The Aeronauts

How bad is the tear?!

We need to lose more weight!

Stop the carriage!

Amelia?

Are you quite well?

You don't need to fly today.

You can return to Richmond with me.

Antonia, I just need a moment.

After all you've been through, no one will think worse of you.

I would.

I would think worse of me.

I have an agreement with Mr. Glaisher.

You barely know the man,

and the little you do, you're irritated by.

Antonia, please, I...

just need a moment.

One last piece of sisterly advice.

Doubt is there to be listened to.

Come and get your tickets!

Amelia Wren! How high will she go?!

And afterwards, I've got to take you straight to...

Amelia Wren!

Well, I read all about it...

Hey, you! Get out of the road!

Come on. Move along.

She's late.

She is, but that's the least of your concerns.

We'll lose the light, John.

James, do the clouds not look ominous to you?

I repeatedly explained to Miss Wren

the importance of catching the right light

and the right wind at the right time,

- and she's just openly ignored me. - James, look up.

It's not a concern, John.

The readings I took this morning were quite clear.

Far be it from me to doubt you, James,

but your weather predictions have been wrong in the past,

and it's just possible that you've missed...

Don't even think of it.

Ah.

Ned Chambers,

John Trew, my very good friend.

John, this is Ned, one of the hardy entrepreneurs

who's invested in our expedition.

Do not even think of telling me flight is not possible.

Mr. Chambers, we are scientists of the air, and we can tell you

the one thing no one can control is, well, the air.

I have paid for gas. I have paid for silk.

And is this balloon not the strongest

and largest that's ever been?

Even so, it can't fight the weather.

You don't want to be responsible for a tragedy, sir.

I don't wish to be responsible for refunding the 10,000

that came here because you promised them history.

We'll fly, Ned. We'll fly.

I only need the sky to hold for 90 minutes,

and once we're above the cloud line, we'll be fine.

Good. That's fixed, then.

Now, did you not promise me a 5:00 ascent?

I'm set.

I'm merely waiting for our pilot.

And it's not the first time Miss Wren has kept me waiting.

What a truly pleasant man.

One must make compromises in order to achieve greatness,

my friend.

And he...

is merely one compromise.

Hello, everybody, and welcome!

Welcome back, Amelia!

Are you ready?

Amelia!

You're incredibly late.

Lesson number one of aeronauting:

We are creatures of the skies

and have no respect for landlocked clocks.

Mr. Glaisher, are you really not a gentleman at all?

Hold out your hand to me.

- Go on, Glaisher! - Go on! - Take her hand!

Look like you've never seen a woman before!

- Don't keep a lady waiting! - Come on, Mr. Glaisher!

Take her hand!

Take her hand, Mr. Glaisher!

You're naughty!

Are you ready?

Mr. Glaisher, you have no conception of how ready I am.

Posey!

Good dog.

She's got a dog!

Posey.

No, no, no.

No, absolutely not.

Under no circumstances are we taking a dog.

I told you we'd have to play to the crowd,

and they prefer my dog to your boxes.

Those are essential meteorological instruments.

And this is an essential dog.

She's called Posey.

The essential...

Posey!

Go on. In you go.

Excuse me.

Ladies and gentlemen,

today, myself... Amelia Wren...

my naughty scientist, Mr. Glaisher...

and my wonder dog Posey

are going to change the world.

Are you ready for us to do so?

This balloon on which I stand...

the Mammoth... is a balloon like no other,

and will allow us to ascend higher into the air

than any man or woman has ever gone.

The French rose to 23,000 feet.

Today, we will break that record

and reclaim it for these fair shores!

Who knows?

We may reach the Moon

and bring back...

stardust!

Today is a day when history will be made,

and you will all be a part of it.

Mr. Glaisher, now is your moment.

Up you get.

Fireworks?

Are you ready?

Yes. I just need to retake my ground readings

and then do one final check of the equipment.

Well, my equipment

was all prepared in advance.

Now, don't touch this rope, Mr. Glaisher,

'cause it will let out the gas.

I do know how a balloon works.

Uh, what are you doing?

We fly.

- The sky awaits. - Wait, no.

These ground readings are essential.

If they're not accurate...

Godspeed, old man.

Goodbye!

- What are you doing? - Giving the people their money's worth.

W-Will that not damage the integrity of the balloon?

Perhaps.

Goodbye!

For God's sake.

Goodbye!

This is absurd.

It's what they call entertainment, Mr. Glaisher.

Well, I'm not finding it particularly entertaining.

It requires a... a sense of humor,

which you seem to lack.

This is ridiculous.

Don't be so sour.

Give me the dog.

What do you mean, give you the dog?

- Pass me Posey, Mr. Glaisher. - I'm not giving you the dog.

Mr. Glaisher, the dog. Now.

Goodbye!

Quick.

- Come on! - What, you just want me to...

- what, just pass her to you? - Pass her up.

- Yes, pass her up. - All right.

- Come on, Posey. Come on. - All right.

No, don't!

Did you see that?

Well done, Posey.

Come on, Posey. Come on, girl.

There he is. Ah!

Mr. Glaisher, you are airborne

for the first time in your life.

I suggest you spend less time frowning at me and...

more taking in this beautiful world we've just left.

Quite something, isn't she?

London.

It all looks so...

Insignificant?

Do you take anything seriously, Miss Wren?

Some things.

That crowd gathered to witness us break the height record.

They didn't need to see a flying dog.

Mm. Still stuck there, are you?

I've spent much of my life

being laughed at for what I do, Miss Wren.

I'd rather hope that today might prove an exception.

Tell me, what determines your reputation?

My reputation?

Yes, your standing in the scientific community.

The papers I've written, the discoveries I've uncovered.

Your reputation is built on paper,

and my reputation is built on screams.

And those people below, they came to be entertained.

And they, if you didn't know,

are the ones paying for this trip.

You off to the opera?

I've been looking at the same thing.

Don't tell me that cloud isn't a cause for concern.

I'm the scientist; you're the pilot.

Let's stick to our roles, shall we?

James!

- James! - Come on, John.

- I'll not miss the takeoff. - It's in the air.

We could have stayed on the ground and looked up.