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The Gypsy Moths
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Wikipedia article
'The Gypsy Moths' is a 1969 American drama film, based on the 1955 novel of the same name by James Drought and directed by John Frankenheimer. The film tells the story of three barnstorming skydivers and their effect on a Midwestern American town, focusing on the differences in values between the town folk and the hard-living skydivers.
'The Gypsy Moths' stars Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr. The film also features Gene Hackman; and Bonnie Bedelia in her first film role. Kerr had worked previously with Lancaster in 'From Here to Eternity' (1953) and 'Separate Tables' (1958). The film had the only nude love scene in her film career.Capua 2010, p. 152.
Elmer Bernstein composed the score.
Plot
A skydiving team called the Gypsy Moths visits a small town in Kansas to put on a show for the Fourth of July weekend. Their leader, Mike Rettig (Burt Lancaster), is accompanied by his partners, Joe Browdy (Gene Hackman) and Malcolm Webson (Scott Wilson).
The skydivers stay at the home of Malcolm's uncle and aunt, John and Elizabeth Brandon (William Windom and Deborah Kerr). Distractions begin almost immediately when Mike becomes romantically involved with Elizabeth and her husband overhears them making love in their home. Malcolm falls for local student Annie Burke (Bonnie Bedelia), a boarder in the Brandon house, while Joe takes an interest in a topless dancer.
Mike eventually asks Elizabeth to leave town with him, but she declines. During the next skydiving exhibition, Mike performs a spectacular "cape jump" stunt but fails to pull the ripcord, intentionally falling to his death. Although nobody wants to discuss it, they suspect that he committed suicide. That night, Annie consoles Malcolm, and they make love. Before the team leaves for good, they have to bury Mike. To pay for the funeral, Malcolm does the same stunt that killed Mike. He leaves by train that night, without attending Mike's funeral.
Cast
* Burt Lancaster as Mike Rettig
* Deborah Kerr as Elizabeth Brandon
* Gene Hackman as Joe Browdy
* Scott Wilson as Malcolm Webson
* William Windom as John Brandon
* Bonnie Bedelia as Annie Burke
* Sheree North as the Waitress
* Carl Reindel as Pilot
* Ford Rainey as Stand owner
* John Napier as Dick Donford
Production
James William Drought's 1955 novel, 'The Gypsy Moths - A Fable', was originally acquired by Kirk Douglas and Edward Lewis' film production company Douglas and Lewis Productions in April 1966. The plan was for Douglas to play the lead and the partners immediately hired David Heilweil to write the screenplay. John Frankenheimer, who had been directing and co-producing films in partnership with Douglas and Lewis since 1962 through his own film production company, John Frankenheimer Productions, was to direct the film from the start.
After Douglas and Lewis broke off their partnership in December 1966 (after eleven years of working together), Lewis formed his own film production company, Edward Lewis Productions, and took with him several of the properties that he had acquired and developed with Frankenheimer. In January 1967, Lewis and Frankenheimer announced that they had together signed a four-picture financing and distribution deal with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, for a co-production deal between Edward Lewis Productions and John Frankenheimer Productions, including 'The Gypsy Months'. The screenplay had been re-written by William Hanley and the film was to be co-produced by Hal Landers and Bobby Roberts (who formed their own film production company Landers-Roberts Productions), directed by Frankenheimer and with Lewis functioning as executive producer.
In September 1967, Burt Lancaster was announced as the lead and the film was scheduled to be filmed in the Midwest starting in May 1968. John Phillip Law was originally in the cast, but Scott Wilson replaced him after Law broke his wrist.Armstrong 2013, p. 35.
The aerial sequences in 'The Gypsy Moths' were filmed at locations in and around Benton, Kansas, with a Howard DGA-15 (N22418) used as the jump ship, flown by David Llorente and Larry Perkins.Rouillard 1969, p. 33. After decoding the "DGA" designation of the aircraft, Browdy (Gene Hackman) jokes that "You're much better off jumping out of it, than taking a chance on landing it."Bushell 1987, p. 41.
At the time, the sport of skydiving was in its infancy, yet the film featured an extreme variation of the sport, the use of "batwings", a precursor to modern wingsuit flying. Jerry Rouillard was a key technical advisor and stunt double for Lancaster. Carl Boenish and Jay Gifford were responsible for the aerial photography, including photographing the jumps with a 35 mm camera mounted on their helmets, while they jumped with the stunt doubles, a team of a half dozen skydivers; Mike Milts, Garth Taggart, Russ Benefiel, Dave Thompson, Bill Ledbetter and Jerry Rouillard.Rouillard, p. 10.
Reception
'The Gypsy Moths' ran in limited release in the U.S., with few theaters giving it extended showings. Frankenheimer was depressed and felt that a recent management change at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer resulted in the film only being partially re-edited "so it could debut at family-friendly Radio City Music Hall, where it promptly bombed. Only in Hollywood could dealing with clueless studio executives be more frightening than jumping out of an airplane into free fall."Tatara, Paul. [https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/77191/the-gypsy-moths#articles-reviews "Articles: 'The Gypsy Moths' (1969)."] 'Turner Classic Movies'. Retrieved: May 20, 2022.
In his review for 'The New York Times', Vincent Canby noted that 'The Gypsy Moths' had the semblance of an "action film," but "if this were a real action movie, I would be required to do little except look up at the sky and squint. Unfortunately, there isn't that much skydiving."Canby, Vincent. [https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9F02E2DF1031EE3BBC4151DFBE668382679EDE "Movie Review: 'The Gypsy Moths; (1969); The Screen: Barnstorming parachutists."] 'The New York Times', August 29, 1969.
After its initial showings, the film was lengthened to 110 minutes and the rating changed to M for mature audiences. This rating was an early version of the later PG.[https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/77191/the-gypsy-moths#notes "Notes: 'The Gypsy Moths' (1969)."] 'Turner Classic Movies'. Retrieved: May 20, 2022. As soon as it appeared, 'The Gypsy Moths' disappeared. Director Frankenheimer claimed the film did not get the same attention as his thrillers, like 'Seconds' (1966) and 'The Manchurian Candidate' (1962). Despite this, he would call 'The Gypsy Moths' one of his two favorite films.Champlin 1995, pp. 117118.
'The Gypsy Moths' was widely seen in Australia, with a local skydiving fraternity quick to seize the opportunity to promote their sport, showing a 16 mm print at many club meetings.Swann, Steve. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeeQAetUWAY "The Gypsy Moths."] 'Youtube', October 21, 2013. Retrieved: July 18, 2015.
See also
* List of American films of 1969
References
Notes
Bibliography
* Armstrong, Stephen B. 'John Frankenheimer: Interviews, Essays, and Profiles'. Washington D.C.: Rowman & Littlefield, 2013. .
* Bushell, Sue J. "Some Damn Good Airplanes". 'Air Enthusiast', Thirty-two, December 1986-April 1987. Bromley, UK: Pilot Press, pp. 3244.
* Capua, Michelangelo. 'Deborah Kerr: A Biography'. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, 2010. .
* Champlin, Charles. 'John Frankenheimer: A Conversation with Charles Champlin'. Ashland, Oregon: Riverwood Press, 1995. ,
* Rouillard, Jerry. "Will the REAL 'Gypsy Moths' Please Stand Up?," 'Parachutist' magazine, November 1969, pp. 1012.
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