IMDb > The Gypsy Moths (1969)

The Gypsy Moths (1969) More at IMDbPro »

Overview

User Rating:
6.2/10   683 votes
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Director:
John Frankenheimer
Writers:
William Hanley (screenplay)
James Drought (novel)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Gypsy Moths on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
28 August 1969 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | Action more
Tagline:
When you turn on by falling free... when jumping is not only w way to live, but a way to die, too... you're a Gypsy Moth. more
Plot:
Three skydivers and their travelling thrill show barnstorm through a small midwestern town one Fourth of July weekend. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
User Comments:
Gave it a "7" because of Deborah Kerr more (21 total)

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Burt Lancaster ... Mike Rettig

Deborah Kerr ... Elizabeth Brandon

Gene Hackman ... Joe Browdy
Scott Wilson ... Malcolm Webson
William Windom ... V. John Brandon

Bonnie Bedelia ... Annie Burke
Sheree North ... Waitress
Carl Reindel ... Pilot
Ford Rainey ... Stand Owner
John Napier ... Dick Donford
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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
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Runtime:
107 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Metrocolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Australia:PG (TV rating) | West Germany:18 (f) | Canada:14A (video rating) | Finland:K-8 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | Australia:G
Filming Locations:
Abilene, Kansas, USA more
Company:
John Frankenheimer Productions Inc. more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
John Phillip Law was cast as Malcolm Webson, the youngest of the three skydiving barnstormers, but had to be replaced by Scott Wilson, because of an injury to his wrist. John Frankenhiemer wanted a close-up of him landing after a parachute jump and while in harness he was raised just out of camera shot by a crane, then released to float into the shot. When he landed, he fell and broke his wrist badly when he put his hand out to break his fall. more
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: During the parachute jump that opens the film, the Gypsy Moths jump from the exact same plane flown by the same pilot they meet and hire - supposedly for the first time - in another town several days later. more
Quotes:
Joe Browdy: We'll be jumping from a Howard DGA-15. "DGA": that stands for "Damn Good Airplane", which if course it is. Very tricky to land though. Heh heh. You're much better off jumping out if it than you are taking a chance on landing in it. This one's in good shape.
Malcolm Webson: To Browdy, a airplane is in good shape if it has wings and a prop.
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in The Sky Divers (1969) more

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
4 out of 7 people found the following comment useful.
Gave it a "7" because of Deborah Kerr, 26 March 2005
7/10
Author: enthusiast from Lithuania

This movie is an overlooked gem, and deserved better than what it got. I remember it coming out in theatrical release in the late 1960s, and it received very good reviews but for some reason it quietly died off; or so it seems. The director, in the commentary on the DVD, tells why this occurred and that was basically due to a change of management at MGM shortly after this movie was released. Now, it can be appreciated with the new DVD technology.

The technology used to film this movie was very sophisticated for its time and gave results that would challenge the technology of today. Film cameras instead of video cameras were used by the skydivers; nevertheless they obtained tremendous aerial shots that are thrilling even today. It is hard to believe that these scenes were filmed thirty six years ago.

The documentary film on the DVD about the making of this movie is absolutely essential to fully enjoy and understand the skydiving associated with this movie; including the "Bat Wing" stunt skydiving that forms a sort of particular drama with this movie. A better film documentary film about this movie, which I doubt exists or will be shown, would be about the making of the love scene between Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr. The had a love scene, of sorts, in the 1953 movie, "From Here to Eternity". That scene, on the beach, is quite well known. However, due to the Code restrictions then not really that much could be shown.

I believe that one unspoken reason this movie was made was to allow a reunion between Lancanster and Kerr. Also, she was willing to be naked in a movie, very rare for the late 1960s. Those would be the primary reasons why she was in the movie as she was actually somewhat miscast due to her accent; a definite British accent in Kansas is somewhat incongruous (nowhere in the movie are we told that she is, say, a war bride or a British girl who somehow otherwise married a Kansas man).

Having said that I am actually very glad they cast her! Nowadays I look a lot like her and worry about whether or not I can find another husband (divorced and looking). Debby showed that a girl could still get a gorgeous hunk like Burt even when she was 48! You guys just can't imagine what us middle aged gals feel when we see Debby and Burt finally doing the wild thing in that living room! It gives us hope that we can still get a man! Deborah Kerr still had a great body at 48, and that is why I think she did not mind doing the nude scene. I think she was not near as nervous showing off as Burt was and certainly not near as nervous as the director. Her performance was certainly a highlight of this movie.

Puzzling was the performance of William Windom; who portrayed her husband. His role is somewhat out of place; and I don't understand why his fine acting skills weren't use more than they were. His role is disjointed at best and it is hard to understand how the character is supposed to fit within this movie. There are absolutely no husband-wife dynamics shown between him and Kerr. Even in the most disjointed of marriages (such as the second of my two marriages) there is generally some sort of attachment between the two even though they may both be in the divorce court! Interestingly enough, when Lancaster was on this film he had just gone through a divorce. His wife was upset due to all the flings he had been through while married to her. Well, it is easy for this gal to see why he was not totally loyal to his wife; he had all those sexy women throwing themselves at him! And, if I had been around that area when this film was being made I would have been one of them! He was a good looking fellow then! Debby, you were a lucky gal!

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