Howard Hughes - The Man and The Madness (1999)

Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. (1905-1976) was a billionaire businessman, a pioneer of aviation and an award-winning film producer. He dabbled in politics. He developed the first "flying boat," the push-up bra and the automatic hospital bed. He was adept at turning his hobbies into lucrative industries. Yet, despite all of his successes, he had no true friends or family. In the 1950s he became a recluse and was plagued by debilitating obsessive-compulsive disorders. Eventually, Hughes signed over his many business ventures to trusted advisors. In April 1976, after many years of drug abuse, Hughes slipped into a coma and died en route to a Houston hospital. It was a sad end to the life of a man who had a developed an unrivalled business empire. This MPI original production takes a look at the rise and fall of the Hughes empire. Through the archival footage and interviews with the few people who had contact with him, unravel some of the mysteries surrounding one of the richest men of the 20th century.

If your curious - buy it

If you enjoy learning about greatness - often coupled with quirky-ness and a dash of insanity, then enjoy this documentary. It is interesting to see the man in his prime, as he is slipping, and ending with a sad chronicle of his last decade or so. I wound up proud of him, pittying him, and entertained as to satisfying several curiousities.

Ed May 26, 2007

An astounding examination of a brilliant, driven, and tragic man

Howard Hughes: The Man & The Madness is the stranger-than-fiction true story of billionaire businessman, record- setting aviator, invention mogul, and recluse Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. (1905-1976). Despite his stunning accomplishments, Hughes had no true friends or family; his obsessive-compulsive disorders and drug abuse worsened as he aged and cut himself off more and more from the outside world. This remarkable DVD biography includes special features such as newsreel footage of Hughes' notable accomplishments in the 1930's through 1950's, and is an astounding examination of a brilliant, driven, and tragic man. 98 minutes, color and black-and-white.
September 10, 2005

An astounding examination of a brilliant, driven, and tragic man

Howard Hughes: The Man & The Madness is the stranger-than-fiction true story of billionaire businessman, record- setting aviator, invention mogul, and recluse Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. (1905-1976). Despite his stunning accomplishments, Hughes had no true friends or family; his obsessive-compulsive disorders and drug abuse worsened as he aged and cut himself off more and more from the outside world. This remarkable DVD biography includes special features such as newsreel footage of Hughes' notable accomplishments in the 1930's through 1950's, and is an astounding examination of a brilliant, driven, and tragic man. 98 minutes, color and black-and-white.
September 10, 2005

Hughes video is O.K.

All in all, this particular Hughes video ("The Man and the Madness") is pretty good. It offers some good interviews. However, like many products these days, it barely skims the surface of the subject matter. For my money, the best video thus far on Hughes is the A&E "Biography" presented a couple of years back.

Also, please note that this video ("The Man and the Madness") is far superior to the other Hughes video offered by Amazon ("The Mysterious Howard Hughes"), which is more or less a disappointing study of the events which took place following Hughes' death. June 21, 2001

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