Film Snail

The Rocketeer
The Rocketeer

6.5

The Rocketeer

PG·1991·108m

Summary

A stunt pilot comes across a prototype jetpack that gives him the ability to fly. However, evil forces of the world also want this jetpack at any cost.

Cast

Billy Campbell

Billy Campbell

Cliff Secord

Jennifer Connelly

Jennifer Connelly

Jenny Blake

Alan Arkin

Alan Arkin

A. 'Peevy' Peabody

Timothy Dalton

Timothy Dalton

Neville Sinclair

Paul Sorvino

Paul Sorvino

Eddie Valentine

Terry O'Quinn

Terry O'Quinn

Howard Hughes

Ed Lauter

Ed Lauter

Fitch

Jon Polito

Jon Polito

Bigelow

James Handy

James Handy

Wooly

William Sanderson

William Sanderson

Skeets

Margo Martindale

Margo Martindale

Millie

Clint Howard

Clint Howard

Mark

John Lavachielli

John Lavachielli

Rusty

Eddie Jones

Eddie Jones

Malcolm

Max Grodénchik

Max Grodénchik

Wilmer

Daniel O'Shea

Mike

Pat Crawford Brown

Pat Crawford Brown

Mrs. Pye

Julian Barnes

Charlie

Charlie Stavola

Charlie Stavola

Assistant Director

William Boyett

William Boyett

Government Liaison

William Frankfather

William Frankfather

Government Liaison

Norbert Weisser

Norbert Weisser

Zeppelin Pilot

Michael Francis Clarke

G-Man

Darryl Henriques

Darryl Henriques

G-Man

Scanlon Gail

Scanlon Gail

G-Man at Chaplin Field

Melora Hardin

Melora Hardin

South Seas Singer

Rick Overton

Rick Overton

South Seas Patron

Dick Warlock

Dick Warlock

FBI Agent

David Pressman

David Pressman

Hospital Guard

Taylor Gilbert

Taylor Gilbert

Stewardess

Ele Keats

Ele Keats

Girl at Newsstand

Chance Michael Corbitt

Chance Michael Corbitt

Newspaper Kid

Merritt Yohnka

Nazi Crewman

Craig Hosking

Craig Hosking

Airshow Pilot

Tiny Ron

Tiny Ron

Lothar / Good Old Boy

Michael Milhoan

Michael Milhoan

Jeff

Joe D'Angerio

Stevie

Tommy J. Huff

Lenny

Doug McGrath

Doug McGrath

Reporter

Herman Poppe

Zeppelin Captain

Robert Miranda

Robert Miranda

Spanish Johnny

Don Pugsley

Goose

Nada Despotovich

Nada Despotovich

Irma

America Martin

Patsy

Paul DeSouza

Pauly

Sam Vincent

Filmstage Director

Lisa Pedersen

Noblewoman

Peter Bromilow

Peter Bromilow

Nobleman

Tom Kindle

Clapperboy

Heinrich James

Nazi Agent

Bob Leeman

W.C. Fields

Gene Daily

Clark Gable

Thomas Lee Tully

Reporter

Mike Finneran

Reporter

Dave Adams

Dave Adams

Reporter

Arlee Reed

Cameraman

Kim Sebastian

Nurse

Lila Finn

Clothesline Lady

Perry Cook

Good Old Boy

Danielle Bedau

Girl at Newsstand

Bob Sandman

South Seas Bandleader

Lori Lynn Ross

South Seas Mermaid

Kathleen Michaels

South Seas Camera Girl

Peter Frankland

Nazi Commando

Kristopher Logan

Kristopher Logan

Nazi Commando

Paul Forsyth

Nazi Commando

Steve Hinton Sr.

Airshow Pilot

Jim Franklin

Airshow Pilot

Richard T. Brickert

Airshow Pilot

Chuck Wentworth

Airshow Pilot

Bill Turner

Airshow Pilot

Chuck Riley

Narrator (voice)

Crew

Director

Joe Johnston

Graphic Novel

Dave Stevens

Screenplay, Story

Danny Bilson

Screenplay, Story

Paul De Meo

Story

William Dear

Reviews

John Chard

John Chard

September 25, 2014

8

Rocketeer is directed by Joe Johnston and co-written by Danny Bilson, Paul De Meo and William Dear. It is based on Dave Stevens' comic book The Rocketeer. It stars Billy Campbell, Jennifer Connelly, Alan Arkin, Timothy Dalton and Paul Sorvino. Music is scored by James Horner and cinematography by Hiro Narita.

It took eight years to get to the screen, with many rewrites, changes in personal, changes in setting and etc, the only thing consistent was Disney's inconsistency. Once out the film received generally positive reviews but posted only a small profit, in the wake of a Tim Burton inspired reinvention of the Super Hero genre, Rocketeer fell away into cultdom, sequels planned were shelved and its reputation remains to this day one of being a misfire. Unfair say I! Rocketeer is a lovingly crafted adventure film, nodding towards the serials of the 1930s, it's awash with period Hollywood delights, Art Deco imagery, has a damsel in distress, square jawed heroics, Nazi villains, wonderful effects and a blunderbuss Zeppelin finale. Backed by beautiful smooth tone photography and an evocative heart stirring music score, it's a family friendly blockbuster that ticks all the requisite boxes. The quality of the action sequences still hold up today, and Johnston, who wanted the job big time, directs with a knowing grasp of the setting, and crucially he never once loses a grip on tone and pacing. There's no self parody here, no deep Fruedian dissection of the main character, just a honest to goodness good against bad axis, with a romantic cause deftly wafted over proceedings.

The role of Cliff Secord (Rocketeer) proved hard to cast, where Vincent D'Onofrio turned it down and "name" actors such as Dennis Quaid, Emilio Estevez, Kurt Russell and Bill Paxton auditioned for the part. Paxton, it's believed, was very close to getting it as well. Disney wanted an A list man, Johnny Depp and Kevin Costner were mooted, but Johnston had a feel for unknown Billy Campbell and managed to convince nervous Disney heads that he was perfect. Much of the scorn that has flown towards Rocketeer has landed at Campbell's door, again, this is unfair. It's hard to tell if one of those A list actors could have made the character work better, for it helps in this instance to not have a familiar face propelling the adventure. There's an innocence, an awkwardness to Campbell's portrayal that just sits right for a guy stumbling upon a rocket pack and finding himself submerged in a chase and harry battle against bad. He also has the looks, a handsome dude who creates a homespun based chemistry with the sensuous Connelly. It's Dalton's movie, though, he's having a devil of a time as the chief villain. Modeled on Errol Flynn and the spurious notion that he was once a Nazi spy, Dalton has the looks, the gusto, the moustache twirling shiftiness and a voice perfect for such material. A roll call of great character actors fill out the support slots, with Terry O'Quinn, Paul Sorvino and Ed Lauter particularly striking the right chords.

A smashing piece of escapism, no pretensions or ideas above its station. The willingness to tap into the basic premise of a comic book actioner and entertain in grand Hollywood terms, to be applauded. And I do, and I do love it so. 8/10

Media

Status:

Released

Original Language:

English

Budget:

$42,000,000.00

Revenue:

$46,704,056.00

Keywords

nazi
superhero
airplane wreck
based on comic
airship
los angeles, california
based on graphic novel
flying man
pilot hero
nazi collaborationism
1930s
griffith observatory