Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: PROPELLER ONE-WAY NIGHT COACH [Cannes Film Festival - Cannes, France]

While “Propeller One Way Night Coach” [Cannes Premieres] might not be the best film, it is so pure and honest in its love that one cannot help but admire it in many ways. John Travolta financed, wrote and directed this adaptation of his children’s book. What is beautiful is that it is in many ways very much him. Having met him over the years specifically after his resurgence in studio films post "Pulp Fiction", Travolta was always very precise but also nostalgic, not because of his films but because of the way he is. Family has always seemed important to him. This film is no different. His daughter Ella Bleu Travolta plays one of stewardesses for example and his sister Ellen (who has been in films throughout his career) plays his would-be character’s grandmother. Having not read the children’s book, it is hard to see the tone transference. While seen from a child’s eye, the film is very adult in many ways without being overtly wistful (though it does goes that way). The needle drops from Frank Sinatra to Tony Bennett are big time and not cheap. Also the reconstruction of the TWA plane in 1962 is nicely done and reflects Travolta’s obvious love of aviation which is quite well known. THat love is center here. The whole film is basically a voice over by Travolta himself. That does make it his without him being on screen and shows the internal monologue but it is also a short cut which is in many ways a short filmmaker trick.

Now granted "Goodfellas" and "Casino" did it but those were different films. What Travolta does do, since he has over his career worked for some of the best directors, is find the right humor, politically correct or not, because it was a different time and place it within the context of his children's book world in 1962. You feel his love of cinema. You feel his hopefulness. That is more than most films can say. At the premiere he even said he held onto this to make because he wanted to make it himself and yet when Festival Director Thierry Fremaux asked him if he would ever direct again he was very hesitant. To put the evening in perspective, Travolta was also given an honorary Palme D’Or which he seemed very visibly moved by. Travolta has come back in recent years to show "Grease" on the Plage. But because he directed and Fremaux accepted the film back in October, it did seem the right time and the right circumstances to honor him in this way. Travolta, now 71, wore a beret with new kind of facial hair and a beret. The French also obviously still love him even if his box office clout has waned.

The main character in this film is named Jeff which is an obviously meld between Jett, Travolta’s passed son and his own childhood. All said Travolta’s casting is perfect even if many of the actors have not had as much experience. Most specifically in how he paints his mom, obviously there is dramatic license, in a very specific way both with her faults, strengths and quirks. She in many ways, made him the person he is. It is clear through the observations the young character Jeff makes as she speaks to try to get upgrades as well as of her suitors. The details and musings also talk of a time lost. The propeller overnight flights used to stop at multiple cities so certain trips could take days. The attention to detail with first class and food is nicely done as well as an ongoing joke about Cordon Bleu. There is also a nice moment when Jeff finds a fellow friend who is just as into aviation as he is. Travolta also perfectly captures his goo-goo eyes for the stewardesses of the age as only a young person seeing the world through rose colored lenses can. A later one is played by his daughter Ella Bleu. There is also despite the joy in the film an inherent sadness in Travolta's voice because it is a time long past (and he said as much onstage). Travolta himself does have a small cameo and it is meta and again shows an essence of closure and not a door closed but one opened. Even though the film is very short at barely an hour and 11 minutes, it does fill a certain space and because Apple is releasing it is an interesting play for Cannes (because its recent back and forth on showing streaming material is well known). Barring that, “Propeller One-Way Njght Coach” is a very sweet, nostalgic and interesting realized tome from an older Travolta telling a story of his he truly loves. B+

By Tim Wassberg