Excellent movie from beginning to end....

Rating: 10/10 (28 July 2005)

I really enjoyed this movie. I am not a big fan of DiCaprio, but I have to say hats of to the guy, this was an excellent performance.
There seems to be a lot of talk about the character of Hughes as not being likable, and perhaps this is not the best way to make people like the film. I have to disagree, this is a commentary on a major figure in aviation history. What would be the point in making a film about him and changing him so that he was more likable? By all accounts he was a man driven incessantly by a desire to succeed, to go one step further in aviation. DiCaprio captured this about the man completely. Of course as most truly driven people are, he made enemies and some people simply found him too much. He would have not been an easy man to be around, even when his psychological problems were not affecting him. If the character had been softened to make him easier to like, then it would not have been a film about Howard Hughes.
Nevertheless as the film progresses there is clearly a sense of loyalty toward the man from the growing population of people who work for him, he is clearly looked up to and there is the desire of his closest colleagues and friends to keep his problems out of the headlines, to protect him from pressure and harm. Even though he may not have been the easiest man to like, it is clear that he was liked by a great many people.
Cate Blanchett was just perfect as Kathryn Hepburn as was Kate Bekinsale as Ava Gardener, and the insight into 1920-40 Hollywood was interesting.
In my opinion, Alec Baldwin had the weakest character although I would not go so far as to say he did a bad job of portraying the bad guy of Pan American. Alan Alda (as always) provided a much better "bad guy" though in the form of the Senator whose "witch hunt" enquiry was torn apart by a determined Hughes.
I quite enjoy long films, but this is longer than most. There are not many films this long that I would want to watch many times, but I think I will be watching this again soon as I was engrossed in the story from beginning to end. It's a shame that film is only concerned with Hughes life up till the maiden (and only) flight of the Hurcules, but if his whole life had been handled then in my opinion it would have seemed a very rushed and crowded film.
Recommended.