AUREL VLAICU (1977) – biographical film online

Directed by: Mircea Drăgan
Script by: Eugenia Busuioceanu
Cast: Gabriel Oseciuc, Radu Beligan, Octavian Cotescu, Toma Dimitriu, Maria Voluntaru, Violeta Andrei, Emanoil Petruț, Dinu Cocea, Gheorghe Cozorici, Valentin Teodosiu, Ritta Feldmayer, Ioana Drăgan, Alexandru Repan, George Paul Avram, Dem Rădulescu, Ștefan Tapalagă, Günter Drescher, Liviu Rozorea, Adrian Pintea, Peter Schuch, Constantin Dinulescu, Michael Bleitziffer, Valentin Mihai, Ion Pascu, Mircea Bașta, Raimund Binder, Ionel Popovici, Constantin Bărbulescu, Constantin Brînzea, Chiril Economu, Constantin Brezeanu, Eugen Popescu Cosmin, Cornelia Oseciuc, Marcel Iureș
Producer: Sanda Mănescu, Mircea Mohor
Cinematography by: George Cristea
Edited by: Lucia Anton
Sound: Silviu Camil
Music: Theodor Grigoriu
Year: 1977
Category: Feature film
Genre: Biography, History
Duration: 98 minutes

PLOT SUMMARY

Biographical film dedicated to the pioneer of world aviation Aurel Vlaicu, based on a screenplay written by Eugenia Busuioceanu, written and published in 1969 by the Military Publishing House.

CRITICAL REVIEWS:

“The Icarus of the 20th century, Aurel Vlaicu — the first Romanian to build and fly an airplane on his own, ending tragically in a petty world — was given a romanticized evocation, imbued with the spirit of the era.” – Marin Mitru, 2001

“It is perfection in schematism: schematism in its most brilliant form. It is likely that the failure of this film with critics and audiences will not have a significant influence on the director’s future development.” – Ecaterina Oproiu

“There are two ideas in the script, illustrated didactically by the director: 1. the affirmation of technical genius despite the ungrateful conditions in which it must assert itself on the world stage and win the dramatic race against time (Vlaicu participated with only his second type of aircraft, while Blériot launched, his 15th, perfected model) and 2. the understanding and support found by the Romanian inventor among the cultural and artistic personalities of the time who, encouraging the Transylvanian pilot’s ambition to cross the mountains with the aircraft he had built, also gave voice to the desire for national unity.” – Alice Mănoiu, Cinema magazine no. 6, June 1978, aarc.ro

“Although it respects the main biographical data, the film is nothing more than a laudatory and sterile reconstruction of the life of the young Transylvanian, from which any elements that could have diminished his mythical status. For example, in the real episode of experimenting with human flight in the aircraft created at home in Biținți (Hunedoara County) in 1909, in which he used his own sister, the director omits the appearance of the father on the take-off field. According to the aviator’s sister’s testimony for a Romanian National Television (TVR) report made in the early 1970s, the old man beat him with a whip, furious at Aurel for endangering his daughter’s life.” – Bogdan Jitea, cinepub.ro

TRIVIA:

• The film evokes Aurel Vlaicu as the “Icarus of the 20th century”, a pioneer of Romanian aviation.
• The film’s script had been previously published (1969) by the Military Publishing House.
• The film reconstructs the construction of the “Vlaicu I” and “Vlaicu II” aircraft and the accident of September 13, 1913.
• Filming took place in 1977 in numerous locations in Romania: Herculane, Clinceni, Brașov, Deva, Orăștie, Binținți, and Bucharest.
• The production also included international filming in cities in Germany: Görlitz, Bautzen, and Dresden.
• Aurel Vlaicu was born on November 7, 1882, in the village of Binținți (Hunedoara).
• From an early age, he demonstrated his technical talent by building a steam engine.
• While studying in Munich, a model of his flying machine managed to fly in the amphitheater, to the applause of his colleagues.
• In 1909, his sister Valeria (aged 6) became the first child in the world to glide, climbing into the glider built by Vlaicu.
• Mircea Drăgan was born in Gura Ocniței (Dâmbovița) on October 2, 1932, and was officially registered a day later.
• He graduated from IATC Bucharest in 1955 as valedictorian, quickly making his debut in cinema.
• He was an important teacher and mentor, becoming rector of the “I.L. Caragiale” Institute between 1976 and 1981.
• He held key positions in the film industry, including president of the National Center for Cinematography (1967).
• He made his feature film debut with “Beyond the Fir Trees” (1957), in collaboration with Mihai Iacob.
• He directed large-scale historical films (The Column, The Jder Brothers) as well as extremely popular comedies.
• He is the creator of the famous series The Miscellaneous Brigade, one of the most beloved Romanian franchises.
• The film “Aurel Vlaicu” is among his most notable productions.
• The director died in October 2017, in Râmnicu Vâlcea, leaving a major legacy in Romanian cinema.
• The film was seen by 1,799,796 viewers in Romanian cinemas, according to a report on the number of viewers recorded by Romanian films from the date of release until December 31, 2014, compiled by the National Center for Cinematography.

LINES:

 • “How long will we stick with balloons and toys that are lighter than air?” – Aurel Vlaicu (Gabriel Oseciuc)
• “Traian Vuia… They didn’t believe him either. And yet he flew!” – Aurel Vlaicu (Gabriel Oseciuc)
• “A machine like this isn’t mine, it belongs to the whole nation.” – Aurel Vlaicu (Gabriel Oseciuc)
• “On Sunday I wait for Monday to come, on Monday I wait for Tuesday to come, because that’s how we are, we wait.” – Ion Pascu (Vasile Gligor)
• “Mr. Vuia, I came to ask for your help in finding an engine for my airplane.” – Aurel Vlaicu (Gabriel Oseciuc)
• “This is the first time I’ve seen an airplane with wings without ribs.” – Traian Vuia (Ștefan Tapalagă)
• “Congratulations, Mr. Vlaicu! I wish you more success than I’ve had.” – Traian Vuia (Ștefan Tapalagă)
• “Sometimes it’s honorable to lose.” – Lieutenant Pilot Zorileanu (Constantin Brînzea)
• “I wish we could stay like this forever!” – Ana Vlaicu (Maria Voluntaru)
• “You know, until today, I considered myself the greatest genius alive. (…) But then you came along.” – Dem Rădulescu (Ion-Luca Caragiale)

ARTICLES:

• Romanian theater and films: “Aurel Vlaicu” (1977) – agerpres.ro
• Aurel Vlaicu, a biographical film on TVR International – tvri.tvr.ro
• The human-powered flying machine built by Aurel Vlaicu – historia.ro
• Other directors and films from the 1980s – istoriafilmuluiromanesc.ro
• October 3: The day director Mircea Drăgan, creator of the beloved film series “The Miscellaneous Brigade” (BD), was born – adevarul.ro
• Review: “Aurel Vlaicu” by Alice Mănoiu – aarc.ro

This premiere is part of a national archive project supported by the Romanian National Film Centre.
Special thanks goes to the Romanian Filmmakers Union and to the Romanian Film Archive.

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