The Great Waldo Pepper

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The Great Waldo Pepper

PG,

1975,

1h 47m,

Adventure/

Drama

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Watchlist

59%

69 Reviews

Tomatometer

57%

1,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

59%

Tomatometer

69 Reviews

57%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Aerial tale set in the 1920s about a traveling aviator whose exaggerations look to be discovered when he begins work on a film with a pilot with whom he claims to have done battle. Having told colorful stories of wartime combat with the notorious German flying ace, the two men fortunately find a mutual respect, which culminates in a spectacular dogfight.

Critics Consensus

Though it takes the occasional nosedive due to an imbalanced tone and episodic plotting, The Great Waldo Pepper takes flight thanks to its jaw-dropping aerial sequences and Robert Redford's debonair charm.

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Martin Knelman

Globe and Mail

Oct 8, 2025

The flying machines themselves provide the only kick in this exercise.

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Phil Strassberg

Arizona Republic

Apr 24, 2025

Most audiences will be thoroughly sated from the wing-walking, midair transferring, outside-looping and tragic crack-ups to overlook its faults.

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Patrick Gibbs

Daily Telegraph (UK)

Mar 20, 2025

It is much lacking in narrative and character, and makes little of the period.

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David Cuthbert

Times-Picayune

Mar 30, 2026

This particular audience member is tired of Redford playing overage Holden Caulfields and tired of him in period vehicles.

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Charles Brock

Florida Times-Union

Feb 4, 2026

It's impeccably produced with some phenomenal aerial stuntwork to offer.

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Lou Cedrone

Baltimore Sun

Oct 7, 2025

"The Great Waldo Pepper" is stifling in its sentimentality.

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Anakin L

Mar 15, 2019

It's hard to believe it now, but there was a time that if you had an airplane you could fly it anywhere, anytime, and you could use the gas from any gas station. This story takes place at the end of that era. Redford plays a good pilot who is untested, in his own eyes and in the eyes of his fellows and watches anxiously as the chance for that testing slips away. Already the feds are moving in with their laws and regulations, fencing off the sky itself. George Roy Hill, the director and a pilot himself (along with William Goldman, writer, and Henry Mancini doing the music) capture the breezy spirit of that freedom, the freedom of the air, and those times with some melancholy and longing.

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Jul 12, 2018

Robert Redford was at his best in the 1970s. This was his finest acting decade. In this film, he showed Waldo's macho die-hard mentality that lives in all us men. Yet, when the times were too strong he also showed Waldo's vulnerability. The rest of the cast was amazing, especially Bo Bruden's potrayal of Ernst Kessler. as a man just looking to finish a life the only way he knows how to live. Great story and character arches. Loved it.

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George W

Dec 7, 2017

First off some of not the best areal biplane scenes ever filmed. And I did write FILMED! No doubt this movie would be full of CGI today. The plot carries along well enough. Remember this is a 1975 flick. Acting is done by now, Hollywood royalty acting is good. Unfortunately the ending although enduring, most may feel falls short. It captures a great part of Americana lost to the past and overall a very entertaining film. And i did say film.

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George Roy Hill

Director

Robert Redford

Waldo Pepper

Bo Svenson

Axel Olsson

Bo Brundin

Ernst Kessler

Susan Sarandon

Mary Beth

Geoffrey Lewis

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Synopsis

Aerial tale set in the 1920s about a traveling aviator whose exaggerations look to be discovered when he begins work on a film with a pilot with whom he claims to have done battle. Having told colorful stories of wartime combat with the notorious German flying ace, the two men fortunately find a mutual respect, which culminates in a spectacular dogfight.

Director: George Roy Hill
Producer: George Roy Hill
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Universal Pictures
Rating: PG
Genre: Adventure, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 13, 1975, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 12, 2014
Runtime: 1h 47m

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