The Aviator (2004) First Time Watching! Movie Reaction!

[@Bringmethehorizondude]

Fun fact: Blanchett won the Oscar for best supporting actress and it was the first time someone won an Oscar portraying a fellow Oscar winner.

[@thefallofoscar]

Leo really should have won the academy award for this

[@stsolomon618]

I agree

[@Natedawgg84]

Tough competition that year. Jamie Foxx won for his potrayal of Ray Charles that year.

[@joshuahermanson341]

That's why his standing ovation lasted so long for The Revenant. They all knew he should've won long before that.

[@DanVillainFilms]

Good lord, yes. Then Wolf of Wall Street. He “shoulda done been had” several Oscars before he was finally recognized by the academy.

[@lexkanyima2195]

​@@DanVillainFilmsbut long overdue

[@dtnetlurker]

Howard Hughes was an absolute aviation genius. Many of the design features and innovations of aircraft he created are still in use today. He was also a decent film maker despite his OCD causing huge cost over-runs. His biggest legacy is in commercial air travel. His push to make TWA (Known today as American Airlines) a success despite overwhelming odds and deep state corruption, made it more affordable for the common man to travel. After Howard Hughes, air travel wasn't just for the rich anymore. That is his biggest legacy.

[@RobertMorgan]

Also Hughes communications still dominates the commercial satellite market and now Baker Hughes tool STILL holds the patent and is the world's premiere maker of oil drill bits and oilfield services, the core business that made them billions in the first place. Interesting that all those businesses as well as airlines weren't selling people a product, it sold people the ability to do something they couldn't before, communicate, drill, experience film, affordable travel.

[@leonagnew895]

But didn't he hire engineers to design 'his' planes? It looks to me that he was the leader of a bunch of very talented people realising his vision.

[@lavinder11]

​@@leonagnew895He was the visionary. You need these people to organize workers.

[@leonagnew895]

@@benbennington8859 Wouldn't a genius design they're own ideas rather than pay someone else to do it? When Da Vinci conjured up some fantastic invention, he'd go and design it. Draw it. Howard Hughes didn't do that.

[@KamikazeJedi]

⁠I mean, you could say the same of Steve Jobs and many others

[@aleatharhea]

The African Queen is a fantastic movie starring Kathryn Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart, directed by the great John Huston. Bogart won the Oscar for his role. Cate Blanchett did an excellent job impersonating Hepburn.

[@3DJapan]

That was one of my moms favorite movies, we watched it a number of times.

[@bonkyb8587]

John Huston's son, Danny, plays Jack Fry in this movie.

[@aleatharhea]

@@bonkyb8587 cool fact, thanks!

[@diogenescat]

The African Queen is also based on a true story, although the liberties taken with the truth were pretty sizable.

[@rabbitandcrow]

You guys need to watch some Katharine Hepburn movies - one of the actresses of the 20th century. The Philadelphia Story, The African Queen, The Lion In Winter so so many.

[@JKM395]

Hughes is one of the most interesting men you can find. An absolute genius, who unfortunately had obvious problems. This is one of those films that should be better known than it is. They did a great job of showing us a difficult man to understand.

[@Čangrizavi_Cinik]

I have seen documentaries about him even before this movie was on.

[@Maverick25ish]

whats funny is this movie only shows you half of howard hughes life, another movie could easy be made a part 2 about the rest of his life, he acheived so much more after where this movie finishes, and his condition got a lot lot worse@@Čangrizavi_Cinik

[@JKM395]

@@Čangrizavi_Cinik There is an absolute ton written about him. Fascinating man.

[@KamikazeJedi]

It was a hit when it came out

[@Nay-kp6uu]

Katherine Hepburn said one of my favorite quotes. "I don't care what anyone says about me, as long as it's not true"

[@jasonsabbath6996]

As others have said, this is one of the most accurate portrayals of mental illness ever! As a lifelong sufferer of OCD and someone with both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, not being able to trust tour own mind can be very terrifying! It makes day to day activities almost impossible at times. I absolutely LOVE this movie and can't even tell you how many times I've seen this movie.

[@mikecaetano]

Howard Hughes developed the flush head rivet which decreased the drag on metal airplane surfaces. You can see the influence of the racers he designed on WWII fighter planes. The Hughes H-1 racer is now part of the collection at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.

[@Heritage367]

Howard Hughes essentially evented the modern adjustable hospital bed while recovering from his airplane crash. He was so uncomfortable, he began to sketch out a better design.

[@Bringmethehorizondude]

Growing up I watched this movie atleast once a week as a kid and everytime I felt like I saw something new that I hadn’t noticed before. I really love this movie and I think it’s one of the more unique Scorsese movies and Leo absolutely nails this role .

[@marcella6969]

I have suffered from OCD all of my life (I am now 63) and this is the most accurate depiction of the mental illness I have ever seen. It is very disturbing for me to watch; it feels like a demon is taking over control of your mind.

[@darensparks]

It is the best look into ocd ever on film I completely agree. As good as it gets has it's moments depicting this mental illness but nothing encompasses it like The aviator does.

[@traelonin]

I never had strep throat but I have ocd

[@Serenity113]

I remember seeing in theaters with my older sister. Afterwards, she told me that she realizes that lot of the "tics" that Howard would do in the film, the spelling of words, the immense hate of people touching her food, etc she did it too and that maybe she had a mild case of OCD(if that is a thing?).

[@marcella6969]

@@Serenity113 Could be. Sometimes there's a thin line between OCD and just being meticulous.

[@whysoserious211]

​@@marcella6969 Its so annoying when people on the internet say they have ocd like its a cool thing, I had ocd since I was a child and if howard hughes level of ocd was a 10, I would been an 8..It's so frustrating and scary, sometimed I feel like i'd lose my life cuz of it😢

[@taztaztaz]

the film Tucker directed by Francis Ford Coppola was a great biopic, fairly accurate , about the man who revolutionized the auto industry.. Jeff Bridges did a fantastic job in his portrayal

[@robertocarbonvarela6387]

"Tucker" is amazing (and visually stunning). Definitely, one of the most underrated Coppola movies.

[@willgeary6086]

Love the film, love the car, seen one in person too, even more in impressive in real life.

[@angelohernandez6060]

Hughes was needed not for the success of his aircraft but for the push in technological research and engineering. He had a brilliant mind that sadly failed him at the end. And yes, Blanchett's performance was spot on. Watch some of her films, she seems to play her parts with alot of her own personality in them.

[@dylantindall5573]

'I wonder how much of this was even true.' A great biographic movie, but Hughes' life was even more extraordinary than portrayed. One of the most bizarre and fantastic lives of the twentieth century.

[@haroldlipschitz9301]

Glad you guys enjoyed this - I saw it 3x in the theater back in the day! The 1946 Beverly Hills crash was indeed real, with a catastrophic failure of the right engine at low altitude, but the movie slowed down the crash sequence for dramatic effect. In reality he clipped a couple power lines and then plowed through the roofs of three mansions. It's incredible that he survived , the XF-11 must have been a tough airframe. And yes, he did subsequently spend four months in his screening room, pissing into bottles and seeing no one.

[@Johnny_Socko]

What helped the production and the VFX crew was that the neighborhood in Beverly Hills is almost exactly the same as it was back then, so they could visit the actual impacted houses and streets, and model everything accurately.

[@Spooky1862]

@Johnny_Socko Indeed! The plane came to rest I think at 809 N. Whittier Drive in Beverly Hills. In a strange twist of fate, this was directly adjacent to the site of ‘60s rock star Jan Berry’s (Jan & Dean) career-ending automobile accident in 1966. Jan Berry’s father was one of Howard Hughes’ top engineers-who helped Hughes build the Hercules flying boat.

[@nationaltrails9585]

One overlooked biopic is Patton (1970) about WWII Army General George S. Patton. A collaborative screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola and an Academy Award winning performance by George C. Scott (Dr. Strangelove). Not so much a biopic also is The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957) directed by David Lean (made prior to Lawrence of Arabia). Cards in the table, another reactor has done one, but she has not decided on posting it or keeping it on Patreon (seems like not a good fate for such a prodigious film). :)

[@Heritage367]

One last comment: as crippling as his OCD had become, that insane attention to detail is what allowed him to triumph in the Congressional investigation. That and tremendous willpower, which he always had. Great movie, one of my personal favorites.

[@harveybojangle475]

Louis B. Mayer was a producer and co-founder of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM Studios). Jack Warner was one of the co-founders of Warner Brothers Pictures (along with his brothers Harry, Albert, and Sam).

[@eliasb8]

47:44 Another incredible Biopic would be the 1982 movie called Gandhi! It is an inspirational story of how a London College graduated lawyer from India lead a peaceful rebellion to achieve independence from the British colonial empire without shooting a single bullet!! I sobbed like a baby on this movie! 😭 This movie was nominated for 11 Oscars but only won 8!! 😉 This movie won Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Picture amongst others...

[@brianharper1611]

I saw this twice at the cinema back in 2004. I have OCD though not nearly as bad as Hughes did and this was the first movie I ever saw that captured it in the most realistic way. The darkness that can loom over you because of it. The depression and anxiety that it can cause is devastating. As Good As It Gets covers it well too, but in a more humorous way.

[@darensparks]

Exactly, as good as it gets has it's moments but nothing encompasses the madness of it like The aviator does.

[@msmilder25]

Some bits about Hughes: he took ownership of RKO Pictures in the 1940's; in the 1960's he enjoyed his stay at the Desert Inn so much in Las Vegas, he bought the hotel-casino...and would later buy the Sands, Frontier, Silver Slipper, Castaways and Landmark making him the largest employer in Nevada; the film did a good job showing his flying exploits, he flew around the world in 1938 in just 91 hours (setting a record); the Hercules (Spruce Goose) was harbored in Long Beach, California near the Queen Mary until 2020, when it was moved to McMinnville, Oregon at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum (I visited it in Long Beach when I was a child in the 1980's); besides Ava Gardner & Katherine Hepburn, other notable celebrities Hughes dated include: Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Yvonne De Carlo, Olivia de Havilland, Hedy Lamarr, Ginger Rogers, Gloria Vanderbilt, Mamie Van Doren, Gene Tierney...quite the slate.

[@shanenolan5625]

Thanks guys. ( the hearing is accurate you csn find the footage). Actually several thing he he did are still around. The military still use his heracles. ( there are several version's of it ) his Lockheed ( lockhead martin ) was one of his companies. The Hughes corporation still exists. He was the first billionaire. His father's company invented the drill bit , he sold it eventually, his kater life , he bought up casino's in las Vegas. The Japanese zero fighter ( was designed by him the stole the plans ) mitsutizi. I think they call it the c57 ( heracles) they use it for troop, tank and artillery transport. He would have these episodes regularly. He ended up in onebof his hotels in Vegas. ( the images of the butler type people with gloves ) they were like his future. He would also disappear, escape, no money just the clothes he was wearing, and he would hitchhike. , long hsir snd beard , looked like a homeless man . Apparently there was a truck driver thst always stopped for him and took care of him .( howard never told him who he was , but left him millions in his will ) actually there is a movie about it . He lived untill the 70s .

[@Bunch007]

The 3rd place movie on the Poll is one of my Favorite. The Color of Money is great!

[@eliasb8]

47:44 Another great Biopic is the 2005 Cinderella Man with Russell Crowe. What an inspirational story of a boxer during the Depression! Well worth watching!

[@Fatsatan]

Absolutely! Cinderella Man is a fantastic movie, a must watch!!

[@ck_idgaf1680]

Well, the thing is 'Kate" (Katherine Hepburn) could adapt to any social situation. She was always known as the 'brightest' person in the room and very social. Hughes was the opposite. Hepburn did her best to accomodate, but he got worse as he got older. And yes, this film is very accurate, he did crash his plane in a neighborhood (there are old pics and articles), he did lock himself in his home and piss in jars, and etc, they did a good job of the truth.

[@zedwpd]

She was private.

[@thorstrebla980]

Her accent eventually made him angry because it wasn't that thick in private, according to one of his later girlfriends.

[@deborahcornell171]

4 time Oscar winner Katherine Hepburn was still a marvel even in her older years. Two of her most famous & beloved classic films are 1981's "On Golden Pond" with equally legendary Henry Fonda (& his daughter Jane Fonda)... And 1967's "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner" with 2 more legends, Sidney Poitier & Spencer Tracy. Yes, the same Spencer Tracy depicted in "The Aviator". Their legendary love affair (that word is used a lot when talking about these people, & rightfully so) had lasted decades & this movie was particularly poignant seeing them together as an elderly couple. Their talent is very much on display in this film as well as their love for each other. It would be so great for you to react to either, or better yet, both of these great films. Btw...that love affair was scandalous in the early years as Spencer was married & he & his wife were Roman Catholic. In those days, for many people, divorce was not an option. In spite of the situation Spencer & Katherine were devoted to each other & went through a lot together, including her nursing him through terrible bouts of alcoholism & illness. Articles, books, documentaries...they've been the subjects of many. 💙💫💙💫💙💫💙💫💙💫💙💫💙

[@alberttaylor2754]

Hi Mommy Samantha, you look fantastic, can't wait for little Schmitt. Praying for the beast for you, TBR and baby Schmitt. Best Wishes!!🥰😘

[@noelyap9847]

The color grading was designed to mimic the color technology available during each time period. Hence the early scenes with blue grass and turquoise peas were due to the early two-strip Technicolor process, which only had red and blue.

[@MM-hc1cq]

This is not correct. No infrared or cross processing was used. Just custom made Luts to emulate two process and three strip Technicolor used on scans of standard negative film.

[@noelyap9847]

@@MM-hc1cq I don't think I said anything about infrared or cross processing, did I?

[@travismorris9303]

TWA became a very successful airline, Hughes Aircraft provided successful aircraft to the military during WWII and into the Vietnam era. The company was bought by General Motors and then Raytheon. Bottom line is despite his mental health and physical health issues, and some spectacular fails...Howard Hughes was very successful.

[@cameron120587]

And this movie gives you a bit of a reason why Stan Lee based Tony Stark and Howard Stark on Howard Hughes

[@dougjohnson4066]

The actress playing Hepburn did a fantastic job of capturing her, voice, mannerisms, she even looks a lot alike her. 🥴🤔✌️💯😁

[@Joe-qe1zm]

As a person who has OCD and anxiety and being diagnosed at an early age watching this in theaters with my mom when she was alive was very therapeutic for her. At the time she did not understand OCD but after watching this she started understanding better especially the hand washing scenes even today there’s times where I wash my hands so often that my knuckles would bleed as well as the Webbing between my fingers

[@ainsleyperry5192]

TBR, The lady on Howard Hughes arm at the premier of his film was the famed Jean Harlow. ( The first Blonde Bombshell). A little throw away line in Alfred Hitchcock's film "Vertigo" where reference is made of a bra designed by an aircraft engineer. TWA is now American Airlines. By Hughes standing upto Pan Am and Congress we have the airline travel industry we see today. In these early day's Howard Hughes mind was working on 4 different level's at once. At the trial he showed he was the brightest man in the room. At 21:26 in the film the person sitting in the chair is susposed to be Cary Grant. Great review. Cheers, Chris Perry.

[@dggydddy59]

Good for Samantha for pronouncing Martin Scorsese's name the same way he himself pronounces it and not the way everybody else does.

[@carloslionel1653]

This is in my Top 10 Favorite movies. The Howard Hughes story is fascinating, and yes he did survived several bad plane crashes, including the XF-11 that nearly killed him, 95% of what was portrayed in the movie was true.

[@ThomasKnip]

To put Howard Hughes into perspective: In the James Bond movie "Diamonds are forever", the streets and outdoor shots in Las Veges were made mostly possible due to the okay from Hughes (who was even more eccentric and recluse by then), who owned several hotels. Legend is, he asked for a film roll of the movie as "reimbursement".

[@3DJapan]

When I did B&W photography in school one thing we learned is that in B&W a beautiful blue sky is ugly, just solid grey. Clouds make it much more interesting.

[@GregoryWalsh]

I was afflicted with severe OCD when I was a teenager and the doctor who managed the psychiatric ward where I was treated consulted on this film. Aside from some creative license taken by Scorsese, like the hallucinations which are not a real life symptom of OCD, it’s one of the most accurate and harrowing depictions of the disease I’ve ever seen on film. The tragedy of Hughes’ life is that OCD is today a highly treatable and manageable mental illness through medication and behavioral therapy and had he been born a few decades later he might not have had to suffer as much as he did.

[@Johnny_Socko]

I think if Hughes were able to be assessed by modern medicine, he would have had multiple diagnoses in addition to OCD. He very famously suffered from paranoia. I don't know whether he also had hallucinations, but the experiences of people around him suggest that he may well have. It's very sad that there was little to no treatment for such conditions back then.

[@sparky6086]

Scorsese wasn't taking dramatic license. Hughes had more problems than just OCD. The hallucinations didn't come from his OCD. It was some other madness, perhaps related to his plane crash injuries or the drug use, because of those injuries, or another mental malady which was made worse by those factors along with getting older..

[@Britcarjunkie]

@@sparky6086 It's been said that he had injuries that medical technology of the period couldn't diagnose, and that's what aggrivated his other problems later in life, as well as not having been treated properly for some of his known injuries. As a result of this, he also started the Hughes Medical Institute - a non-profit, and, I believe due to his anger over the previous senate hearings over the Hercules, he sold Hughes Aircraft to the institute - making a for-profit business the entity of a non-profit organization, which REALLY pissed off the I.R.S. to the point they took him to court - and Hughes won!!! 🤣😅😂

[@javix2013]

The first version of Scarface from 1932 was produced by Howard Hughes, that's how it is. Al Pacino liked that movie and the actor's performance so much that he wanted to do the remake and imitate that actor.

[@coreyhendricks9490]

Leonardo DiCaprio is amazing in anything he starring in, cool reaction as always Schmitt & Samantha, you both take care

[@bettybaby63]

Fantastic film all around. Never thought about why they ended when they did. I remember when he died. So many crazy stories swirling around him in his last years. A complete hermit. Great analysis.

[@yg713]

If you want to see another movie where Howard Hughes is a character but not the main one please check out "The Rocketeer" from 1991. It's a great movie with a fun story and you get to see a club similar to the ones you saw in this one.

[@Johnny_Socko]

Yes!! Such a fun movie!

[@robertocarbonvarela6387]

"The Rocketeer" is so good! It was extremely underrated when it came out and really deserved much more recognition.

[@rev.chuckshingledecker]

I came here to recommend The Rocketeer as well! Saw in the theater and it is such a great yarn of a film! “It will fly” is my favorite line in the movie. (For those who know, know.)

[@msmilder25]

For the first 52 minutes of the film, scenes appear in shades of only red and cyan blue; green objects are rendered as blue. This was done, according to Scorsese, to emulate the look of early bipack color films, in particular the Multicolor process, which Hughes himself owned, emulating the available technology of the era. --- thank you Wikipedia

[@msmilder25]

Similarly, many of the scenes depicting events occurring after 1935 are treated to emulate the saturated appearance of three-strip Technicolor. Other scenes were stock footage colorized and incorporated into the film. The color effects were created by Legend Films.

[@jamesmoore4003]

Howard Hughes is someone I’ve admired…for what he accomplished in aviation. And military tech. To name a couple of things. A true American icon

[@stsolomon618]

Howard Hughes Hell's Angels is one of the films that inspired Stanley Kubrick to be a filmmaker. Another Scorsese film I recommend is Color of Money. Katherine Hepburn recommendation: Philadelphia Story and Guess who is coming to Dinner. Hughes produced the first Scareface film in 1932.

[@brickm]

Guess Who's Coming To Dinner is my favorite Kate Hepburn/Spencer Tracy movie. I highly recommend it.

[@stsolomon618]

@@brickm One of my favorite Sidney Poiter films as well.

[@brickm]

Yessss! I agree!

[@stsolomon618]

@brickm recommend watching In the heat of the night

[@Hogtownboy1]

GWtoD doesn’t age well

[@srenjrgensen1468]

Thanks for another great reaction to one of my personal favourite movies of all time! 😊👍 You asked for other great biopictures and I immediately thought of the following 5 movies, that are all amazing movies: 1. "Malcolm X" (Denzel Washington). 2. "Cinderella Man" (Russell Crowe). 3. "Amadeus" (I don´t remember the main actor´s name, but the movie is about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart). 4. "Schindler´s List" (Liam Neeson). 5. "JFK" (Kevin Costner). I hope, that this small list can be helpful you and for all movie fans out there. 😇👍💯

[@Uriahjw]

Howard had a head injury from the plane crash that burned him. The trauma to the frontal lobe of his brain went undiagnosed, which progressed his issues. Towards the end, he would stay in his penthouse in Las Vegas. I had read that he died in the air while going overseas for treatment. A fitting end to a man meant to fly. You must watch the documentary of his life it was so insightful. Also, the model maker for the planes was an aeronautical engineer. When asked why he didn't have duplicates of his models in case one crashes, he replied, "My models don't crash." He was meticulous in all the measurements and weights of each plane. He's a master of his craft.

[@sizzlinshizzle]

When I was a student at San Diego State I worked part time at a Costco that was formerly an airplane hangar owned by Howard Hughes.

[@markhamstra1083]

Yes, Hughes really did crash the XF-11 like that - there is a lot of accurate historical detail in that sequence.

[@darshin95]

Leo's best acting performance

[@Cosmic86x]

DiCaprio did a spectacular acting job (actually like always). Cate Blanchett really nailed it as well, her Katherine Hepburn portrait was fantastic (intelligent, sassy, funny and seductive)! 21:26 I am quite certain that was Cary Grant.

[@catherinelw9365]

It is Cary Grant. He’s listed in the cast. Spencer Tracy is not. Grant was good friends with Hughes and introduced him to Hepburn.

[@1wwtom]

Hughes's H1 racer is in the Nat'l Air & Space museum in DC. He pushed Lockheed to build the Constellation airliner for TWA which he owned was faster than the Douglas DC-4 other airlines used on cross country flights. The only problem with the Hercules was that WW2 was over before it was done. Hughes aerospace was also among the leaders in the early communication sattellites. Yes he was in the forefront of Aviation in many ways.

[@roboct6]

With 12 Academy Award nominations and 4 wins, Katherine Hepburn remains one the finest actresses of all time.

[@hulkhatepunybanner]

*actor/actors

[@RonaldBeam]

It was nominated for eleven and won five.

[@kirstenwatkins8998]

@@hulkhatepunybanner she's an actress tho?

[@williamr3840]

'Bringing Up Baby' :0)

[@artofalmost9479]

@@RonaldBeam He's talking about Katherine Hepburn's oscar nominations and wins, not the movie.

[@johnfisher8843]

I love this movie and soundtrack, it’s Hollywood as it’s finest, a big and talented production. thank for watching this.

[@CaesiusX]

I recommend the true story of *Tucker: **_The Man and His Dream_* (1988) by *Francis Ford Coppola.* *EDIT:* One of my favorite films is 1938's *_"Holiday"_* starring *Katharine Hepburn* and *Cary Grant.* But she has a lot of great films.

[@RMBittner]

As a fan of classic Hollywood, it breaks my heart a little that you didn’t know the stars represented in this movie. They made some of my favorite films of all time. So I hope you’ll check out some of the work of Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, and Ava Gardner.

[@oilersridersbluejays]

They were very big names, household names at that.

[@NetanelWorthy]

I also like with this, that not many people realize, is the film that they use for the time periods is the film that was used during those time periods. This is why the tone of the film, visually, changes. It gets more complex with colors. As time goes on.

[@bonkyb8587]

Probably not. Though you can, through processing and printing tricks, mimic old film stocks or aged film (color shift). Old film from that era would be age fogged so heavily as to render it unusable. No contrast left in it. Be really muddy looking. Scorsese is using IR stock in some scenes (crazy colors) and cross-processing in others (desaturated).

[@andreaschmall5560]

The guy Hepburn fell in love with was none other than legendary actor Spencer Tracy and their lifelong love affair is legendary as well. They made several films together and very worth watching.

[@StephenLuke]

They're a legend!!!

[@wadeheaton123]

Unless things have changed, the "Spruce Goose" is on display off the coast alongside the Queen Mary.

[@mickeyrube6623]

The first time I saw this film, I assumed Scorsese and Co. kept the movie as close to using only confirmable, real events as they could. I assume this because there were and still are SO MANY more insane and even crazier stories about Hugh's life and eccentricities that weren't in the movie. Growing up, I heard so many things. And this film only cover half of his life; keep in mind his sickness only got worse and worse til death😢...

[@123haninhk]

I feel like you need watch Katherine Hepburn's films because she was amazing. I'd recommend The Philadelphia Story. She was very MODERN compared to other actress from her era. She wore pants, she was independent, she was eccentric, she played sport, probably fit more in the 21st century.

[@bonkyb8587]

Yup. They need to do a deep dive into Golden Era films. The Screwball comedies are a great way to get in. They hold up well and "Philadelphia Story" is my favorite. I prefer "Holiday" over "Bringing Up Baby" in the Grant/Hepburn lineup.

[@SlideRiceFC]

@@bonkyb8587 Seconded. I'm a huge Hepburn fan and I think you nailed my top two picks. I would love to see those on the channel. I always see "Bringing Up Baby" recommended to people and while I devour anything with Grant and Hepburn and love it, it is over the top and I shudder to think of anyone being introduced to Katharine Hepburn by that film. I'd probably throw "Desk Set" into the mix. I seldom see it mentioned and it probably won't land on anyone's must see movie list but it's a fun little movie that I probably enjoy for the plot as much as the Heburn/Tracy pairing. Who doesn't love a good "technology/automation is coming for our jobs!" story?

[@bonkyb8587]

@@SlideRiceFC For Halloween and Grant, "Arsenic and Old Lace." I'm starting to see reactions for it. Finally. My fave Tracy/Hepburn is "Woman of the Year."

[@keng4847]

Katherine (Kate) Hepburn was one of the legendary stars of Hollywood history. She won 4 Oscars for BEST ACTRESS (1934/ 1968/ 1969/1982) and altogether received 12 Oscar Nominations for Best Actress. Her 4 Oscars is the most won by any actor. Her 12 Oscar nominations were the most for any actor before she was surpassed by Meryl Streep. The Man Hepburn leaves Howard Hughes for in this movie was Spencer Tracy, who was also one of the legendary movie stars of Hollywood history. And Hepburn-Tracey became one of the legendary acting teams in Hollywood history. Hepburn and Tracey starred in 9 films together, most of which are considered to be classics. Katherine Hepburn was as big a personality/ Star as Howard Hughes was, and she was famous for her upfront, colorful, bold personality.

[@TheAdventurer1]

Cate Blanchette's portrayal of Katherine Hepburn is masterfully spot on. Just felt she should be recognized in these comments.

[@jeffreyjeziorski1480]

The clenched jaw New England accent as Cate described it.

[@Heritage367]

You mentioned the color at the beginning is unusual; Scorsese replicated two-strip (red-blue) bipack color during the era when only that existed. What your eye is missing is the green part of the light spectrum. Later, when three-strip (red-green-blue) Technicolor is invented, the color appears more normal because green is now integrated into the spectrum. Edit: bipack color was missing green, not blue. Fixed my post.

[@cleekmaker00]

Another excellent Reaction, folks! Everything was pretty much spot on with this film, other than the fact that he got much worse in his later life. Take a look at "Melvin and Howard". Actually, Hughes Aircraft Company has left a large legacy in the Aerospace industry. The Hughes 500 family of helicopters (now the MD 500 family) is one of the most popular and recognizable helicopters today; they built the Galileo space probe that went to Jupiter, and the development of the AIM-120 AMRAAM air to air missile. Biopic? In a way... The Right Stuff.

[@athos1974]

A couple of highlights. I saw the Spruce Goose plane (Hercules)when it was on display in LA. It was gigantic, amazing it actually flew. Ava Gardner has been mostly forgotten by people today. She was a very attractive movie actor from North Carolina. There is still a museum in her hometown. Great costumes and props from her career. If you are driving on I95, and have the time, stop for a visit. It's worth your time.

[@UkePlayah]

First, congrats on your family addition! The reaction was great as usual, thanks. I worked in IT for The Walt Disney Co. back when they owned The Queen Mary and Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose which is now in Seattle (I think). So I was very intrigued to see this movie when it came out and was impressed as you two were. I now live in Las Vegas where there is still the Hughes name on business buildings out here. Keep up the great channel.

[@glennlesliedance]

For a Katharine Hepburn movie, I recommend The Philadelphia Story (with James Stewart and Cary Grant) followed by the musical interpretation High Society (Grace Kelly, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Celeste Holme); both great movies.

[@jimiewilliams7623]

The film is not underrated. It's considered to be one of, if not the best Scorsese film. It was critically acclaimed, nominated for many awards, grossed over 200 million dollars at the box office, and Cate Blanchett won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. In the many years since it's release, it has been overshadowed by some of DiCaprio and Scorsese's more recent collaborations, but it is not underrated. Many think it's Martin Scorsese's best film.

[@BDogg2023]

The film was so hyped when it came out, I kept myself from seeing it, which I regretted years later after I finally did.

[@freedom.pacific]

poppa tbr and mama sam here to save my saturday night

[@MrDavidcairns]

You ought to see the Hughes Scarface, the best film he produced. The Pacino movie has an onscreen dedication to it, such was their respect. Very different, but very similar in many ways. The strange colour here is an imitation of two-strip Technicolor, and then midway through it switches to three-strip (so the grass stops being blue), colour processes from the early and mid-late 30s.

[@Jrofosho]

Finally! Someone is reacting to my favorite movie of all time.

[@lithium23]

10:00 Growing up I though that for some reason in the 1920s they did something to make grass blue because of this movie lol.

[@Britcarjunkie]

I wish they'd make a sequel to this film, because the point where they ended, Hughes was just kicking things into second gear! You two REALLY need to learn about that man, and his accomplishments. He went on to do so much more later in his life, despite his problems. His first film, "Hells Angels", won one of the very first Academy awards. The scenes you see of the film being screened, are from the actual film: it was shot in black & white, but he had flames in several of the fires "colorized" - another cinematic first. And yes, he did design the first underwire bra for Jane Russell (another first), and as he was laying in the hospital after the XF-11 crash, he designed the modern hospital bed, because he was in so much pain, he couldn't get comfortable. And yes he is on film, telling that Senator where to go! You should see that as well. Also, the film of the Hercules being moved to Long Beach for assembly, was real film. (A note: he kept the Hercules stored in a climate controlled hanger in the L.A. harbor, and it remained there - ready to fly at a moment's notice, until Hughes died. That's why, when Evergreen bought the aircraft, they were considering flying it to Oregon.) Hell, he's also one of the people responsible for making Las Vegas what it is today! He had his hand in everything. Hell, he even built a ship for the CIA, for the purpose of raising a sunken Russian nuclear submarine, from unheard of depths! (Look up the Hughes Glomar Explorer) What you see in this film, is pretty much all true, the good parts, and the ugly parts, but he didn't let the ugly parts stop him, and friends that worked for him said the fastest way to get fired by Howard Hughes, was to say "It can't be done.". EDIT: A few more tidbits about the man himself (I did a bio on him in high school): he died on his private jet, enroute from Mexico to Texas, and he DID have a will, but the corporation that was overseeing his "empire" had other plans, and basically made the will vanish. I recall that Hughes remembered everybody that had ever helped him throughout his life, including the gardener that pulled him out of the XF-11 wreckage, and he had large checks sent to all of those people - which brings up another film about Hughes, called "Melvin and Howard" (and, the remains of the brothel where this story started, just burned down within the last few years, sadly).

[@argentokaos2629]

Was *just* revisiting this over the weekend. You guys are way awesome.

[@stvdagger8074]

The apple guy is Spencer Tracy, nominated for 9 academy awards and winner of two. He and Kate Hepburn had a covert relationship until his death, 26 years later, although he never divorced his wife.

[@rosenfield10]

Some biopics/true stories to watch: JFK (About D.A. Jim Garrison) starring Kevin Costner, Tommy Lee Jones, Joe Pesci, Sissy Spacek The Elephant Man (About John Merrick) starring Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt

[@seanfenton8371]

Thank you for reacting to this. One of my favorite movies and a great period piece. When they gave Scorcese a "make up" Oscar, it should have been for this movie, not "The Departed".

[@leob4403]

Departed is great in its genre

[@huverdoose]

The senate hearings are pretty close. You can find the footage if you look.

[@richardb6260]

Howard Hughes was the richest man in America for nearly 20 years. His name was synonymous with the word "billionaire". In his later years he became a recluse. Rarely leaving his penthouse in Las Vegas. The 1971 James Bond movie "Diamonds are Forever" has a character named Willard Whyte played by Jimmy Dean who was based on Howard Hughes.

[@alainvachon6255]

Great movie! I was working at Montreal city hall when they shoot the movie. They used the main hall (completely transformed) for many scenes and the rumor was that Leonardo DiCaprio had a bedroom set up on the fourth floor so he could stay there during the shooting.

[@TheTcwalton]

Another biopic Hughes centered movie is 2016's Rules Don't Apply. The character of Hughes also makes an appearance in Tucker(1988) and The Rocketeer (1991). All three get my recommendations. Other biopics: Patton (1970) Man On The Moon (1991) Spartacus (1960) Ed Wood (1994) All four are highly recommended. Other Martin Scorsese recommendations: Mean Streets (1973) Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974) After Hours (1985)

[@PelosiStockPortfolio]

Hughes aircraft company made a lot things that are still around. The presence it had in southern california was massive. Its space division was bought by Boeing in 2000, the only division that I know still running under the name is Hughes Research Labs (HRL) in malibu. As an aerospace engineer you should look up its history and legacy

[@manuelacosta9463]

DiCaprio should've taken home the gold with his portrayal here. His relapse in the end with those germ proof men who may or may not be real foreshadows Howard's eventual downward spiral into madness. It's unnerving and tragic.

[@JasonMoir]

Hepburn is an acting legend. And Hughes was definitely an odd person, especially as he got older.

[@shawng.1073]

Here are a few of my favorite bio-pics you may find interesting: Lincoln (2013) played by Daniel Day-Lewis, dir. by Spielberg, Bonnie & Clyde (1967) played by Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, Almost Famous (2000), based on the director, Cameron Crowe's early life as a music journalist in the 70s, Amadeus (1984) best picture winner about Mozart, Saving Mr. Banks (2014) one of Tom Hanks' many portrayals of a real person (I think he's up to 9 or 10 now). This time it's Disney. Kevin Costner is great as District Attorney Jim Garrison, investigating the Kennedy assassination in JFK (1991). You've already done A Beautiful Mind and Hacksaw Ridge, so this should get you started.

[@jimmorrish6771]

the spruce goose is in a museum in Oregon now, amazing plane

[@JonNo86]

Fun fact: The band Nine Inch Nails got their name from Howard Hughes' autopsy report. He was found dead in that film room with long hair, surrounded by piss jars, and he had nine inch long fingernails.

[@TheNeonRabbit]

I saw a manual he wrote for his staff, the procedure for opening a can of peaches for him, including directions for removing the label, scrubbing the can down until it was bare metal, washing it again and pouring the contents into a bowl without touching the can to the bowl etc. etc. It stressed that if any step wasn't followed to the letter it must be thrown out and the process started again with a new can.

[@vitocorleone7727]

I love you guys!! Thanks for your reactions, they make my day sometimes. I hope your baby is doing amazing!

[@misja4122]

Have you guys seen 'Saving Mr. Banks'? It's sort of a bio-pic about the creation of the Mary Poppins movie. It's an amazing film with Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson, so I would highly recommend it!

[@EntertheDragon76]

Two Eastwood directed films to consider. American Sniper & Sully. He did J. Edgar with Leo too but i've not got round to watch that one. Nice to see a small Isla cameo (pun intended) too. As always great reaction guys.

[@subliminallime4321]

That Katherine Hepburn accent is called a Transatlantic or Mid Atlantic accent. It was a fake accent that actors used in old movies so that films could be shown in both America and the UK because they thought that Brits & Americans would have a hard time understanding each other. It's basically supposed to be a combination between the two accents. Apparently Katherine Hepburn just started using the accent all the time in real life as well.

[@sparky6086]

True, but the transatlantic accent had already become fashionable among the elite crowd in northeastern colleges in the late 1800's who'd initially picked it up in drama class, so many people who were not in show business had already adopted a transatlantic accent by the time Katherine Hepburn came along.

[@mattparks2153]

The Movie was nominated for best Picture that year.

[@GeneralZodFDNY77]

I hope enjoying Cate Blanchett's turn as Katherine Hepburn makes you guys want to dive into Kate's films. I grew up on her films as they were always on TV in the 70s and 80s and she really was awesome. "Bringing Up Baby", "Adam's Rib", "The African Queen", and "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner" just off the top of my head as some of my faves.

[@CineRam]

Before working with Leo, Martin Scorsese made several films with Robert De Niro (including "Cape Fear" which I believe you've seen). Marty's next film is "Killers of the Flower Moon" which stars both De Niro AND DiCaprio. "The Aviator" and "Wolf of Wall St" were both projects that Leo asked Marty to make, whereas "Gangs of NY" and "Shutter Island" were Scorsese projects that he asked Leo to star in. "The Departed" was a project that the studio was developing when they asked Marty and Leo to make it--and that was the film that won Best Picture! Marty pronounces his last name "skor-seh-see" instead of "skor-say-zee".

[@VonPunk]

Great reaction, nice to see Isla make her channel debut too. 👶👨‍👩‍👧

[@Canadian_Chris]

"THAT'S ALL YOU GET" lol. Love it. BTW don't let anyone tell you that pacifiers or thumb sucking results in crooked teeth. My 21 year old has perfectly straight teeth.

[@angelohernandez6060]

Yeah, Hughes really did crash that plane in a residential area of LA. It almost killed him. I think after that was when they started tougher restrictions on air traffic over populated areas.

[@realmadridchannel10]

Malcolm X is one of the greatest biopics