Rating: 
Summary: An Aviation Spectacle With Non-Stop Laughs
Review: "Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines" delivers non-stop entertainment from beginning to end. The accomplishment of delivering entertainment bang for bucks resulted in impressive turnstile activity for this highly unique international aviation spoof when it debuted in 1965. It became one of the year's top grossers.International director Ken Annakin spun an ingenious script with Jack Davies, resulting in an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. The film generates entertainment on several levels, 1) as an aviation spectacle, 2) as a hilarious spoof, 3) as an entertaining love story with a two men and a woman triangle as the men compete in a race, 4) as a clever drama in which another competitor seeks victory through cheating. Several years prior to this film Annakin won his spurs as a master of international spectacle with his masterful direction of the toughest battle sequences of Darryl F. Zanuck's "The Longest Day" about the D-Day invasion of 1944. This time the story centers around a bold stroke by newspaper publisher Robert Morley to win favor through offering 10 thousand pounds to the winner of a London to France airplane race over the English Channel. The fact that this occurs in 1910, the early days of aviation, gives the film an interesting twist. The movie is well worth viewing for the inventive aviation sequences alone, culminating with spectacular shots of the British and French countrysides. Stuart Whitman and James Fox have more incentive than winning the lucrative first prize money. They vie for the affections of Sylvia Miles, engaging in numerous strategy gambits along the way. A director whose filmmaking activities took him to countless nations and every continent, Annakin had the right credentials to present a clever spoof in which the national identity characteristics of the competitors representing the many countries involved are satirized in a manner that is constantly humorous and never mean-spirited. The German team is shown demonstrating maximum scientific precision while France's aggregation displays interest in dalliances with beautiful women along with fine wine and cuisine. Terry-Thomas is in sidesplitting top form as a cheating competitor determined to win at all costs. In that this is a comedic spoof rather than serious drama, his antics are more akin to those of a naughty but still delightful boy rather than a sinister heavy. Again, the premium is on having a good time, carrying humor to its zenith. Comedy master Red Skelton entertains in a cameo appearance, while Annakin and Davies create an interesting situation for Irina Demick as the versatile actress tackles no less than seven roles. As such she becomes a female equivalent to British male stars Alec Guinness and Peter Sellers in the domain of multiple role challenges. Another comedy great is also showcased prior to his long television reign, the incomparable Benny Hill. The Annakin-Davies team succeeds in one of the most challenging domains, creating a spoof in which many comedic and scenic balls are tossed in the air. To their credit, not one of the balls is dropped as the story twists provide consistent interest and the comedy remains perpetually enriching.
Rating:
Summary: An Aviation Spectacle With Non-Stop Laughs
Review: "Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines" delivers non-stop entertainment from beginning to end. The accomplishment of delivering entertainment bang for bucks resulted in impressive turnstile activity for this highly unique international aviation spoof when it debuted in 1965. It became one of the year's top grossers. International director Ken Annakin spun an ingenious script with Jack Davies, resulting in an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. The film generates entertainment on several levels, 1) as an aviation spectacle, 2) as a hilarious spoof, 3) as an entertaining love story with a two men and a woman triangle as the men compete in a race, 4) as a clever drama in which another competitor seeks victory through cheating. Several years prior to this film Annakin won his spurs as a master of international spectacle with his masterful direction of the toughest battle sequences of Darryl F. Zanuck's "The Longest Day" about the D-Day invasion of 1944. This time the story centers around a bold stroke by newspaper publisher Robert Morley to win favor through offering 10 thousand pounds to the winner of a London to France airplane race over the English Channel. The fact that this occurs in 1910, the early days of aviation, gives the film an interesting twist. The movie is well worth viewing for the inventive aviation sequences alone, culminating with spectacular shots of the British and French countrysides. Stuart Whitman and James Fox have more incentive than winning the lucrative first prize money. They vie for the affections of Sylvia Miles, engaging in numerous strategy gambits along the way. A director whose filmmaking activities took him to countless nations and every continent, Annakin had the right credentials to present a clever spoof in which the national identity characteristics of the competitors representing the many countries involved are satirized in a manner that is constantly humorous and never mean-spirited. The German team is shown demonstrating maximum scientific precision while France's aggregation displays interest in dalliances with beautiful women along with fine wine and cuisine. Terry-Thomas is in sidesplitting top form as a cheating competitor determined to win at all costs. In that this is a comedic spoof rather than serious drama, his antics are more akin to those of a naughty but still delightful boy rather than a sinister heavy. Again, the premium is on having a good time, carrying humor to its zenith. Comedy master Red Skelton entertains in a cameo appearance, while Annakin and Davies create an interesting situation for Irina Demick as the versatile actress tackles no less than seven roles. As such she becomes a female equivalent to British male stars Alec Guinness and Peter Sellers in the domain of multiple role challenges. Another comedy great is also showcased prior to his long television reign, the incomparable Benny Hill. The Annakin-Davies team succeeds in one of the most challenging domains, creating a spoof in which many comedic and scenic balls are tossed in the air. To their credit, not one of the balls is dropped as the story twists provide consistent interest and the comedy remains perpetually enriching.
Rating:
Summary: Hysterical and crazy air misadventure!
Review: "Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines" is another one of those long near-epic length films of the 1960's. (Don't you just love it?) All of the world's greatest aviators including Stuart Whitman, Gert Frobe, and Terry-Thomas are to meet in London and prepare themselves for a London to Paris air race. The result: hilarity and wackiness all leading in to one giant misadventure that will have you in stitches. By the way, when the German aviator is marching with his soldiers he imitates a brass oompah band! Hysterical sounding! Check this one out. Satisfaction guaranteed!
Rating: 
Summary: The best racing comedy of the 1960s.
Review: 1965 was the year of the big screen action race comedies with lots of stars, grand costumes, lavish sets and authentic classic vehicles. "The Great Race" a 1910 auto race from New York to Paris and the "Those Magnificent Men and Their Flying Machines" a 1910 International Aircraft race from London to Paris. What makes this 1965 Action Comedy so Grand is the attention to detail by Director Ken Annakin who had 6 replica flying machines built by real aero - engineers from the original blue prints and specifications. The accuracy of these replicants even proved the critical pilot weight limitations. They had to even substitute a female stunt pilot to fly the French mono - wing because the original pilot was a very small man. Now available for the first time on a spectacular panoramic 2.20:1 Aspect ratio. (Anamorphic WideScreen DVD (automatically adjusts picture to viewing tv size) with Dolby Surround Sound.) NOTE: THIS IS A FANTASTIC MOVIE TO WATCH ON WIDESCREEN 16:9 HDTV!!!!! This film is 138 minutes and has many extras which include very detailed information and the history regarding all the 1910 vintage aircraft used in the film. With an All-star 1960's International cast; Stuart Whitman, Sarah Miles, James Fox, Robert Morley, Red Skelton, Gert Frobe, Jean-Pierre Cassal, Benny Hill, Alberto Sordi and Terry Thomas. This is a magnificent movie and the ingenuity and comedy of 1910 flight is a delight to watch on the BIG SCREEN. Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Authenic replicant aircraft top this 16:9 grand comedy DVD!!
Review: 1965 was the year of the big screen action race comedies with lots of stars, grand costumes, lavish sets and authentic classic vehicles. "The Great Race" a 1910 auto race from New York to Paris and the "Those Magnificent Men and Their Flying Machines" a 1910 International Aircraft race from London to Paris. What makes this 1965 Action Comedy so Grand is the attention to detail by Director Ken Annakin who had 6 replica flying machines built by real aero - engineers from the original blue prints and specifications. The accuracy of these replicants even proved the critical pilot weight limitations. They had to even substitute a female stunt pilot to fly the French mono - wing because the original pilot was a very small man. Now available for the first time on a spectacular panoramic 2.20:1 Aspect ratio. (Anamorphic WideScreen DVD (automatically adjusts picture to viewing tv size) with Dolby Surround Sound.) NOTE: THIS IS A FANTASTIC MOVIE TO WATCH ON WIDESCREEN 16:9 HDTV!!!!! This film is 138 minutes and has many extras which include very detailed information and the history regarding all the 1910 vintage aircraft used in the film. With an All-star 1960's International cast; Stuart Whitman, Sarah Miles, James Fox, Robert Morley, Red Skelton, Gert Frobe, Jean-Pierre Cassal, Benny Hill, Alberto Sordi and Terry Thomas. This is a magnificent movie and the ingenuity and comedy of 1910 flight is a delight to watch on the BIG SCREEN. Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Authenic replicant aircraft top this 16:9 grand comedy DVD!!
Review: 1965 was the year of the big screen action race comedies with lots of stars, grand costumes, lavish sets and authentic classic vehicles. "The Great Race" a 1910 auto race from New York to Paris and the "Those Magnificent Men and Their Flying Machines" a 1910 International Aircraft race from London to Paris. What makes this 1965 Action Comedy so Grand is the attention to detail by Director Ken Annakin who had 6 replica flying machines built by real aero - engineers from the original blue prints and specifications. The accuracy of these replicants even proved the critical pilot weight limitations. They had to even substitute a female stunt pilot to fly the French mono - wing because the original pilot was a very small man. Now available for the first time on a spectacular panoramic 2.20:1 Aspect ratio. (Anamorphic WideScreen DVD (automatically adjusts picture to viewing tv size) with Dolby Surround Sound.) NOTE: THIS IS A FANTASTIC MOVIE TO WATCH ON WIDESCREEN 16:9 HDTV!!!!! This film is 138 minutes and has many extras which include very detailed information and the history regarding all the 1910 vintage aircraft used in the film. With an All-star 1960's International cast; Stuart Whitman, Sarah Miles, James Fox, Robert Morley, Red Skelton, Gert Frobe, Jean-Pierre Cassal, Benny Hill, Alberto Sordi and Terry Thomas. This is a magnificent movie and the ingenuity and comedy of 1910 flight is a delight to watch on the BIG SCREEN. Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: a comedy classic
Review: a film my family and i have always enjoyed and never could find on video, so glad amazon carries these hard to find classics. Finally i can have my very own copy of the film that made "I suppose you think thats funny." a family catch-phrase forever.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible Cast
Review: A magnificent comedy. Even fans of newer comedies with Sandler, Carrey, Stiller, and others should still find this older classic amusing. The cast includes :
Stuart Whitman ... Orvil Newton
Sarah Miles ... Patricia Rawnsley
James Fox ... Richard Mays
Alberto Sordi ... Count Emilio Ponticelli
Robert Morley ... Lord Rawnsley
Gert Fröbe ... Colonel Manfred von Holstein
Jean-Pierre Cassel ... Pierre Dubois
Irina Demick ... Brigitte/Ingrid/Marlene/Françoise/Yvette/Betty
Eric Sykes ... Courtney
Red Skelton ... Neanderthal Man
Terry-Thomas ... Sir Percy Ware-Armitage
Benny Hill ... Fire Chief Perkins
Yûjirô Ishihara ... Yamamoto
Flora Robson ... Mother Superior
Karl Michael Vogler ... Captain Rumpelstoss
Sam Wanamaker ... George Gruber
Eric Barker ... French Postman
Maurice Denham ... Trawler Skipper
Gordon Jackson ... McDougal
Davy Kaye ... Jean
John Le Mesurier ... French Painter
Jeremy Lloyd ... Lieutnant Parsons
Zena Marshall ... Countess Sophia Ponticelli
Millicent Martin ... Hostess
Eric Pohlmann ... Italian Mayor
Marjorie Rhodes ... Maid
Norman Rossington ... Fire Chief
William Rushton ... Tremayne Gascoyne
Graham Stark ... Fireman
Jimmy Thompson ... Photographer
Michael Trubshawe ... Niven
Tony Hancock ... Harry Popperwell
James Robertson Justice ... Narrator
Vernon Dobtcheff ... Member of the French team
Maurice Dunster ... French Policeman
Fred Emney ... Colonel
Nigel Kingsley ... Youngest Child of Ponticelli
Ferdy Mayne ... French Official
Nicholas Smith ... Fireman
Ronnie Stevens ... Journalist
Gerald Campion ... Fireman
Cicely Courtneidge ... Colonel's Wife Even though Red Skelton's roles are small, one as caveman trying to fly, and other similar skits add to the overall appeal of the movie. Benny Hill plays the role of a Keystone Cop style Fireman. It is a good deal of these small roles and some hysterical bits by the larger roles that make this so appealing. Add in a love story with Stuart Whittman and you have a great movie. Any fan of the sixties comedies should grab this and "The Great Race" for some light hearted entertainment.
Rating:
Summary: Another one for DVD
Review: Anyone that has the slightest interest in aviation of any form will do themselves a favor to add this to their collection. Just the brand new construction of of pre-WWI aircraft is a sight to see, and seeing good old Terry Thomas is a delight. Flics with the same sense of enjoyment are..Grand Prix and The Rocketeer. Add them all to your collection. Cheers..
Rating:
Summary: Magnificent Movie
Review: As a child my dad took our whole family to see any movie that had to do with airplanes. This is one that I enjoyed then and it has aged very well. I think this is one that families today will enjoy as much as we did when it first came out. Even though it is forty years old it was done as a period piece then and the production values were good and the cast and music is great. The message is pretty light stuff and easy to take. Anyone that likes some of the older comedies like "The Great Race" or "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" will enjoy it. The rivalries between the countries competing in the air race and the battle of the sex's are often funny. Airplane enthusiasts will definitely love seeing these pre-WWI airplanes in action. I bought the VHS years ago and I am looking forward to my DVD arriving.
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