Glenn Odekirk Quotes in The Aviator (2004)

[on "The Outlaw"]

Glenn Odekirk: Howard, you really think they're gonna let you put out a whole movie just about tits?

Howard Hughes: Sure. Who doesn't like tits?

Glenn Odekirk: We installed the 450 radial, but the struts won't take the vibration. Minute we go contact, the struts start craking at the attach points.

Howard Hughes: Dammit, Odie, if the 450's too big, figure something else out!

Glenn Odekirk: We've done everything - we've rebuilt her from top to bottom. If we drain the fuel tank for a couple of runs she might make 180 mph.

Howard Hughes: I want minimum 200.

Glenn Odekirk: Yeah, well, I want a date with Theda Bara, but that ain't gonna happen either.

Howard Hughes: Don't be so sure... OK, OK, OK, this is a simple engineering problem. We just gotta think it out.

[pause]

Howard Hughes: So if the struts won't sustain the engine we need - then we gotta get rid of them.

Glenn Odekirk: Then the top wing falls off.

Howard Hughes: Then let it.

Glenn Odekirk: What?

Howard Hughes: Who says we need a top wing?

[pauses]

Howard Hughes: Who says we need *anything*?

[Glenn is warming up to Hughes' idea]

Glenn Odekirk: A monoplane...

Howard Hughes: A cantilevered monoplane. They're doing it in France. To the hell with the top wing and the struts...

Glenn Odekirk: 550 Whitney Wasp engine...

Howard Hughes: 100 octane fuel will give us a top horsepower of - what?

Glenn Odekirk: Seven hundred.

Howard Hughes: Squeeze it to a thousand and we got the fastest plane ever built.

Glenn Odekirk: You know, I just gotta say... we've already spent over $200,000 rebuilding this plane.

Howard Hughes: To the hell with it.

[smiles]

Howard Hughes: Tear it up, Odie.

[Glenn takes a sledgehammer and annihilates the struts on the top wing; the top wing falls off]

Howard Hughes: [Attempting a take-off of the Spruce Goose] Power coming up!

Glenn Odekirk: Power coming up!

[Howard pushes on the throttles]

James McNamara: [On the radio] Howard Hughes has just alerted us. Asked everyone to hold on. Tremendous horsepower kicking up.

Howard Hughes: [Continuing to push on the throttles] Let me hear it, Odie!

Glenn Odekirk: 25 miles per hour! 30!

James McNamara: Here we go. Here we go...

Glenn Odekirk: 35!

James McNamara: ...The airspeed indicator has moved up to 25... 30... 35...

Glenn Odekirk: 40!

James McNamara: ...As he pushes the throttle, that's 40...

Glenn Odekirk: 45!

James McNamara: ...45. More throttle. That's 45...

Glenn Odekirk: 50!

James McNamara: ...50. It's 50 over a choppy sea...

Glenn Odekirk: 55!

James McNamara: ...55. That's 55...

Glenn Odekirk: 60!

James McNamara: ...More throttle, that's 60...

Glenn Odekirk: 65!

James McNamara: ...65!

Glenn Odekirk: 70!

James McNamara: ...That's 70...

Glenn Odekirk: 75!

James McNamara: ...75!

[Howard finishes pushing the throttles forward, the plane suddenly stops shaking as it takes off. There's a pause before everyone on the plane starts applauding]

James McNamara: And something momentarily cuts out, I believe we are airborne. We are airborne, ladies and gentlemen. I don't believe Howard Hughes meant this to be, I don't know. And we were up in the air. We were clearly up in the air.

James McNamara: Ladies and gentlemen, the Hughes mammoth aircraft has flown this afternoon in Los Angeles harbor. And it will personally look, at this moment, that Howard Hughes will be around in the United States for some time to come.

Glenn Odekirk: 352 on your last run!

Howard Hughes: She'll go faster.