Movie Review: Amelia

Amelia 

Fox Searchlight Pictures, Avalon Pictures, AE Electra Productions, USA, Canada, 2009. 

Based on the biography books "East to the Dawn" by Susan Butler and "The Sound of Wings" by Mary S. Lovell. 

In 1937 Amelia Earhart (Hilary Swank) starts record flight attempt to fly around the world. She remembers her life before that. In 1928 Amelia tries to get funding for flight across Atlantic from book publisher Mr. George Putnam (Richard Gere). HOwevere what he suggests is a hoax where a pilots Bill Stultz (Joe Anderson) and copilot Slim Gordon (Aaron Abrams) would really do the flying. The first attempt fails because the plane has too much weight. Amalia takes command and orders removal of some fuel to make it lighter. That does the trick. 

Amelia Earhart

George Putnam

Slim Gordon and Bill Stultz

The success of Amelia inspires also young female pilot Elinor Smith (Mia Wasikowska). George wants to marry Amelia but she declines because she wants to see the world. Amelia proves her aviation skills with solo flight over Atlantic. Finally Amalia agrees to marry George. Amelia becomes a celebrity but she wants to be free. George is interested in businesses but future Federal Aviation administrator Gene Vidal (Ewan McGregor) brings out also Amelia's feminine side resulting to love triangle.

Fokker F.VIIb/3m

Elinor Smith

Gene Vidal

George arranges funding for Amelia's round-the-world flight. First attempt of Amelia and navigator Fred Noonan (Christopher Eccleston) fails. Amelia does not want to give up. She wants to show the world that women can fly. Amelia and George find romantic spark again. On the final stretch of the flight Amelia disappears. 

American heroine

Lockheed Model 10 Electra

Fred Noonan and Amelia

Swank does really look like Earhart and pulls the tomboyish role well. The film is an interesting character study about woman who wanted to show that also women can be pilots. It was also notable that PR was very important in the pioneering times of flight, as the pilots had to make aviation interesting for the public and get funding from sponsors. The cinematography looks good and flight scenes are beautiful. Richard Gere's character goes through the most character development as at first he seems like a callous businessman but becomes later a trusted and loved companion of Amelia. However Amelia's youth is quickly brushed aside, making no other observation that she was a country girl who wanted to fly.

Part of The 2016 Movie Watching Challenge (#22. Biography movie)

Rating: Good

Starring: Hilary Swank, Richard Gere, Ewan McGregor, Christopher Eccleston, Joe Anderson, Cherry Jones, Mia Wasikowska, Aaron Abrams, Dylan Roberts, Scott Yaphe, Tom Fairfoot, Ryann Shane, William Cuddy, Elizabeth Shepherd, Richard Donat, Scott Anderson, Sarah Kitz, Keelin Jack, Jeremy Akerman, Derek Keurvorst, Thomas Hauff, Sarah Dood, Danielle Bourgon, Hamish McEwan, Michael Daly, Jeffrey Knight, Paul Johnston, Michael Richard, Daniel Janks, Ron Smerczak, Kerin McCue, Richard Lothian, Divine Brown, Elizabeth Saunders, Precious Chong, Kathryn Haggis, Duane Murray, Joe Renzi, Geoff Gillespie, Andrea Ciacci, Julia Juhas, Alexandra MacLean, Kristen Munro, Eva Redpath, Jamie Holmes, Brittany Gray, Karissa Strain, Katie Strain, Valerie Saija, Nina Strazzulla, Leanne Melissa Bishop, James Byron, Amelia Earhart, Gillian Ferrier, Michael Malott
Director: Mira Nair