Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes

Few films there are ineed that I would be willing to pay a lot to have on DVD, but this certainly is!

In my book it rates with Tati's best, and he's tops!

The idea of making a film about aircraft was not new, I guess, but to do it such manner is still unique! Who would make a film

about an air-race between London and Paris, and do it as a comedy, with almost perfect dialogue, details and acting, but the British?

A number of vintage aircraft (circa 1909) were repaired/constructed

and flown for the flight sequencies, from the minuscle Demoiselle (the replica too small to have a male pilot!) via big, boxkite-like Cody's, inspired by Farmans to the Antoinette, which was 100% original!

As in any slapstick film there are villains (Terry Thomas, and Eric Sykes), pompous Germans, elegant Italians, flirting Frenchmen and the honest guy, of course!

Liking both British humour and aircraft, plus the good acting, the clever and exciting cinematography, and the excellent directing from Mr Annikin I can't but smile!

9/10, easily!

An interesting collection of early aircraft in a lighthearted comedy. Set in the early 1900s, an "international" air race, from England to France, and of course across the English Channel, was proposed, ostensibly to advance aviation. Naturally, the film presents cultural/national stereotypes, but not maliciously.

Spoilers in the following.

One stereotype is the German team leader, played be Gert Frobe, who is so systematized that when his pilot is sick, feels that simply following the instruction books would enable him to fly the German entry. And it works, for a while. (Aside: taking off and guiding such ragwings could possibly work, but textbooks or no, the landings probably would be worth watching on something like America's Funniest Home Videos.) His antics, as his aircraft gets into trouble, thumbing frantically through his manuals, is classic.

The very end of the film (not counting the Red Skelton epilogue)is amusing. When it was filmed, the contrast of the early aircraft with modern jets was rather neat, but watching those antique jets now is rather quaint.

One of the numerous comedy epics of the 1960s (It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World, and Monte Carlo or Bust being others), this movie is very funny and memorably so. The tale of several flyers from different nationalities (British, America, French, Italian, German, etc.) piloting their planes across the Channel from London to Paris - and the vintage model planes are fabulous - takes the form of a number of different interwoven stories leading up to the race in the last part of the movie.

The cast includes Terry-Thomas as Sir Percy, the cheating upper-class Englishman; James Fox as the irritating fop Richard; Stuart Whitman as Orvil the American nice guy; Jean-Pierre Cassell as the randy Frenchman; and Gert Frobe as the blustering German officer. Cameos a-plenty, from Benny Hill, Tony Hancock, William Rushton, Eric Sykes, Fred Emney, and so on. Irina Demick (in multiple roles), and Sarah Miles play what love interest the film has.

Highly recommended if you fancy a laugh. And a fantastic and memorable theme song as well.

You'll never forget the silly, marching band styled theme song to this 1965 comedy. Made during a period of big budgeted, epic, widescreen comedies with a big cast. Stuart Whitman is charming as the American entry into a multi-national air race between London and Paris in 1910. Sarah Miles, Terry-Thomas, Gert Forde, Benny Hill and James Fox lend fine support. Lots of well arranged, well thought out slapstick as well as low key, charcater driven comedy (James Fox and Whitman are great as romantic rivals forced to share the same breathing space.) At 2 hours 18 minutes, alot of fun.

I first watched this movie in a remote part of colonial Mozambique, brought around by a touring Catholic priest, and projected on a bed sheet, with all the local residents sitting on grass.

Perhaps because most locals had never watched a film before, or seen aircraft, what I remember is people laughing throughout, with some kids (including me) trying to imitate what went on the screen.

I remember finding Gert Frobe and Cassel very funny. Since then, I have watched this movie some four times at different points in my life and I've always found it both touchingly absurd and uproariously funny in parts. One can find many loopholes in the story, but that hardly matters in a well-intentioned film clearly determined to get a good laugh out of you.