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"Old-fashioned in the best sense of the word, "Amelia" soars. Director Mira Nair has crafted a big, beautiful, and sweeping
motion-picture biography about a true American legend, thanks in no small part to Hilary Swank, who is outstanding,
transforming herself into the complex public and private Amelia Earhart with humanity and heart. Critics may balk but Amelia
is old fashioned in the best sense and soars as a big, beautiful and sweeping motion picture biography about a true American
legend. Stuart Dryburgh's stunning photography and Gabriel Yared's beautiful score add much to this long overdue portrayal
of one of the 20th century's most intriguing personalities." Pete Hammond BACK STAGE "Director Mira Nair takes a simple, elegant approach to capturing "Amelia" in flight, and by doing so, creates a winning old-fashioned entertainment. Here we have the passion of "Wings" and a tribute to it. Nair trusts her oldschool filmmaking style enough to inspire a fresh take on a legend. The film recalls how Earhart, a media sensation in her time, grew into something like a folk hero. Amelia is a role well suited for Swank. It demands a stylized performance, due to the historical content, and many moments of duress: flying overseas was close to a suicide mission at the time. 4 STARS." Matthew Sorrento FILM THREAT "Hilary Swank uncannily embodies my ideas about Earhart in Mira Nair's "Amelia." She looks like her, smiles like here, evokes her. Swank is an actress who doesn't fit in many roles, but when she's right, she's right. The tousled hair, the freckles, the slim figure, the fitness, the physical carriage that says, "I know precisely who I am and I like it and if you don't, bail out." "Amelia" tells this story with sound performances and impeccable period detail. It confirmed for me Earhart's courage: not only in flying, but in insisting on living her life outside the conventions of her time for well-behaved females." Roger Ebert CHICAGO SUN-TIMES "Without Hilary Swank, "Amelia" would never soar to any sorts of heights. Speaking of that central part, it would be a tricky role for any actress: the famed female pilot may have looked tomboyish but was apparently very feminine in several respects. Yet Swank makes it look easier than it probably should be. She's equally charming and vulnerable, a couple of the traits of the real-life Earhart. It is a beautiful-looking film, and the cast is good. She and Gere have an easy, believable chemistry." Jeff Vice DESERET NEWS |
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"Swank's coltish good looks create the illusion that you're seeing Earhart herself on the big screen, the perfect portrayal
of the first person after Charles Lindbergh to successfully fly solo across the Atlantic. It's fun to watch her become
absorbed in the marketing system with her own line of luggage and clothing as she tries to avoid a system that labels women
and longs to mold its celebrities. Little girls and grown women alike looked up to her, and still do. If you love the look
of older planes soaring through the heavens, that alone will be worth the price of admission. And if you want to watch a
nifty romance develop, look no farther than the one portrayed by Gere and Swank. It's a courageous movie because it has
class, just like its subject." Linda Cook QUAD CITY TIMES "Swank delivers a likeable if oddly subdued performance as the self-described vagabond of the air, though she's slightly overshadowed by Gere, who's superb as Puttnam, particularly in the scene where he effectively confronts Amelia over her affair with Vidal. There's also strong support from Christopher Eccleston, Cherry Jones and Mia Wasikowska, who's sadly under-used as rival aviatrix Elinor Smith. Watchable, beautifully shot biopic with decent performances." Matthew Turner VIEWLONDON "If people know anything about Earhart at all it is that in 1937 the pioneering pilot was on the final portion of a round the world flight when her plane was lost at sea. Succeeds in conveying the ups and downs of Earhart’s life, leaving us admiring a feisty and independent woman who forged her own path. With solid performances and some beautiful aviation photography, the fact that it is following a formula that has been used to tell the story of musicians, sports figures and a variety of others ought not to matter." Daniel M. Kimmel NEW ENGLAND MOVIES WEEKLY "Amelia Earhart was unquestionably an amazing woman, and she’s beautifully played by Hilary Swank, who looks a lot like her if we can judge from the photos of the real Amelia that end the film. A woman who sought freedom, in every sense of the word, Amelia was also a passionate advocate for women, encouraging them to follow in her footsteps. Mira Nair directed the film meticulously, and the beautiful photography is the work of Stuart Dryburgh. 3 1/2 STARS." Margaret Pomeranz ABC AT THE MOVIES "A biodrama about an extraordinary woman aviatrix who followed her passion and blazed a trail for others to do the same. Amelia Earhart was an extraordinary woman who loved to fly; she described herself as "a vagabond of the sky." This biodrama covers her years in the spotlight." Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat SPIRITUALITY & PRACTICE |
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After becoming the first woman to fly across the Atlantic, Amelia was thrust into a new role as America's sweetheart: the legendary "goddess of light," known for her bold, larger than life charisma. Yet, even with her global fame solidified, her belief in flirting with danger and standing up as her own, outspoken woman never changed. She was an inspiration to people everywhere, from First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to the men closest to her heart: her husband, promoter and publishing magnate George P Putnam, and her long time friend and lover, pilot Gene Vidal. In 1935, she the first person to solo from Hawaii to California. In March of 1937 her first attempt to fly solo around the world failed. On May 21st 1937, Amelia and navigator Fred Noonan set off again: this time flying an eastward course. The critical point was refuling on Howland Island; a tiny speck in the Pacific Ocean 2200 miles east of Lae. |
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Hilary Swank Richard Gere Ewan McGregor Christopher Eccleston Joe Anderson Cherry Jones Mia Wasikowska Aaron Abrams Dylan Roberts Scott Yaphe Tom Fairfoot Ryann Shane William Cuddy Elizabeth Shepherd Richard Donat |
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Amelia Earhart George Putnam Gene Vidal Fred Noonan Bill Eleanor Roosevelt Elinor Smith Slim Gordon Leo Bellarts William Dalten Balfour Young Amelia Gore Vidal Frances Putnam Gallagher |
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Director Written by Adapted from Adapted from Producers Original Music Director of photography Film Editors Casting Production Designer Art Direction Set Decoration Costume Design |
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Mira Nair Ronald Bass & Anna Hamilton Phelan the Susan Butler book "East to the Dawn" the Mary S Lovell book "The Sound of Wings" Lydia Dean Pilcher/Kevin Hyman/Ted Waitt Gabriel Yared Stuart Dryburgh Allyson C Johnson & Lee Percy Avy Kaufman Stephanie Carroll Nigel Churcher & Jonathan Hely-Hutchinson Gordon Sim Kasia Walicka-Maimone |