Synopsis
In 1914, The Great
War - WWI - began in Europe. By 1917, the Allied powers of France, England,
Italy and others were on the ropes against the German juggernaut. While millions
of young men were dying overseas, arguing that the freedom of others was none of
its business, America chose...at first...not to fight. Some altruistic young
Americans disagreed. They volunteered to fight alongside their counterparts in
France; some in the infantry, some in the Ambulance Corps. A handful of others
had a different idea: they decided to learn how to fly. The first of them - a
squadron of only 38 - became known as the Lafayette Escadrille. In time, America
joined their cause. The Escadrille pilots became legendary. Flyboys is inspired
by their story. Forced to abandon his familys ranch, Blaine Rawlings finds his
future in a newsreel chronicling the adventures of young aviators in France. At
a small train station in rural Nebraska, William Jensen promises to make his
family proud. In New York, spoiled Briggs Lowry embarks on a trans-Atlantic
passage. Meanwhile, in France, black expatriate boxer, Eugene Skinner, vows to
repay his debt to his adopted racially tolerant country. Together, these
American boys arrive at an aerodrome in France, eager to learn how to fly. What
they didnt realize was that they were about to embark on a great, romantic
adventure, becoming the worlds first combat pilots. Assigned to their own
squadron, the new aviators are commanded by the battle-weary French Captain
Thenault and the equally battle-scarred American pilot Reed Cassidy, the cynical
sole survivor of his group. Ignoring Cassidys grim admonition to quit and go
home before they meet their inevitable fates and snubbed by the other aviators
as unqualified to call themselves killers, the mismatched boys study, train
and finally learn to fly. In time, the young Americans prove themselves, routing
the Fokker scourge and flying like the united team they have become. The
squadron is finally welcomed by the veteran pilots as seasoned equals - now,
they are official killers. Fighting a war that wasnt theirs, these young,
naïve adventure-seekers slowly learn the true meaning of love, brotherhood,
heroism, courage and tolerance and, in return, gain a true reason to risk their
lives.
