The Hindenburg

Starring: George C. Scott, Anne Bancroft, William Atherton, Roy Thinnes, Gig Young, Burgess Meredith, Charles Durning, Richard Dysart, Robert Clary, Rene Auberjonois, Peter Donat, Alan Oppenheimer
Directed by: Robert Wise
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama, Thriller
1975

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Portrays the fateful final voyage of the Hindenburg zeppelin and its passengers.

Review:

Tim: I wouldn't go so far as to say I'm a The Hindenburg apologist, but I do believe some of the criticism about this movie is unfounded. They took a shocking historical event that lasted a few seconds, maybe a minute or two- an exploding zeppelin. And, Robert Wise makes a two-hour movie out of it. How? The whole endeavor feels overwhelmingly challenging. Perhaps they don't quite pull it off, but it's an ambitious attempt and I mostly enjoyed this film.

As you'd expect, most of the movie takes place before the climactic explosion. The film goes into a lot of detail about the passengers- we get to know them on an individual level, we see their objectives, their hopes. It's intriguing to watch, knowing that some of them are doomed. A lot of the criticism is centered around this- the beginning and much of the movie are rather slow. I, though, never felt bored. Wise is a competent enough director to hold our attention. I wanted to see the different storylines, how they intersected, what they were leading to. The cause of the explosion was never perfectly identified. I don't believe sabotage was the answer, but there's enough uncertainty around it for that plot to take center stage here. It pulls together interesting historical aspects- this was a NAZI craft, after all. The movie keeps up just enough tension to hold our attention throughout the film.

The cast helps, too. George C. Scott is a strong actor and he sells his role in a way that many other actors wouldn't have been able to accomplish. I don't think his character was especially well-written, but we have trust and faith in Scott and he delivers on that. His performance works- as he moves throughout the blimp with authority, we're intrigued by what he's doing, by the choices he makes. When I think about the fact that I likely enjoyed this movie more than most, a great deal of that is because of Scott and his performance. Anne Bancroft is effective, too. Her character needed more time and attention, but she gives a nice, fiery performance. I always love seeing Charles Durning and while his role is small, he's quite effective in it. William Atherton is memorable in his supporting role. The rest of the supporting cast are solid, if a bit unremarkable.

Now, I do think it's interesting that The Hindenburg was nominated for three Academy Awards- Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction-Set Direction, and Best Sound. That speaks volumes about the technical side of this film. Wise directs a beautiful film that is exceptionally strong from a craftsman standpoint. That is apparent throughout the film- yes, critics can jump on the slow-boiling narrative elements. That's where the film is obviously weakest. However, from a visual perspective, from a sound perspective, this is an exceptionally well crafted film. In addition to its three nominations, the film did win two Special Achievement Academy Awards- for Best Visual Effects and for Best Sound Effects. I honestly do believe this is noteworthy- the Academy was intent on awarding this film because of the technical wizardry it uses to tell this story. Even by today's standards, almost 50 years later, the film is still impressive to look at. From the beautiful paintings used, to the impressive use of models- The scenes of the Hindenburg floating through the clouds, the sound of the ripped tarp, wavering in the breeze, the creaks and groans of a ship that defies gravity- all the technical aspects of this film serve to amplify the story.

The big finale is what we've all been waiting for, though. The film doesn't disappoint, although it takes a very different tact than I would have expected. If you'd rather not know how the film approaches it, SPOILER WARNING. I assume you know the zeppelin exploded, in the end. The climactic explosion is filmed in black and white, which is startling at first. However, this approach allows the filmmakers to integrate actual footage of the disaster into the film. So, we're watching a combination of literal footage from the 1937 disaster, with filmed footage to amplify the experience. The movie uses audio from the disaster, as well, including Herbert Morrison's iconic, "Oh the humanity!" line. It's such an interesting technique- you're building a cutting edge visual effects film and the big conclusion switches from color to black & white, uses old newsreel footage. At first, it felt like it could have been a missed opportunity for more spectacle. However, I feel like this approach grounds the movie. It reminds us that this actually happened. It's surprising, a bit disorienting at first, but it's memorable.

I do recognize that there's quite a few flaws in The Hindenburg. A two hour movie about a disaster that took less than a minute to occur is an ambitious, potentially ludicrous attempt. I'm not sure if you could ever do it justice. So, for Wise to have directed a mostly entertaining (albeit too long) film that mostly held my attention feels like an accomplishment, especially when you add in the technical impressiveness of bringing this story to the screen. So, some people might complain about this film, but I enjoyed it.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Poseidon Adventure, Airport, The Towering Inferno, Earthquake