Amelia (Fox Searchlight)
How Do You Solve A Problem Like Amelia
Making a movie about the life of famed aviatrix Amelia Era hart could be an exercise in futility. After all everyone knows the story of her life and death. So what would draw audiences to see a movie about a person who has been done to death in books, TV and other movies In Mira Nairs new film Amelia an attempt is made to solve the problem by concentrating a lot of effort on Amelias love life.
We still get to see scenes of Earharts aviation triumphs. The plot takes them as they occur with her being the first woman in a plane that crosses the Atlantic (she was basically just a passenger). Next she was the first woman to pilot a plane solo across the Atlantic.. Then comes an attempt to fly around the world.
In between these adventures Earhart (Hilary Swank) meets George P Putnam (Richard Gere). He is a man with a vision and pushes Earharts career. He also is the brains behind her career in terms of marketing and making money. Eventually he becomes her husband.
Earhart did not want to be married. She wanted freedom to fly and also to have other relationships in her life. She is openly honest with George about this and he marries her anyway. When handsome Gene Vidal (Ewan McGregor) enters her life she is attracted to him and begins an affair. The whys and wherefores of their attraction are not explained.
There must have been more depth to Earhart than is shown in this film. She mentions her father and how he influenced her life but he is never seen. A little background in this area might have helped explain who and what she was. The audience is also never made aware of why she has such a compulsion to fly. The fact she saw a plane as a little girl is hardly an explanation.
Swank does her best to bring Earhart to life. She certainly looks the part with her bobbed hair and slender frame. Too bad her interpretation of Earharts manner of speaking comes and goes. Opposite her Gere also has trouble with Putnams dialect. It seems to change from scene to scene. Still there is good chemistry between the two leads and this adds to the enjoyment of the film.
As Vidal, McGregor appears to be searching for his character. It doesnt help that his role seems introduced solely because the man was the father of Gore Vidal. Little Gore (William Cuddy) keeps popping up in scene after scene.
The musical score by Gabriel Yared adds to the impact of the romantic moments of the film. It also soars when Amelia is soaring in flight.
The film is rated PG for some adult themes.
This movie makes an honest effort to solve the problem called Amelia, but focusing on her loves and leaving out information about her early life makes for an unbalanced movie. Amelia flies high in the skies but on the ground she remains a mystery.
I scored Amelia a flying 6 out of 10.
