Howard Hughes, an aviation pioneer, eccentric billionaire industrialist, and Hollywood film mogul, is famous for romancing the world’s most beautiful women. The Aviator focuses on his life from the late 1920’s through the 1940’s. During this time Hughes directed and produced Hollywood movies and test flew personally designed and created aircrafts. His love affair with two Hollywood legends, Katharine Hepburn and Ava Gardner is discussed in the movie along with Hughes’ emotional life, physical disabilities, and phobias. His obsessive-compulsive behavior is portrayed through the film as ultimately isolating him from his friend, business associates, Hollywood, and the rest of the world.

The cast portraying the historic figures includes the following: Leonardo DiCaprio as Howard Hughes, Cate Blanchett as Katharine Hepburn, Kate Beckinsale as Ava Gardner, John C. Reilly as Noah Dietrich, Alec Baldwin as Juan Trippe, Jude Law as Errol Flynn, Matt Ross as Glenn Odekirk, Adam Scott as Johnny Meyer, Danny Huston as Jack Frye, Alan Alda as Senator Ralph Owen Brewster, Ian Holm as Professor Fitz, Kelli Garner as Faith Domergue, and Gwen Stefani as Jean Harlow.