ActionAdventureScience FictionFamily

The Rocketeer

- An Ordinary Man Forced to Become An Extraordinary Hero.

A stunt pilot comes across a prototype jetpack that gives him the ability to fly. However, evil forces of the world also want this jetpack at any cost.

Release Date : 1991-06-21

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Walt Disney PicturesGordon CompanyDark Horse EntertainmentSilver Screen Partners IV

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Cliff Secord

Original Name : Billy Campbell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jenny Blake

Original Name : Jennifer Connelly

Gender : Female

Character Name : A. 'Peevy' Peabody

Original Name : Alan Arkin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Neville Sinclair

Original Name : Timothy Dalton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Eddie Valentine

Original Name : Paul Sorvino

Gender : Male

Character Name : Howard Hughes

Original Name : Terry O'Quinn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Fitch

Original Name : Ed Lauter

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bigelow

Original Name : Jon Polito

Gender : Male

Character Name : Wooly

Original Name : James Handy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Skeets

Original Name : William Sanderson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Millie

Original Name : Margo Martindale

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mark

Original Name : Clint Howard

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rusty

Original Name : John Lavachielli

Gender : Male

Character Name : Malcolm

Original Name : Eddie Jones

Gender : Male

Character Name : Wilmer

Original Name : Max Grodénchik

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mike

Original Name : Daniel O'Shea

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Pye

Original Name : Pat Crawford Brown

Gender : Female

Character Name : Charlie

Original Name : Julian Barnes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Assistant Director

Original Name : Charlie Stavola

Gender : Male

Character Name : Government Liaison

Original Name : William Boyett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Government Liaison

Original Name : William Frankfather

Gender : Male

Character Name : Zeppelin Pilot

Original Name : Norbert Weisser

Gender : Male

Character Name : G-Man

Original Name : Michael Francis Clarke

Gender : Male

Character Name : G-Man

Original Name : Darryl Henriques

Gender : Male

Character Name : G-Man at Chaplin Field

Original Name : Scanlon Gail

Gender : Male

Character Name : South Seas Singer

Original Name : Melora Hardin

Gender : Female

Character Name : South Seas Patron

Original Name : Rick Overton

Gender : Male

Character Name : FBI Agent

Original Name : Dick Warlock

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hospital Guard

Original Name : David Pressman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stewardess

Original Name : Taylor Gilbert

Gender : Female

Character Name : Girl at Newsstand

Original Name : Ele Keats

Gender : Female

Character Name : Newspaper Kid

Original Name : Chance Michael Corbitt

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nazi Crewman

Original Name : Merritt Yohnka

Gender : Male

Character Name : Airshow Pilot

Original Name : Craig Hosking

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lothar / Good Old Boy

Original Name : Tiny Ron

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jeff

Original Name : Michael Milhoan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stevie

Original Name : Joe D'Angerio

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lenny

Original Name : Tommy J. Huff

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter

Original Name : Doug McGrath

Gender : Male

Character Name : Zeppelin Captain

Original Name : Herman Poppe

Gender : Male

Character Name : Spanish Johnny

Original Name : Robert Miranda

Gender : Male

Character Name : Goose

Original Name : Don Pugsley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Irma

Original Name : Nada Despotovich

Gender : Female

Character Name : Patsy

Original Name : America Martin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pauly

Original Name : Paul DeSouza

Gender : Male

Character Name : Filmstage Director

Original Name : Sam Vincent

Gender : Male

Character Name : Noblewoman

Original Name : Lisa Pedersen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nobleman

Original Name : Peter Bromilow

Gender : Male

Character Name : Clapperboy

Original Name : Tom Kindle

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nazi Agent

Original Name : Heinrich James

Gender : Male

Character Name : W.C. Fields

Original Name : Bob Leeman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Clark Gable

Original Name : Gene Daily

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter

Original Name : Thomas Lee Tully

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter

Original Name : Mike Finneran

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter

Original Name : Dave Adams

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cameraman

Original Name : Arlee Reed

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nurse

Original Name : Kim Sebastian

Gender : Female

Character Name : Clothesline Lady

Original Name : Lila Finn

Gender : Female

Character Name : Good Old Boy

Original Name : Perry Cook

Gender : Male

Character Name : Girl at Newsstand

Original Name : Danielle Bedau

Gender : Male

Character Name : South Seas Bandleader

Original Name : Bob Sandman

Gender : Male

Character Name : South Seas Mermaid

Original Name : Lori Lynn Ross

Gender : Female

Character Name : South Seas Camera Girl

Original Name : Kathleen Michaels

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nazi Commando

Original Name : Peter Frankland

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nazi Commando

Original Name : Kristopher Logan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nazi Commando

Original Name : Paul Forsyth

Gender : Male

Character Name : Airshow Pilot

Original Name : Steve Hinton Sr.

Gender : Male

Character Name : Airshow Pilot

Original Name : Jim Franklin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Airshow Pilot

Original Name : Richard T. Brickert

Gender : Male

Character Name : Airshow Pilot

Original Name : Chuck Wentworth

Gender : Male

Character Name : Airshow Pilot

Original Name : Bill Turner

Gender : Male

Character Name : Narrator (voice)

Original Name : Chuck Riley

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Rocketeer is directed by Joe Johnston and co-written by Danny Bilson, Paul De Meo and William Dear. It is based on Dave Stevens' comic book The Rocketeer. It stars Billy Campbell, Jennifer Connelly, Alan Arkin, Timothy Dalton and Paul Sorvino. Music is scored by James Horner and cinematography by Hiro Narita. 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

r96sk

@r96sk

2021-06-23

Very much enjoyable, this. 'The Rocketeer' exceeded my expectations in truth, I wasn't expecting much given the opening few minutes. However, thankfully, it ends up producing an entertaining 108 minutes. Cool superhero, great score and a likeable cast list. The premise is properly bonkers, especially towards the end, but they make it work and deserve credit for doing so. There are numerous recognisable faces onscreen, all of the main talent give good performances. Billy Campbell plays the lead role, Cliff. I've (relatively) recently become aware of him via television's 'Cardinal' - which is outstanding btw, check it out if you can - and loved him in that, he's also very good in this. Jennifer Connelly (Jenny) and Alan Arkin (Peabody) are also involved, as are Paul Sorvino (Eddie) and Timothy Dalton (Neville). I enjoyed Dalton, he portrays his role very well. The pacing is solid, thanks also to the noteworthy action and James Horner's score. All in all, this is a film I would definitely recommend; it's certainly nearer the top than the bottom of Disney's live-action offerings up until 1991.

GenerationofSwine

@GenerationofSwine

2023-01-12

Billy Campbell was actually extremely believable in this and, honestly, I don't think that they could have found anyone better to play the evil Nazi Erroll Flynn styled actor than James Bond's Timothy Dalton. But, also, I always kind of feel that Campbell has gotten the short end of the acting stick. In all honesty, it's really a horribly fin superhero movie, right down to that amazing retro 1930s serial feel. The entire thing was great and warranted far more fan fare than it received.

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2023-08-26

I hadn't seen this for over 15 years but as soon as the opening bars from James Horner's score hit my ears it all started to come back to me. This is a stylish adventure story that amalgamates lots of different themes from 1920s America - gangsters, aviation pioneering and a love story into a tale of good v evil and innovative science; we even have some Nazis! Bill Campbell is largely there for his looks, it has to be said - but as our daredevil hero "Cliff" he does inject some fun into the proceedings. He stumbles upon a rocket suit designed by Howard Hughes and decides to master it and put it to good use. Meantime, a comically menacing Timothy Dalton ("Neville Sinclair") is a British Hollywood actor who shamelessly rips off Errol Flynn movies (amongst others) and is prepared to pay some hoodlums handsomely if they can procure the gadget for him. From here on in, it's becomes a good family cat 'n mouser. Nothing onerous or unpredictable with the script; some decent special effects and classy aerobatics - as well as a nice character performance from Alan Arkin keep this all rolling along nicely.