The Aviator * (1985, Christopher Reeve, Rosanna Arquette) – Classic Movie Review 13,542

George T Miller’s 1985 aviation adventure film The Aviator is based on a 1981 novel by Ernest K Gann, and stars Christopher Reeve and Rosanna Arquette.

Director George Miller’s 1985 adventure film The Aviator is based on a 1981 novel by Ernest K Gann, and stars Christopher Reeve and Rosanna Arquette, along with Tyne Daly, Jack Warden, Sam Wanamaker, Scott Wilson and Marcia Strassman.

A promising package comes crashing to the ground as grim Edgar Anscombe (a stony-faced Superman Christopher Reeve) looks after dull poor little rich teenage girl Tillie Hansen (Rosanna Arquette) when he pilots their plane to crash in the Sierras.

When Edgar decides to take a shortcut over the mountains, the engine loses oil pressure and soon fails, causing Edgar to crash land on a remote ridge. Outspoken and rebellious Tillie blames Edgar, who Edgar calls the minx a jinx.

Despite the cast, this fluff refuses to soar. Blame the script, which takes a cliched situation used in several films and TV movies and recycles it but can’t add amusing characters, bright dialogue or enough action. At the centre, Christopher Reeve and Rosanna Arquette show few sparks of acting chemistry together in their battling characters. It’s a shame Arquette is battling such an unappealing, unsympathetic character, giving the actress (and the audience) a lot of difficulty.

The film was an unreported disaster, taking only $1,304,192 at the box office.

The Aussie director George Miller is The Man from Snowy River director (not the Mad Max one).

Marc Norman’s screenplay derives from the story by Ernest Gann (October 13, 1910 – December 19, 1991), the American aviator, author, sailor, and conservationist, famed for his aviation novels, including The High and the Mighty and Island in the Sky, both filmed starring John Wayne. 

Set in the US North-west, the film was shot in Croatia near Rijeka, and Ljubljana, Slovenia, then a part of Yugoslavia.

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,542

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