Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes
Seen it?1965 | 138 min | Comedy
Saturday SpecialWhy it’s a Saturday Special
It earned strong reviews (80% on Rotten Tomatoes), it drew serious awards attention and it made about 9 times its budget. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who wants a laugh. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Light and funny.
- The pace
- Breezy, at 2 hr 18 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1965: an older pace and style.
In order to boost circulation of his newspaper, Lord Rawnsley announces an air race and offers £10,000 to the first person who can fly across the English Channel. But one of the participants, Percy, plots to sabotage his competitor's planes. Will Percy triumph?
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
80% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
6.8 out of 10
- AwardsStrong
Won 1 BAFTA: British Academy Film Awards: Best British Costume Design – Colour. Also nominated for 1 Oscar, 2 Golden Globes and 2 more BAFTAs.
- Box office & staying powerStrong
$50 million worldwide on a $6 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 100K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Ken Annakin
- Stuart WhitmanOrvil Newton
- Sarah MilesPatricia Rawnsley
- James FoxRichard Mays
- Alberto SordiCount Emilio Ponticelli
- Robert MorleyLord Rawnsley
- Gert FröbeColonel Manfred von Holstein
- Jean-Pierre CasselPierre Dubois
- Eric SykesCourtney
- Red SkeltonThe Neanderthal Man
- Terry-ThomasSir Percy Ware-Armitage