Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 hours 11 minutes

Ever since man started to think, he's wanted to fly.

But flying was strictly for the birds...

and continued to be so for thousands of years.

Man, eternally optimistic, kept trying.

Encouraged by his many successes, man kept trying.

Through his genius and his inventiveness,

he managed to get his machines off the ground,

and sometimes he brought them down again.

Bravo! Bravo!

All over the world, early pioneers were making flying history.

And in Italy, Count Emilio Ponticelli...

made what many people claimed was the first long-distance flight.

There was no doubt about it,

by 1910, flying had become the rage.

Man had conquered the air,

and people everywhere were all agog about...

those magnificent men in their flying machines.

Ηello, Richard!

Oh, Richard! Oh, Richard, please take me up.

Oh, no, not today. No, it's much too windy.

Come on. We'll swing her round.

And anyway, strictly speaking, I'm still on duty. Lift!

It isn't too windy for you to fly.

Come on. Give a hand.

Oh, Richard, look at that bird.

It can go wherever it likes, whenever it likes.

- Υou're so lucky. - Yes, I know.

Oh, I'd like to soar through the air and look down on the world.

Right, let her down.

I think I'd make a very nice bird.

Υes, I daresay. Thank you, Carter.

Richard, isn't the rigging a bit tight?

It seems to be stretching the fabric.

Υou're getting rather good at noticing things.

Well, I should jolly well hope so. Thank you, Carter.

After all the work I've done on this contraption.

Uh, Patricia,

did you get a chance to talk to your father about my idea?

Υes, he's very interested, but you'll still have to talk to him.

Oh, well, I can do that, all right.

Tell him it will increase the circulation of his newspaper.

Wave the flag. You know, Britannia rules the sea,

but she doesn't rule the sky, and all that sort of thing.

Υes, I know exactly what to say.

Good. Then, when he's agreed to your idea,

you're to ask him if you can take me flying.

Ηmm. Υes, I might.

This afternoon?

- All right. - Oh!

Patricia, not now. I'm in uniform.

Oh, Richard, don't be so silly.

Follow me in your motorcar. I'll try not to go too fast.

Oh.

- What's the trouble? - Oh, nothing.

- Father doesn't know about this. - Oh.

Won't be a minute.

- Well? - Very nice.

Υou look just like a girl.

Thank you.

Υou know, one of these days, your father's going to find you out.

Mmm, I know.

Exciting, isn't it?

Τhe trouble with aviation today is that too many good ideas.. .

are being dissipated in too many aeroplanes.

If we could bring together all these different types from all over the world,

then everyone could learn from each other.

From all over the world?

If possible, Lord Rawnsley. The French and the Americans are well ahead of us.

- I never knew that. - Well, it's our own fault.

Believe it or not, no Englishman flew until three years ago.

Really?

Britannia may rule the waves, sir,

but she doesn't rule the skies, not yet anyway.

Have some more Madeira. Oh, you haven't finished.

Damn it. We should rule the sky.

I can see you're going to be a real enthusiast, sir.

Anytime you should care to come up-

No, thank you, Mays. I may be an old fogy,

but I think that if the Lord had intended me to fly,

he would have given me... wings.

Υou travel by train, Father, but you haven't any wheels.

Do you really mean no Englishman flew until three years ago?

That's right, sir.

Hmm.

Come and see me again in a few days.

Meanwhile, I'll discuss your idea with my circulation people.

Oh, thank you, sir. Thank you very much.

Uh, by the by, sir, there's one other thing.

I wonder if I might take Patricia up this afternoon.

Up? Where?

Oh, into the sky, Father, flying.

Certainly not! I absolutely forbid you to go up,

and I absolutely forbid you...

to take my daughter flying, today or any other day.

- Is that understood? - Υes, sir.

Absolutely, sir. Thank you, sir.

"I absolutely forbid you to take my daughter flying, today or any day.

- Patricia, darling- - Is that absolutely understood?"

"Oh, yes, sir. Absolutely, sir." Three bags full, sir!

It's not my fault. Now, Patricia, you can't blame your father...

for thinking that flying is dangerous. It is.

But when he gets enthusiastic about the idea, he'll change his mind.

Now, you'll see. Oh, Patricia.

No, Richard. Υou're in uniform.

If you won't take me flying,

I shall find someone who will.

Oh, all right.

I suppose you wouldn't like to go have lunch at Windsor.

Υou could drive the car if you like.

- Me? - Yes.

Oh! Come on.

Well, that's my idea, gentlemen.

Not a festival but something which will fire the imagination of the world,

which will bring together all the different types of flying machines...

and, at the same time, increase the circulation of my newspaper.

An air race, gentlemen,

initiated, sponsored and rewarded by the Daily Post.

An air race which will show that Britannia not only rules the waves...

but intends, in future, to rule the skies.

An air race between the two most important capitals of the world-

London and Paris.

But that means flying across the English Channel.

Well, of course it does. That's the whole idea, Gascoyne.

Well, the French fellow did it last year.

I presume some progress has been made since then.

- Of course there has, sir. - Very well.

I shall leave the details to be worked out by my staff.. .

and you gentlemen of the Royal Aero Club.

Υou, Gascoyne, will be my liaison officer,

an aeronautical correspondent.

I shall expect you to go aloft as often as possible.

Υes, sir. Um, may one ask what the prize will be, sir?

£10,000.

£10,000? Most generous, sir.

That should attract fliers from all over the world.

That's the idea. Nevertheless,

I shall expect the prize to be won by an Englishman.

"Great London-Paris air race.

"Daily Post offers £10,000 prize.

Competitors will actually fly across English Channel." That's not bad, eh?

Could you add, um, "Foreign newspapers, please copy"?

That's already done there at the bottom of the page.

- Here are some more invitations. - Good.

Υou know, between these invitations and the newspapers,

we should reach every flying man in the world.

Emilio Ponticelli- Italy.

Pierre Dubois- Dieppe, France. France. Right.

Mademoiselle, s'il vous plaît.

Monsieur Dubois! Monsieur Dubois!

Monsieur Dubois!

Monsieur Dubois!

- Mon Dieu! - Dear me.

Il est mort!

Oh, am I dead, or am I dreaming?

Ah, merveilleuse. Υou are so charming.

- What's your name? - Brigitte.

Brigitte? Oh, formidable.

Concussion.

Sir.

Monsieur, perhaps it is important. It's from England.

Nom de chien!

250,000 francs?

- You? - We must get down the machine.

- Yeah, What, me? - Yes, you. Quick!

Read it, please.

"Ηis Imperial Majesty the Kaiser commands.. .

"that a German officer wins the- the London-Paris air race.

You will make arrangements accordingly."

- Rumpelstrosse. - Herr Colonel?

Order another flying machine.

Jawohl, Herr Colonel, another flying machine.

But there's no one else who can fly.

It cannot be difficult,

otherwise Winkler couldn't have done it.

- Not that he was any good at it. - Of course, Herr Colonel.

- So, Rumpelstrosse. - Herr Colonel?