THE AVIATOR

(December 2004, U.S.)

I hate to confess ignorance regarding Howard Hughes, but before Martin Scorsese's THE AVIATOR, the only two things I'd ever heard about the man was that he was rich beyond imagination and that he was an eccentric reclusive. The only glimpse I'd previously gotten of him in the media was a film called MELVIN AND HOWARD (1980) in which actor Jason Robards played him as an old man. I had no idea he (Hughes) was a filmmaker. I had no idea he was such a pioneering force behind the world of early 20th century aviation. I had no idea he'd dated such iconic movie stars of the time. I had no idea he suffered from extreme obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Leonardo DiCaprio is an accomplished actor, to be sure, but man, if they ever give out an award for best performance of a man suffering from OCD, he gets my vote a thousand times over! You truly feel the pain and anguish Hughes must have suffered by this disease through his powerful performance. It's enthralling to watch a gifted young actor play a man so obsessively-determined to achieve his dream and to not allow anyone, anything or any dollar amount get in his way. I have to admit also, it's rather fun watching Hollywood of today playing Hollywood of yesterday; Cate Blanchett nails it as Katharine Hepburn (Cate playing Kate, get it?), Kate Beckinsale as a more-often-than-not very angry Ava Gardner, Gwen Stefani as Jean Harlow and look for a cameo by Jude Law playing bad boy Errol Flynn.

As much as I loved Clint Eastwood's MILLION DOLLAR BABY, it was THE AVIATOR I felt should have won the Oscar for best picture and Martin Scorsese the Oscar for best director of 2004. He should not have had to wait another two years before scoring both awards for THE DEPARTED.

Favorite line or dialogue:

Howard Hughes: "You wanna, you wanna go, huh? Go on. Actresses are cheap in this town, darlin', and I got a lot of money."
Katharine Hepburn: "Howard, please - this is beneath you."
Howard: "No, no, this is, this is EXACTLY me! You come in here outta the blue and tell me you're leavin' me just like that and you have the NERVE to expect gracioussness??"
Katharine: "I expect a little maturity. I expect you to face the situation like an adult who..."
Howard: "DON'T talk down to me! Don't you ever talk down to me! You are a movie star, nothing more!"

And with that, people, we are finally of of the 'A's' of my title collection. It only took the better part of 4 months.