This early docudrama uses dramatic reenactment, working models of early flying machines, and archival footage to trace man's attempts to fly from ancient times through the 1930s.
Directed by
Donald Taylor, Alexander Esway, Zoltan Korda, Alexander Shaw, John Monk Saunders
Written by
Peter Bezencenet, John Monk Saunders, Hugh Gray
John Abbott
Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier
Laurence Olivier
Vincent Lunardi
Michael Rennie
Marquis d'Arlandes (uncredited)
Alan Wheatley
Giovanni Alfonso Borelli
Andrea Checchi
Zoroastro (uncredited)
Hilary Pritchard
Cayley's Coachman (uncredited)
Margaretta Scott
Isobella d'Este (uncredited)
John Turnbull
Von Zeppelin
Hay Petrie
Tiberius Cavallo
Peter Madden
American Airliner Pilot (uncredited)
Cameron Hall
Dr. John Jeffries (uncredited)
Franklin Dyall
Jerome de Ascoli
Carlo Ninchi
Gabriele Adanti di Perugia (uncredited)
Derrick De Marney
(uncredited)
Percy Marmont
Wilbur Wright (uncredited)
Edward Ashley
(uncredited)
David Horne
Nero (uncredited)
Roy Royston
Hubert Latham (uncredited)
Charles A. Lindbergh
Charles Lindbergh (archive footage) (uncredited)
Ben Webster
Leonardo da Vinci (uncredited)
Kenneth Kove
Gentleman at Reception (uncredited)
Frederick Culley
Roger Bacon
Amelia Earhart
Amelia Earhart (archive footage) (uncredited)
Henry Victor
Otto Lilienthal
Charles Lefeaux
Louis Bleriot
Bryan Powley
George Cayley
Italo Balbo
Italo Balbo (archive footage) (uncredited)
Memo Benassi
Francesco Lama di Brescia (uncredited)
Denville Bond
Oliver of Malmesbury (uncredited)
Tom Campbell Black
Tom Black (archive footage) (uncredited)
Charles Carrett
Latham's Manager (uncredited)
Arthur Clouston
Arthur Clouston (archive footage) (uncredited)
Paul Codos
Paul Codos (archive footage) (uncredited)
Bryan Coleman
(uncredited)
Don Gemmell
(uncredited)
Henry Hallatt
Jean-Pierre Blanchard (uncredited)
Pearl Hay
(uncredited)
Ronnie Hepworth
Boy (uncredited)
Charles Hickman
Orville Wright (uncredited)
Bert Hinkler
Bert Hinkler (archive footage) (uncredited)
Anthony Holles
Mechanic (uncredited)
Amy Johnson
Amy Johnson (archive footage) (uncredited)
Charles Kingsford Smith
Charles Kingsford Smith (archive footage) (uncredited)