The Rocketeer (1991)

Two Geeks and a GIT Classic Movie Reviews

Back in the day, audiences were treated to episodes of movie serials before the main feature when going to the picture shows. This pairing celebrates those old serials, the ones that inspired George Lucas and Stephen Spielberg. This week, it's the film based on the serial-turned-comic book "The Rocketeer" from 1991! Originally called "The Rocket Man" as a serial, this film tells the story of racing pilot Cliff Secord (Billy Campbell)and his chief mechanic Peevy Peabody (Alan Arkin) who find a strange rocket-pack stowed in their hanger. When an old friend tries to fly Cliff's "clown act" and gets in trouble, Cliff dons the rocket back and blasts into the sky to save him, the first sighting of "The Rocketeer!" But add in the FBI, the mafia, and the Nazis, and the story just gets stranger from there! Co-starring the lovely Jennifer Connelly, Timothy Daltin, Paul Sorvino, Terry O'Quinn, Eddie Jones, William Sanderson, and Margo Martindale, this is a fantastic love-letter to the cinematic episodes of the 1930s! Plus, it's James Horner's first film score, and the movie that got Joe Johnston the job directing the first Captain America film for the MCU!