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<i>The Aviator</i> shows Hughes spending a lot of time in Hollywood both as a producer and a party animal. In this regard, the movie's portrayal was accurate because Hughes was an integral part of early Hollywood. Hughes uncle had been a writer and one of the early scriptwriters in Los Angeles. Because of Hughes ' profitable oil business , he was able to use his money to make films and operate outside of the early studio system .<ref>Barlett, p. 45</ref>

Scorsese shows Hughes being influenced by Katherine Hepburn about censorship and as a result, he takes a principled approach to the issue as a result in the movie. In reality, Hughes disliked censorship because he believed that it was financially bad for box-office. He was always a business man businessman and for him , cinema was a glamorous business and not an art form.{{Mediawiki:TabletAd1}}

The multi-millionaire founded the Hughes Aircraft Company which played a critical role development of a great many aviation technologies. The movie also shows his interest in flying boats and his design for the Spruce Goose, the largest seaplane of all time .<ref>Barlett, p 245</ref> Scorsese captures the importance of aviation in the life of Hughes and his contribution to the history of flight. Many have praised the movie for reminding the world that the subject of the biopic was a significant figure in the history of aviation. ====Hughes's struggle with mental health====[[File: Hughes One.jpg|300px|thumb|left| Howard Hughes c1940]]In one of the opening scenes of <i>The Aviator</i>, a young Hughes, while being bathed by his mother, is warned by her about the many dangers in the world. This scene shows that Hughes from an early age was conditioned by his mother to fear germs and dirt. This scene essentially foreshadows the mental health problems that Hughes experiences throughout the movie.  Even in Hughes as an aviator and movie producer, he has portrayed as extremely eccentric. The movie essentially argues that Hughes behavior was a result of his upbringing and growing mental instability. His mental illness evident throughout the film, but becomes increasingly serious as he ages. One theory surrounding Hughes was that his problems were a result of syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease, that can lead to severe mental health issues. But this explanation is not particularly plausible. Hughes did have OCD and was obsessed with dirt and cleanliness. He was well known to be a germophobe. In the film, Scorsese shows to extent of his phobia when government agents raided his Hollywood home. Hughes panicked by the idea that they are bringing germs into his home. His OCD became worse as it was untreated. The movie shows that his mental health grew worse because he was dependent on painkillers to alleviate his constant pain from his plane crashes. Scorsese’s film does represent the variety of mental health issues that Hughes experienced but not their complex origins and causes.  Despite Scorsese's efforts, his movie was criticized for not showing Hughes long physical and mental decline. In later life, he became a recluse in Las Vegas and lived in appalling conditions, and he only had his hair, and nails cut once a year.<ref> Meneghetti, Michael. "Feeling Yourself Disintegrate: The Aviator as History." <i>Canadian Journal of Film Studies</i> 20, no. 1 (2011): 2-19 </ref> The man who was one of the wealthiest men in the world became permanently paralyzed by his fear of germs. However, Scorsese hints at Hughes' future mental deterioration in the final scene when the Texan has a breakdown after seeing two men in germ-suits. ====The Congressional Hearing and Hughes====Hughes had constant legal problems and at one point was before the courts over a fatal car accident in the 1930s. The movie climaxes in 1947 when Hughes is forced to testify before the Senate, to defend himself against accusations that he had wasted government money during the war, that had been given to him for the production of the H4 Hercules Flying Boat and that the plane was not airworthy. The motion picture suggests that a rival of Hughes had bribed Senator Owen Brewster, to bring the charges against him as part of a vendetta. Just as in the motion picture the Texan millionaire was forced to testify before Congress, which was a major news story at the time. In one of the final scenes, Hughes is shown flying the H4 seaplane and thereby proving that he had made a plane that could be used by the American air force and that he had not wasted government money.<ref>Poyntz, S. " The way of the future" probing The Aviator for historical understanding: <i>Celluloid blackboard: Teaching history with film</i> (2007), p.41 </ref>  In reality, the hearing into Hughes alleged misuse of funds was, not surprisingly, much more complex. Some have claimed that the Texan fabricated the story that a business rival had bribed the Senator, investigating Hughes. This was part of a clever strategy to get out of his legal troubles. The Texan was never charged with wasting government money, and the investigation was soon dropped. However, there are lingering suspicions about Hughes business activities. The movie does not mention the Texan’s role as a philanthropist and that he founded the world-renowned Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) which has developed many pioneering medications and treatments. <ref> McCook, A. (2005). What the aviator left out: visionary Howard Hughes Medical Institute had trouble taking off in its early days. The Scientist, 19(2), 52-53 </ref> ====Conclusion====<i>The Aviator</i> focuses on Hughes life between when he moved to Los Angeles and flew the Spruce Goose. The movie successfully captures the aspects of Hughes's personalities, complex, tireless, and charisma, that that captivated America in the 1920s through the late 1940s. It also demonstrates how he became increasingly crippled over time his worsening mental illness. However, the film's explanation for the cause of his mental health problems is simplistic.  The movie also shows tries to focuses on Hughes's reputation as a womanizer. His relationships with Katherine Hepburn and Ava Gardner are explored in the film, but The Aviator ignores both his marriage and how he sexually harassed women throughout his movie career.  Hughes was an outstanding pilot who took extraordinary risks. Whether he Scorsese’s motion picture does capture the brilliance and his slow descent into mental illness and even alludes to his later years that were marred by instability when he lived as a virtual recluse. <div class="portal" style="width:85%;">====Related DailyHistory.org Articles====* [[How Historically Accurate is the movie Gangs of New York?]]* [[How Historically Accurate is the Outlaw King?]]* [[How historically accurate is the Medici Masters of Florence Series?]]* [[Is the movie Dunkirk historically accurate?]]* [[How historically accurate is the movie 'The Battle of the Bulge'?]]* [[How historically accurate is the movie 'Tora, Tora, Tora'?]]* [[How historically accurate is the movie 'A Bridge Too Far'?]]* [[How Historically Accurate is Season 2 of Versailles?]]* [[How accurate is the movie Patton?]]* [[How accurate is Stanley Kubrick's 'Spartacus'?]]* [[How Historically Accurate is season 3 of The Last Kingdom?]]* [[How Historically Accurate is Season 2 of Last Kingdom?]]* [[How Historically Accurate is season 1 of The Last Kingdom?]]* [[How Historically Accurate is Alexander?]]* [[How historically accurate is the Gladiator?]]</div>

==Hughes and his mental health==Recommended Reading====In one of the opening scenes of the movie the young Hughes is being bathed by his motherFay, and she is cautioning him of the many dangers that he faced in the world and warning him especially against dirt. Hughes is portrayed as a rather eccentric character even in his heyday as an aviator and Hollywood mogul. The director and the script indicated that Hughes eccentric behaviour was a result of his upbringing and his growing mental instability that is apparent by the end of the movie. One theory is that Hughes problems was a result of syphilisStephen, which was a sexually transmitted diseaseLewis Chester, and which often led to serous mental health issuesMagnus Linklater. Many have rejected this theory. It does seem that Hughes did have OCD and was obsessed with dirt and cleanliness. This is shown very well when some government agents raided his Hollywood home and Hughes is panicked by the idea that they are bringing germs into his home. His OCD became worse as it was untreated, and he also became dependent on painkillers after his various crashes. Scorsese’s movie does represent <i>Hoax: the variety inside story of mental health issues that Hughes experienced but not their complex origins and causes. The 2004 motion picture was heavily criticised for not referencing the long physical and mental decline of Howard Hughes. In later life he became a recluse in Las Vega and lived in appalling conditions and he only had his hair and nails cut once a year --Clifford Irving affair<ref/i> Meneghetti(New York, Michael. "Feeling Yourself Disintegrate: The Aviator as History." Canadian Journal of Film Studies 20Viking Adult, no. 1 (20111972): 2-19 </ref>. The man who was one of the richest men in America became petrified of germs. However, Scorsese does refer to Hughes' future mental deterioration in the final scene when the Texan has a breakdown after seeing two men in germ-suits. [[File: Hughes One.jpg|200px|thumb|left| Howard Hughes c1940]]

==The Congressional Hearing and Hughes==Hughes often had legal troubles and at one point was before the courts over a fatal car accident in the 1930s. The movie climaxes in 1947 when Hughes is forced to testify before the SenateBrown, to defend himself against accusations that he had wasted government money during the warPeter Harry, that had been given to him for the production of the H4 Hercules Flying Boat and that the plane was not airworthyPat H. The motion picture suggests that a rival of Hughes had bribed Senator Owen Brewster, to bring the charges against him as part of a vendetta. Just as in the motion picture the Texan millionaire was forced to testify before Congress, which was a major news story at the timeBroeske. In one of the final scenes Hughes is shown flying the H4 seaplane and thereby proving that he had made a plane that could be used by the American air force and that he had not wasted government money<refi>Poyntz, S. " The way of the future" probing Howard Hughes: The Aviator for historical understanding:. Celluloid blackboard: Teaching history with film (2007), p.41 Untold Story</refi>. In reality, the hearing into Hughes alleged misuse of funds was much more complex . Some have claimed that the Texan fabricated the story that a business rival had bribed the Senator, investigating Hughes. This was part of a clever strategy in order to get out of his legal troubles. The Texan was never charged with wasting government money and the investigation was soon dropped. However, there are lingering suspicions about Hughes business activities. The movie does not mention the Texan’s role as a philanthropist and that he founded the world-renowned Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) which has developed many pioneering medications and treatments. <ref> McCookNew York, A. (2005). What the aviator left out: visionary Howard Hughes Medical Institute had trouble taking off in its early days. The ScientistDa Capo Press, 19(22004), 52-53 </ref>.

==Conclusion==The Aviator concentrates on Hughes during his prime when he was a leading figure in Hollywood, businessHigham, and aviationCharles. The movie does capture the personality of <i>Howard Hughes who was a complex, tireless, and charismatic figure who captivated a generation. It also captures the man’s essential loneliness and his growing mental instability. However, its explanation for the cause of his mental health problems is too simplistic. : The movie does portray Hughes as a great womaniser but neglects to show that he was actually married for some of the film. It also portrays him as a great aviator and there is some truth to this. Scorsese’s motion picture does capture the brilliance and his slow descent into mental illness and even alludes to his later years that were marred by instability, when he lived as a virtual recluse. However, The Aviator, fails to address many issues in Hughes life such as his often-controversial business practices and the dark side of his womanizing. ==Recommended Reading==Fay, Stephen, Lewis Chester, and Magnus Linklater. Hoax: the inside story of the Howard Hughes--Clifford Irving affair Secret Life</i> (New York, Viking AdultMacmillan, 19722004).

Higham, Charles. Howard Hughes{{Contributors}}[[Category:Wikis]][[Category:Historically Accurate]] [[Category: The Secret Life (New York, Macmillan, 2004).==References==History of Science]]