Great Waldo Pepper, The (1975)

Robert Redford plays Waldo Pepper, a former World War I pilot who travels around the US in the 1920s exaggerating his accomplishments in order to impress the rabble.

After a brief rivalry with air-show entrepreneur Axel Olsson (Bo Svenson), Pepper teams with Axel to barnstorm all over the Midwest.

Later, after a series of unexpected (and calamitous) events, Pepper gets a job as a movie stunt pilot. On the set, he meets the film’s technical advisor: former German ace Ernst Kessler (Bo Brundin), a man whom Pepper has been claiming falsely to have fought during the war, thereby advancing his own reputation.

He is as disillusioned with civilian life as Pepper is, and ignoring the entreaties of the film’s director, stages a genuine dogfight (sans live ammo) with his old “opponent.”

This drama reunites Robert Redford with George Roy Hill, who directed him in both Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) and The Sting (1973).

Redford effortlessly portrays Pepper’s superficial charm but lacks the depth to convey his torment. There is little substance to the movie but it is very colourful and humorous and features some highly entertaining stunts.

Waldo Pepper
Robert Redford
Axel Olsson
Bo Svenson
Ernst Kessler
Bo Brundin
Mary Beth
Susan Sarandon
Newton Potts
Geoffrey Lewis
Ezra Stiles
Edward Herrmann
Dillhoefer
Philip Bruns
Werfel
Roderick Cook
Patsy
Kelly Jean Peters
Maude
Margot Kidder
Duke
Scott Newman

Director
George Roy Hill

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