After the release of Batman in 1989 studios scrambled to develop superhero properties, much the same way they did following the success of X-Men nearly a decade later. However, technology hadn’t quite reached a level where their fantastic powers could be visualized effectively (Superman notwithstanding).
Much of what was developed in Batman’s wake centered on the pulp heroes of the 30s and 40s, characters born in the comic strip and the serial, such as Dick Tracy, The Phantom and The Shadow. None of them met with great success. Another character cut from the same cloth was The Rocketeer, a retro hero created by the late Dave Stevens in 1983, and modeled after the pulp characters of the 30s.
Disney enjoyed a modest success with Warren Beatty’s Dick Tracy, but it was nowhere near as successful as Batman (and I’ll be defending that one in my next column!) The powers that be still hungered for a possible franchise (and ensuing toy line) and optioned Stevens’ Rocketeer, a character who enjoyed modest success in the burgeoning independent comic market of the 80s.
I confess I have never read any of Stevens’ Rocketeer graphic novels, and given how much I enjoyed the film, I really should. Being a rabid superhero fan I was always excited at the prospect of a live-action film based on one, but up to that point the disappointments far outweighed the successes. Most were outright disasters.
The Rocketeer was directed by Joe Johnston (the Art Director on Raiders of the Lost Ark and the Director of this summer’s hit Captain America). Johnston has had a spotty career, but his greatest successes seem to come with period pieces, when he is trying to evoke a time and place yearned for by many. I’m a big fan of October Sky, his film about a young boy from a small town who eventually becomes a NASA engineer, which is also a great nostalgia piece.
While The Rocketeer was a box office disaster I would label it among his greatest accomplishments, unappreciated in its time, but one that enjoys a solid reputation today. In fact, it helped land Johnston the Cap job, and he knocked that one out of the park as far as I’m concerned.
I find very little wrong with The Rocketeer, and was dismayed by its reception in the summer of 1991. It was certainly a crowded summer, and it came out sandwiched between Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, City Slickers, and T2, three gigantic hits. The Rocketeer boasted a solid cast, but an unknown lead, and that might’ve hurt its chances. It did receive solid notices from the critics.
The film, about a stunt pilot who discovers an experimental rocket pack which has the potential to turn the tide of World War II, is great fun. Billy Campbell gives an amiable performance as Cliff Secord, a well-intentioned guy who always seems to get the short end of the stick. Campbell developed into a strong character actor, with high profile roles in The 4400 and most recently, the hit AMC series, The Killing. There’s a sense of naiveté about his performance here, but I think it only adds to the character’s charm.
Johnston assembled a top flight supporting cast that included the sultry Jennifer Connelly as Cliff’s girlfriend, former James Bond Timothy Dalton as Neville Sinclair, an actor in the mold of Errol Flynn who happens to be a Nazi spy, and Alan Arkin as Cliff’s dependable (and irascible) sidekick. Future Lost alum Terry O’Quinn has a small role as Howard Hughes and makes the most of his brief screen time.
The Rocketeer was subjected to endless interference from the studio. It was switched from a Touchstone film to a Disney film, which sapped a great deal of the original script’s edge. Executives seemed to want everything that made The Rocketeer unique changed, before relenting and using Stevens’ original designs.
The film has a wonderful period feel with great art deco sets that really evoke 1930s Los Angeles. The gangsters, spies and dames could all have easily walked out of a Cagney or Bogart film, and for me, it only enhanced its appeal. ILM provided the effects, and 20 years later, the seams are visible, but still effective (this was right on the cusp of the CGI-era).
The tone is light but never campy. There are some wonderful set pieces, especially the conclusion set atop a Nazi zeppelin hovering over the Griffith Observatory. The flying sequences are effectively staged, suspenseful and exciting.
I was disappointed with the film’s reception and hoped this would develop into a franchise. A trilogy was planned, but abandoned.
As I noted earlier, characters like The Shadow and The Phantom fared poorly as well (and I won’t be defending those). My sense is that because these characters could be realized on film with a minimum of special effects fuss the studios opted to try them first. In fact, The Rocketeer was probably the most effects heavy of the lot.
And while they were all period pieces with impressive set design, none of them possessed the charm or wit of The Rocketeer. The film holds a special place for me as I shouted about its quality from the rooftops, and now I feel a certain vindication. And while I love many of the superhero films that have come down the pike in the last decade few possess the low key charm of this little gem.
OMG, your assessment of The Rocketeer is dead on. I love that movie. I paid to see that flick twice when it was released. One of the screenings was back when they did sneak peeks regularly.
I thought Bill Campbell (he's since dropped the "y") did a good job as Cliff Secord. I really thought there would be more leading male roles for him. But he has done well in the numerous character roles he's had since. Did you know that he and Jennifer Connelly got engaged after filming but soon broke up?
I have always had an idea why this movie tanked at the box office and you touch on it slightly. I think the move from Touchstone to Disney is what signed that film's death warrant. Touchstone was Disney's adult line and this should have been a Touchstone Pictures release. Much more people would've taken a chance on it if that had happened. Not so much now but back in the 80's and early 90's, older movie-goers sans kids and mature teens stayed away from anything that had the Disney name. The live-action Disney films at the time were pretty lame. So here was technically a "Disney" live-action film and the stigma was automatically attached. At that time, such a film could not succeed.
Thanks for reminding me about how great The Rocketeer was. And I agree, it does seem like it is getting the just desserts it finally deserves.
Posted by: Zeke Springer | 08/29/2011 at 05:18 PM