a wartime book of flying experiences. They credit the book to popular author Robert Street (Edward Everett Horton), who is completely ignorant about aviation. Robert gets into all sorts of trouble in attempting to carry on the ruse, saving his friend's business but also attracting the attention of aviation-mad Grace Douglas (Patsy Ruth Miller). At first, he is able to carry out simple publicity events, but when he accidentally starts up an aircraft, his incredible aerobatics end with a landing in a haystack. When a race is staged between him and French ace Major Jules Gaillard (Armand Kaliz), it ends with Robert confessing he is no pilot, but still winning Grace's heart.

Cast

File:Armand Kaliz in The Aviator.jpg

Parisian-born Armand Kaliz as Major Jules Gaillard.

• Edward Everett Horton as Robert Street
• Patsy Ruth Miller as Grace Douglas
• Johnny Arthur as Hobart
• William Norton Bailey as Brooks
• Armand Kaliz as Major Jules Gaillard
• Edward Martindel as Gordon
• Lee Moran as Brown
• Kewpie Morgan as Sam Robinson
• Phillips Smalley as John Douglas

Production

The Aviator appeared at a time when aviation films were extremely popular, with only western films being made in larger numbers. It was typical to even have aircraft show up in a western. Blending comedy in The Aviator with aerial thrills seemed to be an ideal way to satisfy the public's appetite for aviation subjects.

Reception

The Aviator was well received as both a comedy and an aviation film. Hal Erickson wrote, "The ensuing wild ride through the air is the best part of the picture, with Robert trying to maintain his equilibrium and dignity throughout."

The film was remade in 1930 as Going Wild, starring Joe E. Brown. A foreign language version in French was made in 1931 and was entitled L'aviateur. In 1938, eight years after Going Wild, Warner Bros. remade this movie again as a musical titled Going Places, starring Dick Powell (impersonating a famous horseman), with Ronald Reagan appearing in an early role.

Preservation

No film elements of The Aviator are known to survive. The soundtrack, which was recorded on Vitaphone disks, may survive in private hands.

In February 13, 1956, Jack Warner sold the rights to all of his pre-1950 films to Associated Artists Productions (which merged with United Artists Television in 1958, and was subsequently acquired by Turner Broadcasting System in early 1986 as part of a failed takeover of MGM/UA by Ted Turner).

See also

• List of lost films

References

Notes

Bibliography

• Wynne, H. Hugh. The Motion Picture Stunt Pilots and Hollywood's Classic Aviation Movies. Missoula, Montana: Pictorial Histories Publishing Co., 1987. ISBN 0-933126-85-9.

External links

• The Aviator at IMDb