THE WINDS OF KITTY HAWK

US, 1978, 96 minutes, Colour.
Michael Moriarty, David Huffman, Kathryn Walker, Eugene Roche, John Randolph, Scott Hylands.
Directed by E.W.Swackhamer.

The Winds of Kitty Hawk is an interesting and impressive telemovie. It was made as a tribute to the Wright Brothers, their experiments with gliding and flying and their final achievement. The film boasts good performances, if eccentric performances, by Michael Moriarty is Wilbur and David Huffman as Orville. A supporting cast includes John Randolph as Alexander Graham Bell and Scott Hylands as Curtis, the motor cycle rider who stole the Wright Brothers' plans and challenged their rights to patent.

The film shows two brothers who were dedicated to their work and to their vision, had very little personal life, were involved in struggles for patents, displayed their abilities in Europe before recognition in America. The film also shows the less glamorous side of inventing geniuses and their world - the rivalries, the industrial thefts, the wheeler-dealing for patents etc.

The special effects are excellent, contemporary planes were reconstructed for flight in the film and the Kitty Hawk sequences are particularly impressive. The film pays a warm tribute to the Wright Brothers and re-creates the period.

1. Interesting, enjoyable telemovie? A glimpse of American history? Tribute to the Wright Brothers?

2. The telemovie style and the how audience? Impact for American audiences seeing the Wright Brothers and their work? For the world audience - with the knowledge of experiments in gliding and flight, the development of the aviation industry? The story of themselves and their work? Struggles, disappointments, success? Scientific experimentation? Technology and its elementary development by hands and brains rather than by machines and computers? The achievement of the brothers? Their impact on the 20th. century world?

3. The re-creation of atmosphere. the period, the atmosphere of the United States? Flight and experiments? The use of sepia photographs and newsreel styles for authentic atmosphere? The musical score?

4. Audience knowledge of the Wright Brothers and their achievement? Admiration for them? The long tradition of experiments with flight? 19th. century scientific experimentation? The industrial revolution? Bicycles, gliders, planes? The experiments? Rivalries and secrecy? The nature of patents, government funds? Industrial espionage and stealing? The achievement of the brothers after they pushed themselves? Belonging to a pre-World War One world and the film's ability to take us back?

5. The names and dates technique? Historical characters? The background of newspapers, army experimentation? Orville's voice-over and comments?

6. The beginning of the film with the atmosphere of Dayton, the Wrights and their shop, bicycles, the sister and her care for them, their Bishop father and his style and interest. their girlfriends - and their distance from them? The shops. the railway station etc.?

7. Wilbur and his dreams, Orville and his practical style? Their knowledge of machinery? Of gliding and the scientific background? The opening with the atmosphere of the 4th. of July? Their contribution to America? Their obsessions, their lack of personal life? Wilbur's death at an early age?

8. The scenes at Kitty Hawk: the sands, the dunes, the winds? The exact situation for flight experiments? The scenes of flight, gliding, the accidents? The locals and their help? Tom and his admiration for the brothers? Their going year by year? Gradual learning, gradual change? The building of motors? The experiments with the wind? The Coast Guards and their help? Success and the photo?

9. The contrast with Professor Langley, the commission by the Army? His failures and the spur to the brothers? Alexander Graham Bell and his involvement? Rivalry? The tendency to look down on the Wright Brothers?

10. Curtis and his motor cycling, the visit to the Wrights, stealing? His collaboration with Bell? His inability to turn the plane? His using the plans? International races? The law courts? The New York race and his failure?

11. The patents expert and his warnings? The law, time, the possibility of stealing and further experiments? The explanation of protection?

12. The Wrights having to hide and experiment in the local fields? Their success? European success instead of American? Their international fame? The challenge to Wilbur by Curtis? Wilbur's historic flight round the Statue of Liberty - as a fitting dramatic climax to the film? His achievement and the voice-over comment about his death?

13. The film as presenting a chapter in American history? Human achievement? The human spirit?