Flyboys (2006)

Director:

Tony Bill

Writers (WGA):

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

Release Date:

22 September 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Romance | War

Tagline:

Inspired by a true story

Plot:

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. |

Plot Keywords:

Aerial Combat | WWI | Zeppelin | Military | Machine Gun

Awards:

2 wins & 3 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Wed. July 30	8:30 AM	TMC
Thur. July 31	5:00 AM	TMC

Cast

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
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
Keith McErlean	...	Vernon Toddman

Also Known As:

Fly Boys (International: English title) (alternative spelling)
Õhuässad (Estonia) [et]
Caballeros del aire (Argentina) [es]
Escadrille lafayette, L' (Canada: French title) [fr]
Flyboys (Greece) [el]
Flyboys - Bohaterska eskadra (Poland) [pl]
Flyboys - Helden der Lüfte (Germany) [de]
Giovani aquile (Italy) [it]
Heroji neba (Croatia) (DVD title) [hr]
Kahraman pilotlar (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]

MPAA:

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

Runtime:

140 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS

Certification:

Finland:K-13 | New Zealand:M | UK:12A | Singapore:PG | Malaysia:U | Australia:M | Argentina:Atp | South Korea:15 | Germany:12 | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Ireland:12A | USA:PG-13 (certificate #42281) | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

RAF Halton, Halton, Wendover, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Electric Entertainment

Trivia:

Filmmakers attempted to use lightweight reproductions of WWI aircraft, but grounded them after an accident.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The German column marching through the fields near Lucienne's farm includes several tanks. The German Army built only a handful of tanks during the course of the war, the first time they were used in action was on the 21st March 1918. The majority of tanks used by the Germans during World War One were captured French and British ones.

Quotes:

Eugene Skinner: You still wanna rub my head for luck, Rawlings?

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: The Worst of 2006" (2007)

Soundtrack:

How Ya Gunna Keep 'em Down on the Farm (After They've Seen Paree?)

Just attended the Premier

I just attended the premier of Flyboys at the Oshkosh Airshow. Enjoyed it thoroughly. The flight scene special effects were difficult to impossible to distinguish from the actual flying. Director Tony Bill discussed the background and making of the film to an audience composed largely of aviators including some of the best such as Bob Hoover, Sean Tucker and others. A difficult audience to impress and impressed they were.

The film does not shy away from the ugly aspects of combat nor does it ignore the seamier aspects of the non-flying life although that is nowhere near becoming graphic. The history has been treated accurately - and yes there was really a black pilot as portrayed in the film. I have read a number of histories and autobiographical accounts of the American volunteers - they were idealistic and naive. Thats just the age they lived in - don't judge the characterizations by todays standards.

Anyway, a wonderful film.