Howard Hughes Show me all the blueprints.
Most-quoted character in The Aviator (2004): in 37 of its 49 quotes
Most scenes with: Sen. Ralph Owen Brewster (3), Ava Gardner (3)
I sleep...in this room...in the dark. I have a place I can sleep. I have a chair. That's just beautiful. Oh, yeah. I like the desert. It's hot there in the desert, but it's clean. It's clean. I need to sleep. I should drink something first. I should drink something first. Wait a minute. What if that milk is sour? That milk is bad. I shouldn't pick up the bottle of milk with my right hand. And I shouldn't take the top off with my left hand...put it in my pocket. My left pocket.
More lines from Howard Hughes
20 quotes Howard Hughes Howard Hughes If the Hercules does not fly, I will leave America and never come back again, and I mean it.
Howard Hughes He owns Pan-Am. He owns Congress. He owns the Civil Aeronautics Board. But he does not own the sky.
Howard Hughes Quarantine. Q-u-a-r-a-n-t-i-n-e. Quarantine.
Howard Hughes I'm Howard Hughes, the aviator.
Howard Hughes Sometimes I truly fear that I... am losing my mind. And if I did it... it would be like flying blind.
Howard Hughes Find me some clouds!
Howard Hughes The way of the future.
Howard Hughes Tell Jimmy I want ten chocolate chip cookies, medium chips, none too close to the outside.
Howard Hughes Orange juice has... nutritional value. Flies outside the window, though. Little Howard loves orange juice, doesn't he just?
Howard Hughes You come out of the blue and let me down, and have the nerve to expect graciousness.
Howard Hughes When I grow up, I'm gonna make the biggest movies, fly the fastest planes ever built, and be the richest man in the world.
Howard Hughes Boy, you are just hittin' on all six cylinders aren't'cha? My God. Would you do me a favor and just...? Would you just smile for me one time, just once? Yeah, yeah, see you got a short upper lip...makes for a much nicer smile. See I wonder what gives a beautiful woman like you pleasure. I mean say you're just standing there, right and I- I just touch you. Just like this... see my fingertips. I mean, do you like that? Do you? See, I wanna learn what pleases you. I wanna learn everything about you. Would you let me do that? Would you give me that job?
Howard Hughes She'll go faster.
Howard Hughes The XF-11! She's a spy-plane really. Designed every inch of her myself. She's got a top speed of 350 which means she can outrun anything they throw against her. Yeah, after the Japs stole my H-1 design for their goddamn Zeroes I figure I'd better do 'em one better. Yeah, she's my Buck Rogers ship.
Howard Hughes (In front of the Motion Picture Censorship Board)
Good to see you, Mr. Breen. Gentlemen, it's good to see you- I haven't seen you all since that issue with all the violence in Scarface. The problem here seems to revolve around Ms. Russell's mammaries, is that correct? Mr. Breen feels that they are too prominant, yes? More prominant than other mammaries have been up on the screen? Well... we hope to dispel that notion. Jean Harlow. Ann Sheridan. Irene Dunne. Claudette Colbert, Rita Hayworth, Bettie Grable... and the lovely Ms. Jane Russell. Now all of these photos- save for Ms. Russell's- have been enlarged from pictures that received Mr. Breen's seal of approval... and as you can see they all contain mammaries. At this point I'd like to introduce my assisstant, Dr. Ludlow Branson. Dr. Branson is a mathematician of some note...yes. And he will prove that, in fact, Ms. Russell's mammaries are no more prominant than any of these other fine ladies. Doctor? Doctor... you forgot your calipers.
Howard Hughes Orange juice has... nutritional value. There's some... flies... outside the window. Little Howard likes... citrus. Don't he just.
Howard Hughes Tell Juan Trippe something for me. Tell him thanks for the flowers. And he can kiss... both sides... of my ass.
Howard Hughes I'm afraid you don't know how the aviation business works, Senator. See, wining and dining Air Force dignitaries is common in our business. It's because we all want the big contracts. All the major aircraft companies do it. I don't know whether it's a good system, I just know it is not illegal. You, Senator, you are the lawmaker. If you pass a law that states no one can entertain Air Force officers, well, hell! I'd be happy to abide by it!
Howard Hughes I am supposed to be many things that are not complimentary. I am supposed to be capricious, I have been called a playboy, I have even been called an eccentric. But I do not believe I have the reputation of being a liar. Now, needless to say, the Hercules was a monumental undertaking; it is the largest plane ever built. It is over five stories tall with a wingspan longer than a football field, that is more than a city block! Now I put the sweat of my life into this thing, I got my reputation all rolled up in it, and I have stated several times that if the Hercules fails to fly, I will leave this country and never come back... and I mean it! Now, Senator Brewster, you can subpoena me, you can arrest me, you can even claim that I have folded and taken a run-out powder, but, well, I have had just about enough of this nonsense! Good day!
Scenes with Howard Hughes
16 scenes
Frank
You may be directing this movie, Howard. But what you're asking- we can't do it!
Howard Don't tell me I can't do it; don't tell me it can't be done!
Frank
The gyro forces are too much here. You send these planes into simultaneous barrel rolls they won't make it!
Howard It's the goddamn climax of the picture Frank, all right, you make it work! Look, decrease the vertical trajectory if you have to, a Le Rhône rotary won't stall at 60 degrees- I've done it!
Advisor
Howard, we need to cut that sequence down, we don't have enough cameras.
Howard No, no we're not cuttin' anything! I'll get those extra cameras, set up for rehearsal's in five!
Mr. Hughes, I'm Noah Dietrich. Your office said I'd find you here.
Howard Dietrich. You're a man on the come! I read your resume and talked to your references. You know what I'm lookin' for?!
Well as I understand it you're looking for a second-in-command at Hughes Tools; someone to oversee the financial aspects of the business-
Howard Yeah, I'm lookin' for somebody to run it and do a damn good job. Look, there's really only one thing you gotta know! My folks... they're gone now! So it's my money! Now what I choose to do with that money may seem crazy to those sons-a-bitches in Houston — and I'm sure as hell it does — but it all makes good sense to me, you got that?
Got it.
Howard Good. Now you made what uh... five thousand dollars a year your last job; I'll pay you ten thousand!
Guess I'll be working twice as hard!
Howard You'll be workin' four times as hard; I just got you half price, Mr. Dietrich. Welcome aboard. You're my voice now, make 'em understand that- look, some of those fine folks down there still callin' me Junior. You tell 'em its Mister Hughes now!
So when do we go to Houston?
Howard We don't. Cholera epidemic in 1913, two thousand dead; whole place is nothin' but pestilential swamp. Typhus, malaria, cholera, yellow fever, you name it they got it. [gestures to the fleet] You see that, Mr. Dietrich? You are lookin' at the largest private air force in the entire world. What do you think of that, now?
Well... It's your money.
Howard START 'EM UP!!!
Odie
Hey, you want the good news or the bad news?
Howard Bad news, always.
Odie
Alright, we've installed the 450 radial, but the struts won't take the vibrations. [Gives Howard a magnifier to look at the strut] The minute we fire her up, the struts start cracking at the attach points.
Howard Well, what's the good news?
Odie
There isn't any.
Howard Goddamn it, Odie, if the 450's too big, we just gotta figure something else out.
Odie
Well, we've done everything. We've rebuilt her from top to toe. Now, if we drain the fuel tank for a couple of runs, she might make 180 MPH.
Howard I want minimum 200, alright?
Odie
Yeah, well I want a date with Theda Bara, but that ain't gonna happen either.
Howard Ah, don't be so sure...Well, if the struts won't sustain the engine, then maybe we get rid of the struts.
Odie
No, then the top wing falls off.
Howard ...Then let it.
Odie
What?
Howard Who-who says we need a top wing? Who says we need anything?
Odie
[Realizes what Howard's thinking]
A monoplane...
Howard A cantilevered monoplane, right? I mean, they're doing it in France. To hell with the top wing and the struts.
Odie
Put in a 550 Wasp engine...
Howard 100 octane fuel, that would give us a top horsepower of what?
Odie
700.
Howard We squeeze that to 1,000, we've got the fastest plane ever built.
Odie
You know, I just gotta say, we've already spent over $200,000 rebuilding this plane.
Howard Yeah, to hell with it. [Grabs a 2x4 and tosses it to Odie] Tear it up, Odie! Go on! [Odie swings the board at the struts, breaking them and the top wing]
Howard I've been to Chatsworth, Santa Cruz, Encino, San Diego, Riverside, Van Nuys, and Bakersfield. It has been eight months! Where are my goddamn clouds, huh?
Professor Fitz [shouting in frustration]
They move, Mr. Hughes! Clouds move — that's what they do! They move!
Professor Fitz Mr. Hughes! Mr. Hughes! Oakland! There are clouds in Oakland!
Howard You're serious this time?
Professor Fitz Yes! Goddammit, yes. I can promise you, clouds in Oakland.
Howard Alright, alright. Don't get jittery on me. [Turns to his crew] OAKLAND! WE'RE GOING TO OAKLAND!
Well, if you're deaf, you must own up to it. Get a hearing aid, or see my father. He's an urologist, but it's all tied up inside the body, don't you find?
Howard Mmm.
Me, I keep healthy. I take seven showers a day to keep clean, also because I'm so vulgarly referred to as "outdoors-y." Well, I'm not "outdoors-y," I'm athletic. I sweat! There it is, now we both know the sordid truth: I sweat, and you're deaf. Aren't we a fine pair of misfits?
Howard Alright, what do you got for me?
Jack Frye The thing is, TWA needs a new plane. A modern plane.
Howard Oh, yeah? What kinda plane?
Jack Frye Okay, the DC-3 has 21 daytime seats and 14 overnight berths.
Howard Something bigger.
Jack Frye Try 50 seats, with a ceiling of 12,000 feet.
Howard No. No, 20,000. Think about it, Jack. What does 20,000 ft give you?
Jack Frye Less turbulence.
Howard Right, because it's above the weather. Jack, we want to fly above the weather. Only 1% of the American population has ever set foot on a commercial airliner. Why? 'Cause they're scared to death, Jack, and they should be. I mean, 7,000 ft. is as bumpy as shit, you know that. We build a plane that flies above the weather, we could get every man, woman, and child in this country to feel safe up there. An airplane with the ability to fly in the substratosphere. Across the country. Across the world. Now, that is the future.
Odie
[Howard runs out of fuel trying to push his H-1 Racer faster. It crash-lands in a field. Odie and the rest of the engineers rush to the field, an ambulance following close behind, expecting the worst. Odie sees Howard casually relaxing against the plane, writing notes]
Howard! Howard!
Howard How'd we do?
Odie
[Breathless]
...352 on the last run! [Gives a chuckle of relief. Howard smiles]
Howard She'll go faster.
Jack Frye So you want me to bribe senators?
Howard I don't want them bribed, Jack. I want it done legally. I want them bought.
Glenn Odekirk Howard, you really think they're gonna let you put out a whole movie just about tits?
Howard Hughes [beat]
Sure. Who doesn't like tits?
Howard You want to go to war with me?
It's not me, Howard. It's the United States Government. We just beat Germany and Japan. Who the hell are you?
You listened to my phone calls?
Howard No! No! No! Honey, I would never do that! I'd never do that! I... I just read the transcripts, that's all.
Juan Trippe [Howard - naked, dishevelled and concealed in his projection room during a breakdown - is visited by Juan Trippe]
Okay, Howard I'm sitting. I've brought along our accountings. Now, Pan-Am is trading at 13 and five-eighths. TWA at four and a quarter. Now, if you take--
Howard Ah, come on! Come on, come on, come on, come on! We both know I'm not gonna sell TWA! Besides that, you couldn't afford her anyway! Our domestic routes alone are worth more than twice Pan-Am!
Juan Trippe Well, considering our stock is trading at three times yours, I find that a... dubious claim, Howard.
Howard [frustrated]
What I-- [sighs, clears throat] What I mean is, you have no domestic routes, all right? I mean, you get TWA, you... you span the globe. Now, I'm not gonna sell and you know I'm not gonna sell. [taps the door] Here's the point: Owen Brewster works for you!
Juan Trippe Howard, I didn't elect Senator Brewster. We can thank the voters of Maine for that.
Howard [Juan smokes his pipe. Howard backs away in fear as the smoke creeps in]
Now... if I appear at his hearings, Juan. It could get nasty. [coughs] Real nasty for all of us!
Juan Trippe Well, I think considerably more for you, Howard. While the good people of America were losing sons at Anzio, you produced a dirty movie and built planes that don't fly.
Howard Well, that's just not fair, is it? I mean, the XF-11 flew quite well for an hour and 45 minutes! I mean, I wish you were up there with me, Juan! It was... it was exhilarating!
Juan Trippe Be that as it may, you still have to answer for the Spruce Goose.
Howard [Howard angrily throws a Kleenex box at the door with a loud thump]
IT'S CALLED THE HERCULES! AND IT WILL FLY, GODDAMMIT!
Juan Trippe I certainly hope so. The American people deserve something for their 13 million dollars.
Howard I WON'T SELL TWA! I WON'T!
Juan Trippe [after a short silence]
I know you won't, Howard. I know you won't. But I'm going to get it anyway. You're going to default on your loan from Equitable after Senator Brewster destroys your reputation and you can't find any additional capital for the airline. The hearings will also show Hughes Aircraft as mismanaged and incompetent, and it will go bankrupt too. But you won't be insolvent. You'll still have Tool Co. Perhaps, you'll return to Houston to rebuild your empire. I rather hope you do. By that time, Pan-Am will have bought TWA and painted all those magnificent Connies blue and white. So, when you do return, it will be on a Pan-Am plane.
Howard Well... [clears throat] you seem to have me in a corner here, buddy. Not a position in which I'm very comfortable.
Juan Trippe I think you're going to be less comfortable at Senator Brewster's hearings. Very public, Howard. Lots of camera, newsmen. I understand you're not particularly fond of crowds. Perhaps we should spare you that.
Howard [sarcastic]
Well, thank you for your concern, Juan! I find that... very moving!
Howard Does that look clean to you?
Nothing's ever clean, Howard. But we all do our best, right?
Howard Will you marry me?
Howard I'll put this very simply. On February 12th, at the Mayflower Hotel, did you or did you not tell me that if I were to sell TWA to Pan Am that this entire investigation would be called off?
No, I did not, and I have asked you repeatedly to submit your questions in writing.
Howard How long have you known Juan Trippe, Senator?
I've known Mr. Trippe for some time now, and that's not the question here.
Howard Is it not true that Juan Trippe donated $20,000 to your last campaign? I mean, he spoke to me as if you worked for him!
[Murmurs spread through the court]
I have a personal friendship with Mr. Trippe, but--
Howard Is it not true you accept free tickets from Pan Am, so you can circle the globe in support of your C.A.B. bill?
No, no, it is not true.
Howard Well, who wrote that bill, Senator?
No, we're asking questions--
Howard Who actually wrote the C.A.B. bill? The actual words in the bill. Did you write them?
This is not how these hearings are going be conducted, Mr. Hughes--
Howard I have it right here. Maybe it'll refresh your memory. "Bill S-987 to amend the Civil Aeronautics Act." Now, you introduced this bill to the Senate. [looking through the pages] Lotta words. You write all of them? Did you write any of them, Senator?
Now, look, Mr. Hughes--
Howard Now, this entire bill was written by Pan Am executives and designed to give that airline a monopoly on international travel. And you've been flogging this bill all around the world on their behalf, have you not?
I have duties that take me all over the world, Mr. Hughes.
Howard Oh, what the hell does a senator from Maine need to visit Peru for?
I was-- I was seeking outlets for our trade-- our trade goods.
Howard Ah. Buy a lotta lobsters down there, do they?
Howard [People in the court laugh]
Senator Brewster, how many times have you visited Juan Trippe's office in New York in the last three months? Huh? Would you like me to tell you, Senator?
All right, this has gone on long enough. Juan Trippe is a great American. His airline has advanced the cause of commercial aviation in this country for decades. Juan Trippe is a patriot. Juan Trippe is not a man who is interested in making money.
Howard Hm. Well, I'm sure his stockholders would be happy to hear that.
[People laugh again]
Mr. Hughes, did you receive $43 million to manufacture one hundred XF-11 spy planes for the United States Air Force?
Howard I did.
How many functional planes did you deliver to the United States Air Force.
Howard None.
Would you lean a little closer to the microphone, sir?
Howard [Leans in, annoyed]
None!
Did you receive $13 million to manufacture a prototype of a flying boat known as the Hercules?
Howard I did.
And did you deliver that plane?
Howard I did not.
So, by your admission in this chamber, Mr. Hughes, you have received $56 million from the United States government...for planes you never delivered?
Howard That is correct.
[Barely containing his delight]
Well, excuse me for asking, Mr. Hughes, but where did all that money go?
Howard Well, it went into the planes, Mr. Senator, and a lot more.
More? [chuckles] Do tell, Mr. Hughes. What other larcenies did you commit?
Howard I mean, I put my money into these planes, Senator. My money. See, the thing is–
Mr. Hughes, your personal finances are–are not–
Senator
[quietly, to Brewster]
Let him speak.
Alright, proceed, Mr. Hughes.
Howard See, the thing is, I care very much about aviation. It has been the great joy of my life. That's why I put my own money into these planes and I've lost millions, Senator Brewster, and I'll go on losing millions. It's just... what I do. Now, if I've lost a lot of the government's money during the war, well, I hope folks will put that into perspective. You see, more than 60 other airplanes ordered from such firms as Lockheed, Douglas, Northrup and Boeing never saw action either. In all, more than $800 million was spent during the war on planes that never flew. Over $6 billion on other weapons that were never delivered. Yet, Hughes Aircraft, with her $56 million, is the only firm under investigation here today. Now, I cannot help but think that has a little more to do with TWA than planes that did not fly!
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