Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines

Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965)

  • 71% of critics liked it
    (7 reviews)

  • 69% of users liked it
    (5,721 ratings)

Ken Annakin's large-canvas comedy Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines is set in 1910. In order to boost circulation of his newspaper, Lord Rawnsley (Robert Morley) offers 10,000 pounds to the first person who can fly across the English Channel. A huge number of hopefuls enter the… More

In Theaters
Jan 1, 1965 Wide
20th Century Fox

Critic Reviews

  • Joseph Jon Lanthier, Slant Magazine

    Though essentially a "first world problems" farce, Ken Annakin's period racing comedy is built with enough love to resist crashing.

  • Charles Cassady, Common Sense Media

    Top gun of slapstick early-aviation comedies.

  • Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com

    Funny, zany and full of magnificent vintage airplanes; Red Skelton open and close is great.

  • Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

    Goofy "great race" fun.

  • John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis

    ...part slapstick, part spectacle, and part adventure, but most of all it's sweet, lighthearted fun.

Read all 6 critic reviews

See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Anthony L


    A comedy classic, very much of its time, full of slap-stick and silly humour. The cast is brilliant too, an eclectic mix of European favourites but mainly British comedic masters. I love the story, I love the actors and the humour, Ken Annakin is a great British director, often… More

  • Jens S


    One of those childhood classics they always showed on holidays to watch over and over again. Sure, it doesn't work quite as well anymore as it used to, with me growing up and expectations of movies changing so much. But the mere nostalgia was already worth the re-watch. A 1910… More

  • xGary X


    This live action version of an airborne wacky races is predictable slapstick but moustache twirling Terry Thomas is always worth watching as the original Dick Dastardly.

  • Dean M


    Terry-Thomas' so hilarious in this extraordinary comic version of the historic 1910 London to Paris air race.

  • Byron B


    Another 60's comedy that I had seen years ago and re-watched (on tv) recently. I'm not sure if anyone on the production of this movie worked for Disney's live action division or if it is the general popularity of these big comedies during this decade, but this reminds… More

Read all 6 featured audience ratings

Currently unavailable on Flixster

Also available on

UltraViolet Retailers

Other Retailers

Subscription Services

Not Available
Not Available
Not Available

Cast

See more (40)