Originally begun as a silent movie in 1927, Howard Hughes’s World War I epic was ambitious enough to begin with, but after he saw the success of The Jazz Singer the eccentric billionaire decided to convert the film to a talkie, by re-shooting almost every scene.

Halliwell described Hughes – who took over as director after his constant interference caused Marshall Neilan to walk out – as an…

‘American businessman and celebrated recluse of eccentric habits; once an enthusiastic filmmaker.’

The dogfight sequences are spectacular even today, and Hughes even had to do some of the flying himself when his stunt pilots – most of whom were veteran war aces – balked at the dangerous manoeuvres requested of them! They were justified in their reticence, though, as three men were killed during the shoot and Hughes was also later injured in a crash.