In order to boost circulation of his newspaper, Lord Rawnsley announces an air race and offers £10,000 to the first person who can fly across the English Channel. But one of the participants, Percy, plots to sabotage his competitor's planes. Will Percy triumph?
Practical Effects
Genuine 1910s aircraft rebuilt to actually fly — no CGI, just death wishes.
Production
Astounding period detail that cost more than some countries' air forces.
Acting
International stereotypes played with such committed gusto you forgive everything.
Director
Ken Annakin
Stuart Whitman
Orvil Newton
Sarah Miles
Patricia Rawnsley
James Fox
Richard Mays
Alberto Sordi
Count Emilio Ponticelli
Robert Morley
Lord Rawnsley
Gert Fröbe
Colonel Manfred von Holstein
Jean-Pierre Cassel
Pierre Dubois
Eric Sykes
Courtney
Red Skelton
The Neanderthal Man
Terry-Thomas
Sir Percy Ware-Armitage
Flora Robson
Mother Superior
Karl Michael Vogler
Captain Rumpelstoss
Sam Wanamaker
George Gruber
Maurice Denham
Trawler Skipper
Gordon Jackson
MacDougal
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The film's working title was simply 'Flying Crazy' — Fox made them change it to something even more unwieldy.
Ken Annakin had previously directed 'The Longest Day'; this was his lighter follow-up about another Anglo-French crossing. The 1960s aviation craze peaked here before 'Those Daring Young Men in Their Jaunty Jalopies' killed the formula.
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