The Rocketeer (1991)

A young pilot stumbles onto a prototype jetpack that allows him to become a high flying masked hero.

Director:

Joe Johnston

Writers:

Dave Stevens (graphic novel "The Rocketeer"), Danny Bilson (story)

Stars:

Billy Campbell, Jennifer Connelly, Alan Arkin

1 win & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Billy Campbell	...	Cliff (as Bill Campbell)
Jennifer Connelly	...	Jenny
Alan Arkin	...	Peevy
Timothy Dalton	...	Neville Sinclair
Paul Sorvino	...	Eddie Valentine
Terry O'Quinn	...	Howard Hughes
Ed Lauter	...	Fitch
James Handy	...	Wooly
Robert Miranda	...	Spanish Johnny (as Robert Guy Miranda)
John Lavachielli	...	Rusty
Jon Polito	...	Bigelow
Eddie Jones	...	Malcolm
William Sanderson	...	Skeets
Don Pugsley	...	Goose
Nada Despotovich	...	Irma

Storyline

Straight from the pages of a pulp comic from a past era, the Rocketeer recreates 1930's Hollywood, complete with gangsters, Nazi spies, and the growth of the Age of Aviation. Young pilot Cliff Secord stumbles on a top secret rocket-pack and with the help of his mechanic/mentor, Peevy, he attempts to save his girl and stop the Nazis as The Rocketeer.

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Plot Keywords:

dieselpunk | jet pack | based on comic book | superhero | female stockinged legs | 

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Taglines:

Three years before the United States declares war, Cliff Secord leads America's first battle against the Nazis.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Family | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English German

Release Date:

21 June 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

Rocketeer

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$9,600,754, 23 June 1991, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$46,704,056

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Silver Screen Partners IV

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Dolby Stereo (35 mm prints)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sherilyn Fenn, Kelly Preston, Diane Lane, Elizabeth McGovern, and Penelope Ann Miller were considered for the role of Jenny Blake.

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Goofs

When Lothar says "Where's the rocket?" the words don't match his mouth.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Peevy: [as they bring the Gee Bee out for its maiden flight] Keep her straight, keep her level. It's your first time up, so don't do anything interesting.
Cliff Secord: Who, me?
Peevy: And remember, she stalls out at about a hundred. So keep the air speed up. Otherwise, you're gonna be drifting around all over the sky. And if the ailerons start to shimmy...
Cliff Secord: Peevy, I have flown a plane or two in my life.
Peevy: Not like this one, you haven't. This one's... This one's a handful. You sneeze in this thing and you're ...
[...]

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Connections

Featured in 1992 MTV Movie Awards (1992)

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Soundtracks

BEGIN THE BEGUINE
Written by Cole Porter
Performed by Melora Hardin

User Reviews

old fashion comic book hero

It's 1939. Howard Hughes (Terry O'Quinn) loses his rocket pack prototype and decides to abandon the project. Actor Neville Sinclair (Timothy Dalton) hired gangster Eddie Valentine (Paul Sorvino) to steal it. Sinclair's thugs are chased by government agents and leave the rocket in a plane. Pilot Cliff Secord (Billy Campbell) and mechanic Peevy (Alan Arkin) find it and start adapting it. Cliff's girlfriend Jenny Blake (Jennifer Connelly) has a bit part in Neville's latest film. After a heroic rescue, the Rocketeer becomes a media sensation. Eddie finds Jenny's picture and Neville kidnaps her. He turns out to be a secret Nazi agent.

It's all very old-fashion and undeniably Disney PG. It has a certain charm and a goodness in its classic comic book style. It does need a little bit more action and less of the setups. In that way, this is also somewhat old fashion. Campbell, Connelly, Dalton, Arkin, and Sorvino are all perfectly cast. It's a fine old style action adventure.