Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines -or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours and 11 Minutes (20th Century Fox) (1965)

{NTO THE WILD BLUE YONDER goes fearless Red Skelton in this scene from the 20th Century-Fox adventure-comedy spectacle, “Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines” in CinemaScope and DeLuxe Color opening aty thes 444-63 Theatre. Skelton appears in the film’s prologue, which recounts man’s early (and unsuccessful) attempts to fly like the birds. Mat 2B World of the Fearless Birdmen Rediscovered for New Film Comedy If there has been a revival of discussions about Unidentified Flying Objects in the air over Dover, England, it is no doubt due to the filming of flying sequences there for 20th CenturyFox’s “Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, or: How I Flew From London to Paris in 25 Hours and 11 Minutes.”” The CinemaScope-DeLuxe color presentation opens on..... ees Theatre. The antique aircraft re-created for the film bear little resemblance to present-day conceptions of what early airplane design looked like, since that has strongly been influenced by the planes flown during the World War I era. Set in 1910, “Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines’ pre-dates that period by only about four years. But for the difference in design, it might well be four decades, so quickly did air travel develop since the days those intrepid birdmen pioneerd the skies. It must also be remembered that the early planes were all custom built, generally to the design of their inventor which was frequently whimsical, occasionally downright eccentric. The film is climaxed by an air race across the English Channel from London to Paris, pointing up the international rivalry for early air supremacy’ which existed at the time of the story. Producer Stan Margulies and director Ken Annakin found, in this aspect of the story, an un Soennecernet: GERT FROBE stars as a flying cavalry officer in “Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines,” the 20th Century-Fox pasion: Theatre. comedy at the equalled opportunity to assemble a large cast of film stars from countries around the world. In the leading roles, Hollywood’s Stuart Whitman teams with a quartet of English actors — Sarah Miles, James Fox, TerryThomas and Robert Morley. They are joined in the spectacular production by Italy’s Alberto Sordi, Germany’s Gert Frobe, France’s Jean-Pierre Cassel and Irina Demick, and Japan’s Yujiro Ishihara. In addition, there are portrayals by Sam Wanamaker, Eric Sykes, Benny Hill, Flora Robson, Karl Michael Vogler, Tony Hancock and Red Skelton in a cameo role. Annakin had long been considering a serious film on the early days of flying when he discovered writer Jack Davies was developing an original screenplay treating the comic aspects of the exploits of adventuring aviators in their bizarre flying machines. Sharing top-billing with the film’s stars, in a sense, are the planes themselves which have been duplicated to the most minute detail. They include such airborne oddities as the Demoiselle, Antoinette, Bristol BoxKite, Avro Triplane, EardleyBillings bi-plane and a Bleriot of the type which was the first plane to fly the Channel. Most extensive of the many film sets for “Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines” was the film’s Brookley Aerodrome, a mammoth setting covering approximately 80 acres. It was patterned after Brooklands, the aerodrome which, a little more than half a century ago, was the hub of experimental aviation in England. One of the major difficulties was in finding a site at which scenes could be photographed from the air in almost an direction without exposing TV aerials, electric wires, paved roads, modern homes or any detail inconsistent — with the 1910 period of the film. Finally, Booker Air Field, in England’s lush Buckinghamshire countryside, was found to meet the requirements. An RAF base during World War II, it was in curernt use as a glider training center, an operation which did not interfere with the filming. Although it is true that “Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines” is a comedy, it is also true that almost every incident is based on an actual occurrence that took place during the early days of flying. The story, told to ensure the maximum amount of fun and entertainment, is, nevertheless, most careful not to lessen respect for the pioneers of aviation. The Language Barrier Is Crashed While Making ‘Magnificent Men’ With a different language heard wherever he turned, director Ken Annakin often had the feeling of presiding over a United Nations meeting as he directed “Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, or: How I Flew From London to Paris in 25 Hours and 11 Minutes,” in CinemaScope and DeLuxe Color opening..... are Annakin who had deliberately chosen his cast to give authentic flavor to the story of the first international air race in 1910, seriously thought of taking a few crash courses in languages, until two of his stars, Italy’s Alberto Sordi and France’s Jean-Pierre Cassel, led the way out of the ensuing Tower of Babel. When Sordi arrived in England to star in the 20th CenturyFox production, he brought with him one housekeeper and one interpreter. Both highly necessary, he explained, to help him deal with the difficulties of English cooking and the difficulties of the English language. But, as his housekepper had to learn English in order to bargain properly in the shops (as would any self-respecting Italian), Sordi determined he would not be outdone, Dispensing with his interpreter, he could be seen studying industriously in a corner of the set, or talking with a slightly glazed look to such masters of the English language as TerryThomas or Robert Morley. Just to confuse him further, Stuart Whitman would correct him in his friendly Californian drawl. Yet by the end of the film, some five months later, he was conducting interviews entirely in English. “One more film in English and I will speak molto bene” remarked Sordi with an expressive Italian shrug. Jean-Pierre Cassel, the handsome young Parisian who plays the French aviator had to be very persistent about his “no French please” rule. This was his first film outside France, where he is something of a matinee idol, and he had every intention of seizing the opportunity to learn English “as she is spoken.” But there were far too many people willing to try out their broken-down French on him. He even refused to speak French to co-star and co-Parisian Irina Demick, telling her sternly that she must also practice ‘ze Eenglish. He was so quick to learn that British comedian Davy Kaye, who plays his French mechanic in the film, swore that “everybody is going to think Jean-Pierre is English and I am French.” Doubtless a slight exaggeration, since JeanPierre still has a charming Gallic accent, even though his English is fluent. Director Ken Annakin heartily endorses both accent and English. “The French and Italian accents of Jean-Pierre and Alberto are part of the flavor of ‘Those Magnificent Men,’” he said. “But at the same time it does help when they know what I’m talking about. “Tt’s a curious fact,” he went on, “that we English expect everyone else to learn our language, while the Continentals have quite the opposite attitude. That’s why they’re so good at learning. We’re the lazy lot.” RONALD SEARLE’S whimsical pen gives his impression of “Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines,’ a 20th Century-Fox release in CinemaScope and DeLuxe Color opening the Theatre. eevee eeeeweeseee Magnificent Flying Machines of 1910 Rebuilt by Experts for New Film The aircraft re-created for 20th Century-Fox’s spectacular attraction, “Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, or: How I Flew From London to Paris in 25 Hours and 11 Minutes,” are authentic reproductions of 1910 originals. The whimsically designed aeroplanes are shown for the first time on the screen in this film about the earliest days of aviation which has, as its highpoint, an International Air Race across the English Channel from London to Paris. They were constructed from original drawings dug out of air archives in London and Paris. To insure their authenticity, Elmo Williams, head of European production for 20thFox, called in, as aeronautical adviser, Air Commodore Allen Wheeler, a trustee of the Shuttleworth Collection at Biggleswade and a war-time pilot. In one detail, the reproductions do vary from the originals. Because there wasn’t a motor manufacturer in the world who could find the jigs and machines to turn out exact duplicates of the 54-year-old engines, the small planes are powered by Volkswagon engines, the larger by Rolls Royce motors. They actually are no more powerful than the hand-made motors of the early models, but undoubtedly they are more dependable. Producer Stan Margulies and director Ken Annakin carefuly provided not one, but two standins for each of the planes in the film which are actually flown. Stand-in No. 1 remained ready to avoid production delay in case anything happened to its “star” counterpart. Stand-in No. 2 was especially constructed so that it could be pulled apart in sections to facilitate close-up filming. The 1910-vintage aeroplane could not get get off the ground, with any degree of safety, in anything stronger than a 10-15 mile-per-hour breeze and the situation gave birth to a new ery from Assistant Director Clive Reed, when he frequently kidded the company by shouting: “Ready! Quiet! Roll ’em! HOLD BREATHING! Action” “Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines,” which opens on at the Theatre in CinemaScope and DeLuxe Color boasts an impressive east of international stars ineluding Stuart Whitman, Sarah Miles, James Fox, Alberto Sordi, Robert Morley, Gert Frobe, JeanPierre Cassel, Eric Sykes, TerryThomas, Irina Demick, Benny Hill, Yujiro Ishihara, Flora Robson, Karl Michael Vogler, Sam Wanamaker, Red Skelton and Tony Hancock. SARAH MILES, recently starred in Joseph Losey’s “The Servant,” appears in “Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines” at the: ....26 Theatre. Mat1A On-The-Job Training Teaches Actor English Most European stars who want to work in American or English films must first become fairly proficient in the English language. Gert Frobe is an exception. Since he portrayed the sadistic Goldfinger in the film of that name, this talented German actor has been offered so many English-language films, he is receiving on-the-job training in the language and rapidly becoming fluent in it. Even so, Frobe relies on his expressive face to do the work where possible. Frobe snorts like a walrus instead of verbalizing his reaction in one of the comic scenes from 20th Century-Fox’s “Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, or: How I Flew From London to Paris in 25 Hours and 11 Minutes,” which OpelSue Sa: at Director Ken Annakin was so happy with the results, he declared, “That snort was more expressive than ten lines of dialogue.” “And a lot easier,” Frobe’s amiable reply. Frobe is most happy with the opportunity afforded him in “Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines” to switch from the arch-villainy, with which his screen career has been associated, to high comedy in the role of a bumbling German cavalry officer who is forced by circumstances to pilot a plane in the first international London-toParis air race. Writer Jack Davies, who collaborated with Annakin on the script, took full advantage of their new comic find by giving him as many visual scenes as possible. “Who needs dialogue with that wonderful face?” says Davies. Gert Frobe is just one of an impressive list of international stars who comprise the cast of “Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines.” Others include Stuart Whitman, Sarah Miles, James Fox, Alberto Sordi, Robert Morley, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Eric Sykes, Terry-Thomas, Irina Demick, Benny Hill, Yujiro Ishihara and Flora Robson. was FRANCE’S JEAN PIERRE CASSEL stars in “Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Ma Theatre. Mat 1G chines” at the All The World Loves A Clown For many years, the comic genius of Red Skelton has lit up television screens weekly in millions of homes across the nation. Now the size of the screen is at last a match for the massive talents of America’s beloved funnyman, for he is appearing in a cameo role in the CinemaScope and DeLuxe Color pre * sentation of ‘T‘hose Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, or: How I Flew From London to Paris in 25 Oours and 11 minutes,” which opens .... at..... Skelton considers himself strictly a clown, and defines the term, by saying, “A clown is one who reenacts in a exaggerated way scenes which have taken place. They then become funny or sad, depending on their interpretation and the point of view of the audience.” Skelton adds with pride, “Historically, people of all ages have loved clowns and laughed with them.” Skelton’s own career is clear proof of this last statement. He is curerntly in his 14th consecutive season as the star of a weekly television show — a record that no other personality has achieved on TV; his appearance in “Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines” marks his 32nd starring role on the screen; and in the realm of personal appearances, he has played to audiences of more than 100,000 in a single day at State Fairs. He is, in addition, one of the highly paid stars to appear regurarly at the plush Las Vegas nightclubs. TERRY-THOMAS is the dastardly villain in “Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Ma chines,” the spectacle-comedy opening .... at the ....Theatre. Mat 1C A Film Career On The Move “I’m going to see to it,” said Stuart Whitman determinedly, “that my kids won’t suffer more than is necessary due to my career. I don’t want to return home after a long absence making a picture abroad and have them say: ‘Who’s this tired-looking bum that just walked in?’” Whitman had just completed filming in England on 20th Century-Fox’s “Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, or: How I Flew From London to Paris in 25 Hours and 11 Minutes,” in CinemaScope and DeLuxe Color at the..... . Theatre, “T never failed to ring my youngsters at least once a week,” Whitman added, “and at five dollars a minute, I will always look upon ‘Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines’ as the picture which paid for my telephone calls.” Possibly, Whitman’s feelings on the subject of home life stem from the fact that his own parents were restless people and, as a consequence, he attended 26 schools in New York and California before they settled down in Los Angeles. For an actor who hates to travel, the tip-off on what his future was to be like occurred in one of Whitman’s first professional appearances. It was a role in a tent show version of “Here Comes Mr. Jordan.” Starting in Trenton, New Jersey, the show played 68 cities throughout the United States.