A young pilot stumbles onto a prototype jetpack that allows him to become a high-flying masked hero.A young pilot stumbles onto a prototype jetpack that allows him to become a high-flying masked hero.A young pilot stumbles onto a prototype jetpack that allows him to become a high-flying masked hero.
- Awards
- 2 wins & 6 nominations total
- Cliff
- (as Bill Campbell)
- Spanish Johnny
- (as Robert Guy Miranda)
Featured reviews
They don't make them like this any more.
It took eight years to get to the screen, with many rewrites, changes in personal, changes in setting and etc, the only thing consistent was Disney's inconsistency. Once out the film received generally positive reviews but posted only a small profit, in the wake of a Tim Burton inspired reinvention of the Super Hero genre, Rocketeer fell away into cultdom, sequels planned were shelved and its reputation remains to this day one of being a misfire. Unfair say I! Rocketeer is a lovingly crafted adventure film, nodding towards the serials of the 1930s, it's awash with period Hollywood delights, Art Deco imagery, has a damsel in distress, square jawed heroics, Nazi villains, wonderful effects and a blunderbuss Zeppelin finale. Backed by beautiful smooth tone photography and an evocative heart stirring music score, it's a family friendly blockbuster that ticks all the requisite boxes. The quality of the action sequences still hold up today, and Johnston, who wanted the job big time, directs with a knowing grasp of the setting, and crucially he never once loses a grip on tone and pacing. There's no self parody here, no deep Fruedian dissection of the main character, just a honest to goodness good against bad axis, with a romantic cause deftly wafted over proceedings.
The role of Cliff Secord (Rocketeer) proved hard to cast, where Vincent D'Onofrio turned it down and "name" actors such as Dennis Quaid, Emilio Estevez, Kurt Russell and Bill Paxton auditioned for the part. Paxton, it's believed, was very close to getting it as well. Disney wanted an A list man, Johnny Depp and Kevin Costner were mooted, but Johnston had a feel for unknown Billy Campbell and managed to convince nervous Disney heads that he was perfect. Much of the scorn that has flown towards Rocketeer has landed at Campbell's door, again, this is unfair. It's hard to tell if one of those A list actors could have made the character work better, for it helps in this instance to not have a familiar face propelling the adventure. There's an innocence, an awkwardness to Campbell's portrayal that just sits right for a guy stumbling upon a rocket pack and finding himself submerged in a chase and harry battle against bad. He also has the looks, a handsome dude who creates a homespun based chemistry with the sensuous Connelly. It's Dalton's movie, though, he's having a devil of a time as the chief villain. Modeled on Errol Flynn and the spurious notion that he was once a Nazi spy, Dalton has the looks, the gusto, the moustache twirling shiftiness and a voice perfect for such material. A roll call of great character actors fill out the support slots, with Terry O'Quinn, Paul Sorvino and Ed Lauter particularly striking the right chords.
A smashing piece of escapism, no pretensions or ideas above its station. The willingness to tap into the basic premise of a comic book actioner and entertain in grand Hollywood terms, to be applauded. And I do, and I do love it so. 8/10
The movie captured the spirit of the comics beautifully. Sure it was disappointing that Doc Savage couldn't be included, but Howard Hughes made a sensible substitution. I was a bit annoyed that Disney felt they had to change Betty into Jenny, but with Jennifer Connelly in the role, I was in a forgiving mood. The film was full of action and humor, cliffhangers and character; just like Stevens' creation. If there was anything to criticize, it was the toning down of Betty/Jenny. Yeah, I know, this is Disney, and she was far tamer in the comics than the real Betty/Bettie Page; but, hey, a guy can hope.
Bill Campbell was perfect for Cliff Secord. He had that All-American look, with an impish twinkle in his eye. Watching the movie, you could see the excitement when he was flying, and that he was head over heels in love with Jenny.
Alan Arkin made a great Peevy, although he was far less cantankerous than his print counterpart (incidentally, Peevy was based on Doug Wildey, creator of Jonny Quest). He was more of a Connecticut Yankee than grouchy mechanic.
Timothy Dalton made a great pseudo-Errol Flynn. I wasn't too happy that they trotted out that Flynn-as-Nazi Spy nonsense; but, it works beautifully for the story. Paul Sorvino made a great 30's mobster, too. Add Tiny Ron as Lothar, modeled after Rondo Hatton, and you have some pretty fun villains.
Then, there's Jennifer Connelly, one of the most beautiful and talented actresses in Hollywood. As I said, I had hoped for a little sexier character; but, the compromise was still pretty good. Connelly brought both a wholesomeness and sex appeal to the role. She looked great in the period clothing, too.
Everything about this film worked. The period detail was first rate, from the costumes, to he set design, to the slang. The only thing that would have improved this would have been to make more films. This is a great film for the whole family and captures the spirit of Republic and the pulps as well as Indiana Jones did.
Did you know
- TriviaDave Stevens, the writer/artist of the original graphic novel, gave the film's production designer Jim Bissell and his two art directors his entire reference library pertaining to the Rocketeer at that time period, including blueprints for hangars and bleachers, schematics for building the autogyro, photos and drawings of the Bulldog Cafe, the uniforms for the air circus staff, and contacts for locating the vintage aircraft that were to be used. Stevens remembers that they "literally just took the reference and built the sets".
- GoofsWhen the Nazi agent is yelling at Sinclair, he shouts, "Ich habe meine Bestellung, und du auch!" ("I have my order, and so do you!") The German word for a military order is "Befehl." "Bestellung" is the order you give to a waiter.
- Quotes
Neville Sinclair: [on the road leading to the Griffith Observatory] C'mon, Eddie. I'm paying you well. Does it really matter where the money comes from?
[siding with the G-men to fight the Nazis]
Eddie Valentine: It matters to me. I may not make an honest buck, but I'm 100% American, and I don't work for no two-bit Nazi. Let her go.
[Valentine's gang aim their guns at Neville]
Neville Sinclair: [laughs wickedly then yells in German] STURMABTEILUNG! ANGREIFEN!
[an entire army of German soldiers come out yelling and surround Cliff, the FBI and Valentine's gang]
Neville Sinclair: It's your move, Eddie.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Rocketeer: Excitement in the Air (1991)
- SoundtracksDer Hoelle Rache
from Queen of the Night's "Aria" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin
Courtesy of Laserlight Digital, by arrangement with Sounds of Film
- How long is The Rocketeer?Powered by Alexa
- Who played Lothar the giant?
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Languages
- Also known as
- Les aventures de Rocketeer
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $35,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $46,704,056
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $9,600,754
- Jun 23, 1991
- Gross worldwide
- $46,704,906
- Runtime1 hour 48 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1