Flyboys (2006)

The adventures of the Lafayette Escadrille, young Americans who volunteered for the French military before the U.S. entered World War I, and became the country's first fighter pilots.

Director:

Tony Bill

Writers:

Phil Sears (screenplay), Blake T. Evans (screenplay),

Stars:

James Franco, Scott Hazell, Jean Reno

2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Franco	...	Blaine Rawlings
Scott Hazell	...	Cinema Usher
Mac McDonald	...	Sheriff Detweiller
Philip Winchester	...	William Jensen
Todd Boyce	...	Mr. Jensen
Karen Ford	...	Mrs. Jensen
Ruth Bradley	...	Laura
Abdul Salis	...	Eugene Skinner
Jean-Philippe Écoffey	...	Skinner's trainer
Tim Pigott-Smith	...	Mr. Lowry
Tyler Labine	...	Briggs Lowry
Gail Downey	...	Mrs. Lowry
David Ellison	...	Eddie Beagle
Jean Reno	...	Capt. Thenault
Augustin Legrand	...	L.T. Giroux

Storyline

Before the United States entered World War I, young Americans went to France to be fighter pilots, joining the Lafayette Escadrille. This fictional version follows a laconic Texas rancher, an eager Nebraska kid, a Black boxer already in France, and a New York swell, as they arrive green for training, get their baptism by fire when German planes ambush them on their first mission, and graduate to heroics. Rawlings, the Texan, falls in love with a young woman he meets at a bordello. Keeping their eyes on them are Captain Thenault and Cassidy, the resident ace, who keeps a pet lion. Can the boys measure up?

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Plot Keywords:

american | france | pilot | training | military | 

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Taglines:

Inspired by a true story

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | History | Romance | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for war action violence and some sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

Electric Entertainment [us]

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

22 September 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

Caballeros del aire

Filming Locations:

Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$60,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£38,531 (UK) (1 June 2007)

Gross:

£38,531 (UK) (1 June 2007)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Electric Entertainment, Flyboys Films, Ingenious Film Partners

Technical Specs

Runtime:

140 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS SDDS

Color:

Black and White (archive footage) Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The real Lafayette Escadrille actually had a pair of lion cubs as mascots. One was indeed named "Whiskey," as in the film. The other, appropriately enough, was named "Soda."

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Goofs

The movie takes place in late 1916 and early 1917. The Fokker Dr.I triplane didn't appear until September 1917. Likewise, the Bristol Fighter and SE5a weren't available until after the time period depicted in the movie. Also, the paint schemes shown on the Dr.I triplanes are wrong. The crosses weren't painted on the upper surfaces of the lower wing and the all-red paint scheme was only used on Manfred von Richtofen's (the Red Baron's) plane; however many of the planes in his unit were partly red. Correct German fighter planes for the time frame of the movie would have been the Albatros DI,DII,and DIII, and the Halberstadt DII.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Title Card: By the start of 1916, World War I had wreaked havoc across Europe. Over nine million people would eventually die.
Title Card: Although the airplane had only recently been invented, it was quickly adapted into a war machine.
Title Card: The young men who flew them became the first fighter pilots and a new kind of hero was born.

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Connections

Version of Hell Bent for Glory (1958)

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Soundtracks

"How Ya Gunna Keep 'em Down on the Farm (After They've Seen Paree?)"
Written by Walter Donaldson, Sam Lewis (as Samuel M. Lewis) and Joe Young (as Joseph Young)
Published by EMI Music Publishing Ltd.
Licensed by Sony BMG Commercial Markets UK

User Reviews

Entertaining

Very Entertaining. I will recommend it. Attention to detail was very factual, such as filing the bullets so they wouldn't jam and the Spandaus having to be hand cocked. Drideckers, the three winged Fokkers; did not enter the war until the very end. There were also two lions; Whisky and Soda, who were later banned to the stables because they kept peeing all over the château. The characters were very well done and told a good story. I hope it makes people look up the fliers and read about them. There were quite a few men that made up the Esquidrille and all were very interesting. When fact becomes legend print the legend.