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The Great Waldo Pepper

Play trailer Poster for The Great Waldo Pepper PG Released Apr 13, 1975 1h 47m Adventure Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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67% Tomatometer 12 Reviews 58% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Aerial tale set in the 1920s about a traveling aviator whose exaggerations look to be discovered when he begins work on a film with a pilot with whom he claims to have done battle. Having told colorful stories of wartime combat with the notorious German flying ace, the two men fortunately find a mutual respect, which culminates in a spectacular dogfight.
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The Great Waldo Pepper

Critics Reviews

View All (12) Critics Reviews
Pauline Kael New Yorker It's a paean to purification through heroism, with the heroes fighting for the love of fighting and to determine who is the better man. Oct 11, 2023 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times It doesn't have any big notions about the passing of that era, or of the barnstormers, who are seen as overgrown kids with wonderful toys that fly. But it has a good feeling for the period, and director George Roy Hill gives us poignancy and adventure. Rated: 3/4 Oct 23, 2004 Full Review Sean Burns Crooked Marquee A very strange film, socking you in the gut with the ugly realities of early aviation and then ascending somewhere dreamier, up into the clouds. Oct 3, 2023 Full Review Steve Warren The Barb (Atlanta) It's strictly a star vehicle and a vehicle vehicle. May 5, 2023 Full Review Jacoba Atlas Los Angeles Free Press It has all the elements of a fantastic, touching movie, except one - a script that engages the audience's interest. Dec 5, 2019 Full Review Bernard Drew Gannett News Service The Great Waldo Pepper is vastly entertaining and a good deal more besides. Oct 5, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (61) audience reviews
Kathryn V I don't know why the low scores, I loved it. At the end I was sitting on the edge of my seat. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/15/24 Full Review Jelisije J Robert Redford plays a man who loves to fly and will take any job that dont regulate his love to do what he wants. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/31/24 Full Review Ted O A big bright, colorful period piece about the early days of daredevil aviation barnstorming. Excellent performances, snappy dialogue, a joy ride indeed. Masterful screenwriter William Goldman delivers again with a smart, engaging, and poignant drama. Great cinematography, editing, music, and of course Redford in his prime. - I loved this film. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/29/23 Full Review Martin B In terms of cinematography it doesn't get much better then The Great Waldo Pepper and to think it's near a half a century old. The planes, period costumes and backdrop just so incredibly vivid. Redford was such a beautiful man but my lord he could never really act. The guy had one character and he pretty much played it in all his movies. Pretty to look at, deliver the lines in the Redford way and that's about it. If they had a real lead actor, one with some real chops with charisma and able to interpret the Pepper character with his own unique twist the movie could have been truly great. Redfords, layed back, under performing style dependent on his facial expressions and simple mutteiings was not right for the over the top swashbuckler the roll demanded. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 10/23/23 Full Review Shioka O This is a personal film of the director who is a pilot. Redford looks great here. Lots of aerial scenes. That's it! Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 10/17/22 Full Review delysid d a great companion to john frankenheimers film the gypsy moths Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/15/22 Full Review Read all reviews
The Great Waldo Pepper

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The Great Waldo Pepper

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Movie Info

Synopsis Aerial tale set in the 1920s about a traveling aviator whose exaggerations look to be discovered when he begins work on a film with a pilot with whom he claims to have done battle. Having told colorful stories of wartime combat with the notorious German flying ace, the two men fortunately find a mutual respect, which culminates in a spectacular dogfight.
Director
George Roy Hill
Producer
George Roy Hill
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Production Co
Universal Pictures
Rating
PG
Genre
Adventure, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 13, 1975, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 12, 2014
Runtime
1h 47m
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